Mati Alemayehu is a senior from Stone Mountain, GA, a suburb just outside of Atlanta. He lives there with his mother, father, and two siblings. He attends Chamblee Charter High School, where he is known for is academic and extracurricular involvement. As a top student, Mati strives to take advantage of the most challenging courses his school has to offer, taking a total of seventeen AP courses over four years. Mati believes this academic rigor to stem in part from his interests in math or science, which comprise the majority of his advanced classes. As an aspiring engineer, he has gone particularly in depth in Physics, Biology, and Chemistry, and his interest in these fields has inspired him to join clubs and organizations such as Math Team, Science Olympiad, and Science Bowl. When he isn’t competing in tournaments however, he is often devoting himself to his other activities. He has served two terms as class president, volunteered as a tutor for the Clarkston Community Center and the Center for Pan Asian Community Services, and currently serves as president of the Environmental Club on campus. Though much of his community involvement was inspired through the lessons he learned in class, such as Environmental Club, the issue of tutoring is very near to his heart.

As an Ethiopian-American immigrant, Mati feels a connection to disadvantaged students. He considers himself lucky to have been raised in an environment that promoted learning, and he seeks to make this environment a reality for others. During his free time, Mati enjoys computer games, movies, running, music, and classical and contemporary art. Mati hopes to pursue a degree in bioengineering, and then continue to an MD/PhD program. In order to prepare for this future, as well as to get some practical experience, Mati would like to do begin doing research as soon as possible. He would also like to continue this level of community involvement, especially in tutoring, throughout his undergraduate years.