Senior Spotlight: Harsh Rathore’s Secret Identity – Peter the Anteater

Like a superhero, Harsh Rathore has a secret. For the past two years, Rathore has been making his way through the rigors of a mild-mannered computer science student researching multi-agent systems and AI, working as a peer advisor and serving as ASUCI Senate President at UC Irvine Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) by day. Then after hours, he would transform into the unique and beloved UC Irvine mascot, Peter the Anteater.

It all started as a joke. Rathore and his friend decided to try out for the mascot auditions on a whim. “I’m afraid to touch grass,” he laughs at his unlikely path to Peter. But it quickly became a serious experience that has taken him out of his comfort zone to high-fiving, dancing and zotting throughout California, Las Vegas, riding the Zamboni at Anaheim Ducks matches, meeting celebrities like Magic Johnson and welcoming Paris Saint-Germain at the FIFA World Cup.

Working as Peter the Anteater also brought him serious joy in being able to connect with different communities in a playful way. Rathore has cherished every moment. “Being inside the suit gives me this freedom to just be myself without worrying about anything else,” he reflects. “It has been the highlight of my whole experience. Through it all, I’ve built real connections with the athletic community and campus partners. Seeing how much joy Peter brings to people makes it all worthwhile.”

“I’ve built real connections with the athletic community and campus partners. Seeing how much joy Peter brings to people makes it all worthwhile.”

Rathore’s superpowers are compassion and willingness to take risks. He shared this power in his 2026 Commencement speech to ICS graduates. There, he revealed his secret identity and used it as a moment to inspire others.

Growing up in India, Rathore became fascinated with technology as he watched his father working as a software architect, often traveling to Los Angeles and Orange County. As a child, listening to his father’s Skype meetings piqued his interest in programming and problem solving. This longtime interest in computing brought him to ICS.

But Rathore struggled with confidence and finding his place at first. His personal struggles deepened his capacity for compassion for others’ challenges. “Somewhere along the way, I realized that this is my journey, and mine alone,” Rathore shared in his Commencement speech.

“I didn’t need to follow someone else’s timeline or fit into every expectation placed on me. It’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, but sometimes the bravest thing that you can do is to pause, breathe, trust yourself, and move at your own pace.” He also credits his parents for their unwavering encouragement, “I want to thank my mom and dad for everything they’ve sacrificed for me. I wouldn’t be here at UC Irvine without their love and support. They’ve always been there for me across every timezone, whether I needed someone to listen or someone to lift me up.”

“It’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, but sometimes the bravest thing that you can do is to pause, breathe, trust yourself, and move at your own pace.”

“Looking back at my time at UC Irvine, there isn’t one standout moment, but rather the entire experience there shaped me,” he adds.

“One highlight has been my role as a peer academic advisor. I’d been informally helping friends navigate the program since my first year. I’d done all the research beforehand and became the go-to person everyone called with questions. When I saw the formal peer advisor position open up, I applied. Getting that role let me channel my natural inclination to help others into something more structured. It’s incredibly rewarding to see students come in overwhelmed and confused, then help them find clarity.”

One highlight has been my role as a peer academic advisor… It’s incredibly rewarding to see students come in overwhelmed and confused, then help them find clarity.”

“Working in that office also gave me insight into the counselors’ side of things: the volume of work they handle, all the complexity behind the scenes. It has deepened my respect for everyone in ICS Student Affairs. Beyond advising, I’ve been involved in policy work through the Undergraduate Policy Committee with people like Sandy Irani, Jennifer Wong-Ma, and Leigh Fine, which has been meaningful in shaping ICS initiatives and broader campus policy.”

As for advice for other ICS students, Rathore shares:

“My advice would be to say yes to everything, even when you’re not sure you’re ready, because that willingness to jump in and try new things is what opens up all these amazing opportunities at UC Irvine.”

“My time here has been a complete arc from uncertainty to accomplishment…All of it came from just saying yes and being willing to try.”

“My time here has been a complete arc from uncertainty to accomplishment. I also applied for the Chancellor’s Award of Distinction and just found out I received it, which feels like the perfect bookend to my time at UC Irvine. Beyond that, I served as Senate President at ASUCI and chaired the Student Fee Advisory Committee, advocating for student needs and representing UC students at the system level. All of it came from just saying yes and being willing to try.”

As he steps into the unknown, Rathore can take comfort thinking of all the joy he leaves behind as part of his legacy at UC Irvine, even if for most of that time his closest peers never knew his secret – until now.

– Tonya Becerra