He hopes his message will resonate with graduates.
"They should feel comfortable and proud of where they come from and who they are and the changes they are going to make for our community," he said.
Zareiesfandabadi, 33, is proud to be an Iranian refugee. Born into the Baha'i faith, he fled Iran at just 16 years old. His parents encouraged him to pursue an education, a decision that meant leaving them behind.
"I didn't understand it at the time, but now I have extreme gratitude," he said. "I don't know who I would have been if I had stayed there."
He spent nearly three years in Turkey before arriving in North Carolina at 19, joining his aunt and uncle in Chapel Hill.
Though he believed he had reached the land of opportunity, he quickly realized he could not find work and did not speak English. He taught himself through reading, films and online study.
Zareiesfandabadi went on to enroll at Durham Tech, where he balanced school with multiple jobs to support himself.
"I was trying. I'm not done. I'm still trying," he said.
He graduated in 2017 after five years, later earning a degree in physics from North Carolina State University. He is now pursuing a Ph.D. at Duke University, specializing in biology and developmental mechanics.
Over the years, he has built a community of friends who have become like family. He has also reunited with his sibling in North Carolina, while his parents remain in Iran amid ongoing conflict.
"They called me a week or two after things got started," he said. "I was extremely anxious to hear from them."
Ahead of his commencement address, Zareiesfandabadi reflected on milestones he once missed. He missed both of his graduation ceremonies at Durham Tech and N. C. State University.
"This feels especially special because I wasn't able to make mine," he said. "Now I'm here celebrating with other people."
He added that he was proud to finally be part of the moment.
Zareiesfandabadi is expected to complete his Ph.D. at Duke next spring. He says he has not seen his parents since he was 19 but hopes that will change soon.