Draft said that Li often went out of her way to help out fellow students by attending advising events and serving as a teaching fellow in the courses Molecular and Cellular Biology 80 and Computer Science 50. She also worked for Harvard Brain, an on-campus neuroscience journal.

“She had a pretty big presence in the concentration when she was on campus,” he said. “I felt like our relationship with her was a little bit more substantial than it is with most students.”

Other friends remembered that Li, who volunteered at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter and worked with the Elizabeth Warren campaign, cared deeply about social problems.

“She didn’t just care on paper; she cared with her whole heart on these issues,” said Davis.

And in each of these pursuits, friends said, Li exhibited grace and humility without fail.

“She was never showy with all her talents and she probably didn’t give herself as much credit as anyone else who knew her would,” Sima said.

Guan said that Li often checked up on friends, generally steering the conversation away from her own successes or struggles.

“I really think she underestimated herself,” Guan said. “I just really hope she was able to realize how much people loved her.”

—Staff writer Jared T. Lucky can be reached at lucky@college.harvard.edu. Follow him on Twitter @jared_lucky.