Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is a

private college Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grants. D ...

in Claremont, California, focused on science and engineering. It is part of the

Claremont Colleges The Claremont Colleges (known colloquially as the 7Cs) are a consortium of seven private institutions of higher education located in Claremont, California, United States. They comprise five undergraduate colleges (the 5Cs)— Pomona College, Sc ...

, which share adjoining campus grounds and resources. The college enrolls 902

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...

students , and awards the

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

degree. Admission to Harvey Mudd is highly competitive and the college has an intense academic culture. The college was funded by the friends and family of

Harvey Seeley Mudd Harvey Seeley Mudd (30 August 1888– 12 April 1955) was a mining engineer and founder, investor, and president of Cyprus Mines Corporation, a Los Angeles–based international enterprise that operated copper mines on the island of Cyprus. Mudd ...

, one of the initial investors in the

Cyprus Mines Corporation The Cyprus Mines Corporation was an early twentieth century American mining company based in Cyprus. In 1914, Charles G. Gunther began prospecting in the Skouriotissa area after reading in ancient books that the island was rich in copper and n ...

, and named in his honor. Although involved in planning of the new institution, Mudd died before it opened in 1955. The campus was designed by

Edward Durell Stone Edward Durell Stone (March 9, 1902 – August 6, 1978) was an American architect known for the formal, highly decorative buildings he designed in the 1950s and 1960s. His works include the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City, the Museo de A ...

in a

modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

style.

History

Harvey Mudd was founded in 1955. Classes began in 1957, with a founding class of 48 students and one building–Mildred E. Mudd Hall, a dormitory. Classes and meals took place at CMC, and labs in the Baxter Science Building until additional buildings could be built: Jacobs Science Building (1959), Thomas-Garett Hall (1961) and Platt Campus Center (1963). By 1966, the campus had grown to 283 students and 43 faculty. Under the presidency of

Maria Klawe Maria Margaret Klawe ( ; born 1951) is a computer scientist and the fifth president of Harvey Mudd College (since July 1, 2006). Born in Toronto in 1951, she became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2009. She was previously Dean of the School of En ...

, begun in 2006, Harvey Mudd became a leading advocate for

women in STEM Many scholars and policymakers have noted that the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have remained predominantly male with historically low participation among women since the origins of these fields in the 18th ce ...

in higher education. In April 2017, all classes were canceled for two days in response to tensions on campus over workload, race issues, and mistrust of faculty. Contributing events included the deaths of two Mudd students and a Scripps student that year and the leak of a report on teaching, learning, and workload at Mudd. Beginning July 1, 2023,

Harriet Nembhard Harriet Black Nembhard (born December 7, 1967) is Dean of the University of Iowa College of Engineering and The Roy J. Carver Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering. She began her role as Dean on July 1, 2020. Beginning July 1, 2023, she ...

will serve as the sixth President of Harvey Mudd College.

Campus

The original buildings of campus, designed by

and completed in 1959, features "knobbly concrete squares that students of Harvey Mudd affectionately call 'warts' and use as hooks for skateboards." The school's unofficial mascot "Wally Wart" is an anthropomorphic concrete wart. In 2013, ''

Travel and Leisure ''Travel + Leisure'' is a travel magazine based in New York City, New York. Published 12 times a year, it has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC, with trademark ri ...

'' named the college as one of "America's ugliest college campuses" and noted that while Stone regarded his design as a "

Modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

masterpiece" the result was "layering drab, slab-sided buildings with Beaux-Arts decoration."

Academic buildings

The official names for the academic buildings of Harvey Mudd College are: * F.W. Olin Science Center * Parsons Engineering Building * R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning * Jacobs Science Center * W.M. Keck Laboratories * Scott A. McGregor Computer Science Center

Dormitories

The official names for the dormitories of Harvey Mudd College are (listed in order of construction): * Mildred E. Mudd Hall ("East") - 1957 * West Hall ("West") - 1958 * North Hall ("North") - 1959 * Marks Residence Hall ("South") - 1968 * J. L. Atwood Residence Hall ("Atwood") - 1981 * Case Residence Hall ("Case") - 1985 * Ronald and Maxine Linde Residence Hall ("Linde") - 1993 * Frederick and Susan Sontag Residence Hall ("Sontag") - 2004 * Wayne and Julie Drinkward Residence Hall ("Drinkward") - 2015 Until the addition of the Linde and Sontag dorms, Atwood and Case dorms were occasionally referred to as New Dorm and New Dorm II; Mildred E. Mudd Hall and Marks Hall are almost invariably referred to as East dorm and South dorm. During the construction of Case Dorm some students decided as a

prank A practical joke, or prank, is a mischievous trick played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. ...

to move all of the survey stakes exactly six inches in one direction. "East" was the first dorm, but it wasn't until "West" was built west of it that it was actually referred to as "East". Then "North" was built, directly north of "East". When the fourth dorm (Marks) was built, there was one corner of the quad available (the northwest) and one directional name, "South", remaining. To this day "South" dorm is the northernmost HMC dorm. The fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth dorms built are Atwood, Case, Linde, Sontag, and Drinkward, respectively. They were initially referred to as "the colonies" by some students, a reference to the fact that they were newer and at the farthest end of the campus; these dorms are now more commonly referred to as "the outer dorms." The college had initially purchased an apartment building adjacent to the newer dorms to house additional students, but it was demolished to make room for Sontag. Since any HMC student, regardless of class year, can live in any of the dormitories, several of the dorms have accumulated long-standing traditions and so-called 'personalities'.

Academics

HMC offers four-year degrees in

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

computer science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

, and

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

, interdisciplinary degrees in mathematical biology, and joint majors in computer science and mathematics; physics and mathematics; or biology and chemistry. Students may also elect an Individual Program of Study (IPS) or an off-campus major offered by any of the other Claremont Colleges, provided one also completes a minor in one of the technical fields that Harvey Mudd offers as a major. All HMC students are required to take the college's Common Core Curriculum, typically throughout their freshman and sophomore years. This includes courses in computer science, engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, writing, and a critical inquiry course. In 2018, the ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' reported that, in response to student "complaints first to mental-health counselors and then to outside evaluators", the college was "considering how to ease pressure on students without sacrificing rigor."

Admissions

For the class of 2023, the college received 4,045 applications and admitted 553 applicants (a 13.7% acceptance rate). Of the 224 freshmen who enrolled, the middle 50% of

SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...

scores were 780–800 in mathematics and 710–770 in critical reading, while the ACT Composite range was 33–35. Harvey Mudd, along with

Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Reynolda Campus, the un ...

, long held out as the last four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. to accept only

and not ACT test scores for admission. In August 2007, at the beginning of the application process for the class of 2012, HMC began accepting ACT results, a year after Wake Forest abandoned its former SAT-only policy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvey Mudd waived the requirement for SAT or ACT scores for the graduating classes of 2021 or 2022. This policy was extended to the class of 2023.

Rankings

Washington Monthly ''Washington Monthly'' is a bimonthly, nonprofit magazine of United States politics and government that is based in Washington, D.C. The magazine is known for its annual ranking of American colleges and universities, which serves as an alternat ...

'' ranked Harvey Mudd fifth in 2020 among 218 liberal arts colleges in the U.S. based on its contribution to the public good, as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service. ''

Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as ...

'' magazine ranked Harvey Mudd 136th out of 744 in its "Best Colleges For Your Money 2019" report. In '' U.S. News & World Report'' 2021 "America's Best Colleges" report, Harvey Mudd College is tied for the 25th best U.S. liberal arts college, is second among undergraduate engineering schools in the U.S. whose highest degree is a Master's, and is ranked as tied for sixth "Most Innovative School" among 50 liberal arts colleges evaluated. ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

'' in 2019 rated it 23rd in its "America's Top Colleges" ranking of 650 military academies, national universities and liberal arts colleges.

Tuition and other costs

In 2021, Harvey Mudd's total annual cost of attendance (tuition, fees, and room and board) was $82,236. About 70% of freshmen receive financial aid.

Athletics

Athletes from Harvey Mudd compete alongside athletes from

Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It has a curricular emphasis on government, economics, public affairs, finance, and internat ...

and

Scripps College Scripps College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Claremont, California. It was founded as a member of the Claremont Colleges in 1 ...

as the

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags and Athenas The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags (men) and Athenas (women) is the joint intercollegiate sports program of Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, and Scripps College, all located in Claremont, California. The teams participate in th ...

(CMS). The teams participate in

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their stu ...

in the

Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) is a college athletic conference that operates in the NCAA's Division III. The conference was founded in 1915 and it consists of twelve small private schools that are located in ...

(SCIAC). The mascot for the men's teams is Stanley the Stag, and the women's teams are the Athenas. Their colors are cardinal and gold.

Athletics history

According to the Division III Fall Learfield Director's Cup Standings for the 2016-2017 year, CMS ranks 12th among all Division III programs, and first among SCIAC colleges.

Sports

There are 21 men's and women's teams. Men's sports * Baseball * Basketball * Cross Country * Football * Golf * Soccer * Swimming and Diving * Tennis * Track and Field * Water Polo Women's sports *Basketball *Cross Country *Golf *Lacrosse *Soccer *Softball *Swimming and Diving *Tennis *Track and Field *Volleyball *Water Polo

Athletic facilities

* Baseball — Bill Arce Field * Basketball and Volleyball — Roberts Pavilion * Football and Lacrosse — John Zinda Field * Softball — Softball Field * Soccer — John Pritzlaff Field * Aquatics — Matt M. Axelrood Pool * Tennis — Biszantz Family Tennis Center * Track and Field — Burns Track Complex

Rivals

The other sports combination of the Claremont Colleges, and CMS' primary rival, is the team made up of

Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became ...

and

Pitzer College Pitzer College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. One of the Claremont Colleges, the college has a curricular emphasis on the social sciences, behavioral sciences, international programs, and media studies. Pitzer is k ...

known as the

Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens is the joint athletics program for Pomona College and Pitzer College, two of the Claremont Colleges. It competes in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) of the NCAA Division III. Its masc ...

(PP). This is known to students as the Sixth Street Rivalry.

Relations with Caltech

The

California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...

(Caltech), another university with strength in the natural sciences and engineering, is located away from Harvey Mudd College. Mudders occasionally amused themselves by pranking Caltech. For example, in 1986, students from Mudd stole a memorial cannon from Fleming House at Caltech (originally from the

National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

) by dressing as maintenance people and carting it off on a flatbed truck for "cleaning". Harvey Mudd eventually returned the cannon after Caltech threatened to take legal action. In 2006,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

(MIT) replicated the prank and moved the same cannon to their campus in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

Notable alumni

Notable Harvey Mudd College alumni include: *

Donald D. Chamberlin Donald D. Chamberlin is an American computer scientist who is one of the principal designers of the original SQL language specification with Raymond Boyce. He also made significant contributions to the development of XQuery. Chamberlin was e ...

(1966), Co-inventor of SQL * Richard H. Jones (1972), Diplomat, U.S. Ambassador to Israel * Stan Love (1987), Astronaut * George "Pinky" Nelson (1972), Astronaut * Sean “Day9” Plott, esports commentator and game designer

Notable faculty

References

Bibliography

External links

*
Website of ''The Student Life'', the 5C newspaper

Official athletics website
* {{Authority control Claremont Colleges Claremont, California Universities and colleges in Los Angeles County, California Liberal arts colleges in California San Gabriel Valley Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Educational institutions established in 1955 1955 establishments in California Science and technology in Greater Los Angeles Private universities and colleges in California