Harvey Mudd Leadership Awards

Harvey Mudd recognized exemplary examples of leadership at its fifth annual Leadership Awards ceremony, which celebrates students, faculty and staff for their contributions on campus and beyond.

“We value leadership, big and small, on our campus and in our community, and it is important to take time to join together and recognize this as a community,” said Jon Jacobsen, vice president for student affairs and dean of students.

A selection committee of students, staff and faculty reviewed nominations from the campus community and made selections for the following awards:

Outstanding Faculty Member– Zach Dodds, Leonard-Johnson-Rae Professor of Computer Science

A nominator commented, “Besides being an amazing professor he embodies Mudd values by going above and beyond his job role serving as a mentor for students and their organizations. He demonstrates leadership in providing quality student support, promoting inclusion, fostering intellectual growth and encouraging involvement in campus, local, national and global communities.”

Outstanding Staff Member– Ron Caldwell, construction manager

The award recognizes staff members for their positive contributions to the campus and for their leadership and willingness to make a difference in the lives of students. “Ron values the safety of the community above all other considerations during construction projects … he quietly and successfully completes projects (e.g., OID suite, Galileo auditoria, Drinkward Residence Hall and many smaller projects) without fanfare,” wrote a nominator.

Outstanding Contribution to Harvey Mudd College– Alec Fox, university programs specialist, Google

Given to an employer or community partner that supports the co-curricular education of HMC students. A nominator commented, “Alec develops and implements strategies for outreach to HMC students in order find candidates for both internships and full-time positions. What makes Alec so successful is that he has developed and continues to maintain relationships with the entire Career Services staff as well as faculty and student groups at HMC.”

Dean Sundberg Prize– Jordan Howard-Jennings ’19

Established by Dana Seaton ’06, and with support from Warren Kazenstein ’04 and Nate Yoder ’06, the Dean Chris Sundberg Prize ($500) recognizes a rising junior who demonstrates exceptional leadership and a positive impact on the College community. A nominator remarked, “Jordan is a powerful agent of change and inspires those in his community, and I find myself inspired and challenged by his rare vision, his cutting-edge insight, and his tireless commitment to community organization and social justice.”

Outstanding Student Organization– Engineers for a Sustainable World/Mudders Organizing for Sustainability Solutions (ESW/MOSS)

This award is given to a recognized student organization that makes a positive impact on the campus or wider community and demonstrates integrity, leadership and teamwork. ESW/MOSS works with local community groups to advance sustainability by providing paid and volunteer opportunities to revolutionize solar technology and provides opportunities for the 5Cs, particularly HMC, to understand the impact of their daily choices on the environment.

Outstanding Emerging Leader Award– David Olumese ’19

The award recognizes a first-year student or sophomore who exhibits great potential as a campus and/or community leader. Olumese is an active member of the CS department (including serving as a grader/tutor), an Experimental Engineering team leader, co-president of the Class of 2019, a Black Lives at Mudd (BLAM) member, Mudders Mentoring Mudders and Building Bridges participant, an organizer of the HMC Student Philanthropy Campaign, phonathon manager and caller and a 3-C InterVarsity member.

Outstanding Mudder Award– Maya Martirossyan ’17 and Willie Zuniga ’17

Outstanding Mudder Awards recognize students who contribute to the community and demonstrate creativity, leadership, teamwork, ethics, inclusion, community engagement, wellness and communication in both curricular and co-curricular endeavors.

Martirossyan (physics) is a multi-dimensional student involved in orchestra as well as physics research. She was a two-time mentor and is a North Dorm proctor. In addition to being involved with the 5C Armenian organization, she volunteered with Upward Bound. As part of the Napier Course in community engagement, she helped create a community engagement opportunity for those wishing to teach in local prisons.

Zuniga (physics), who passed away Feb. 2, 2017, was a campus leader known for his giving personality. “He had a special skill of making people feel like they were the most important thing in that moment by giving them his undivided attention,” a nominator said. The College will present this award to Zuniga’s family at the May 14 HMC Commencement ceremony.

Dorman Student Altruism Prize– Emily Beese ’17 (engineering)

Established by the Dorman Family foundation, the $250 award recognizes a graduating senior student who is selected by their peers as the “one who has done the most for their fellow students.” Beese a proctor, is recognized as being a “peacemaker, always concerned for the well-being of teammates … [she] embodies the Mudd value of caring for others in every way.”

Community Engagement Internships and Prizes

Strauss Internship

Darien Joso ’19 (engineering) and Donely Gunn ’18 (engineering) were each awarded the Donald and Dorothy Strauss Internship for Social Understanding. Designed for Harvey Mudd students interested in working with a local community service agency, the 10-week internship includes up to $4,000 in support to work with local groups.

Huppe Memorial Internship

Priscilla Chu ’19 (engineering), Herrick Fang ’19 (mathematics), David Olumese ’19 (computer science), Clark Whitsett ’19 (engineering) and Kayla Yamada ’19 (engineering) each received the Ben Huppe ’14 Memorial Internship for a Sustainable World. Established by Maggie Lewis and Bob Huppe in memory of their son, Ben, and his passion for science and social justice, the internship provides a stipend of up to $4,000 for work in renewable energy, green technologies or environmental sustainability, or for work that addresses the problems of underserved populations.

New Millennium Experiential Learning Fund– Madeline Pignetti ’17 (computer science)

Established by Aaron Archer ’98 and Gregory Rae ’00, the New Millennium Experiential Learning Fund seeks to engender in students a significant commitment to a lifetime of service activities with national or international nonprofit organizations.

Napier Initiative Fellowship­– Lee Joon Kim ’17 (chemistry and biology)

The fellowship is a partnership between Pilgrim Place and the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges to encourage leadership for social change. Kim is working to create STEAMers, a program where local college student volunteers deliver science, technology, engineering, art and math lessons and demonstrations to elementary school children who are at-risk in these subjects to decrease differences in achievement.

Spacapan Memorial Scholarship– Emily Beese ’17, Lee Joon Kim ’17, Jessica Lupanow ’18

Established by family and friends in memory of Harvey Mudd Professor of Psychology Shirlynn Spacapan, this scholarship recognizes sophomores, juniors or seniors who are highly involved in community service.

Scholarships and Fellowships

Also recognized at the HMC Leadership Awards ceremony were Goldwater Scholarship winner Daniel Johnson ’18 (computer science and mathematics) and honorable mention recipient Rachael Kretsch ’18 (chemistry and biology); and Thomas J. Watson Fellow Dina Sinclair ’17 (mathematics).