Three Harvey Mudd Students Awarded ServiceNow Scholarships 

Three Harvey Mudd College students—Brayden Mendoza ’26 (computer science), Madeline Seifert ’26 (computer science) and Ket Hollingsworth ’25 (computer science)—are recipients of 2023–2024 ServiceNow Scholarships. As they navigate the College’s rigorous academic programs, the students are finding time for research, sports, music and community engagement activities.

Mendoza is a gold medal recipient of The Congressional Award, Congress’ highest honor for youth who demonstrate outstanding community service and personal achievement, a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and a gold medal recipient of The President’s Volunteer Service Award. Seifert is the founder and co-president of the Artsy Fartsy Club at Harvey Mudd, a peer health educator and a runner on the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps track team. And Hollingsworth attended the 2023 USC Research Experience for Undergraduates Symposium and presented his summer research findings while exploring a variety of research topics in CS.

The ServiceNow Scholarship was established at Harvey Mudd in Dec. 2021. Headquartered in Santa Clara, ServiceNow provides global solutions for IT service and operations management, employee and customer experiences and more, through one platform. Harvey Mudd’s relationship with ServiceNow extends beyond the company’s establishment of the scholarship to the College’s Clinic Program.

ServiceNow has been a Computer Science Clinic sponsor at Harvey Mudd. In the company’s most recent Clinic project, “Catching Uncareful Code: Static Analysis of (Arbitrary) Data Queries” (2021–2022), ServiceNow sought the help of Harvey Mudd students to reduce the number of inefficient database inquiry deployments in client-written applications. Other ServiceNow-sponsored Clinic projects have included “Automating and Assessing Data Anonymization” (2020–2021), “Efficient Indexing of Compressed Time-series Data” (2019–2020) and “Optimizing Compression for Time Series Data” (2018–2019).

More About ServiceNow Scholarship Recipients Mendoza ’26, Seifert ’26 and Hollingsworth ’25 

What are you interested in pursuing, academically and professionally, during your time at Harvey Mudd and beyond?

Mendoza: My life’s goal is to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the advancement of humanity. I believe humanity’s next technological leap will be through understanding the applications of quantum physics, particularly within computers, and I aspire to make significant contributions to this development. After talking to a few professors, I’ve learned that this emerging field is very interdisciplinary. By getting a degree from Harvey Mudd in CS, that includes a variety of STEM electives and courses in quantum information, mechanics and microprocessor-based systems, I hope to not only learn more about my interests—which, by taking a variety of Core classes, have expanded to include circuits and electrical engineering—and become an interdisciplinary scholar, but to also pursue a graduate degree program in quantum information.

Seifert: I’m interested in the field of computer science, specifically in program development and cybersecurity. I enjoy creating and writing programs, and I hope to continue doing so in the future. I’ve also enjoyed learning about physics through my Core courses. After graduation, I’d like to work in the computer science industry. I’m interested in going into cybersecurity, back-end development or something related to video games. I’m not exactly sure what I want to do yet as I’m interested in many topics in computer science, but I do know I want a job where I can be creative and develop a product. Eventually, I would like to work up to a leadership role like a project manager or other related position where I can take on more responsibility.

Hollingsworth: I’ve developed an interest in the field of robotics/embedded systems since first being introduced to the field by Harvey Mudd’s MuddSub Club, which works on designing an automated underwater vehicle for the yearly RoboSub Competition. It has been an incredible two years working with such a talented team, and I look forward to leading as club president in the coming year! I have also joined a lab with Professor Arthi Padmanabhan where we attempt to optimize machine learning edge devices under energy constraints. This project is similarly very close to the edge of hardware and software which is a field that I find very interesting! In the future, I am considering possibly pursuing a master’s degree in computer engineering but, if I find the right job, I may go straight into industry. I am excited to explore what’s left of my journey here at Harvey Mudd, and I’m going to make the most of it.

How has receiving the ServiceNow Scholarship impacted in your life?

Mendoza: The ServiceNow Scholarship has made tuition more affordable for my family and me. It’s become progressively more expensive to acquire a college degree, and Harvey Mudd is known for its high tuition. So, it comes as no surprise that attending Mudd has put a financial strain on us. However, this scholarship, along with other need-based financial aid the College provides, makes it much more feasible for me to attend this wonderful institution so that I can have the best education I could ask for.

Seifert: The scholarship has given me the opportunity to continue my education at Harvey Mudd without having to stress about the financial burden of my tuition and other expenses. As a first-generation college student, I’ve faced challenges navigating loans and other financial aid, so I’m very grateful to receive support. Because of the ServiceNow Scholarship, I can focus more on my studies and extracurricular activities instead of financial issues.

Hollingsworth: The ServiceNow Scholarship has allowed me to stay at Harvey Mudd College. If I did not have this support, I would not be able to cover the costs of college on my own. I come from a low-income background, and the cost of college is one of the things that my mother worries about the most. However, because of scholarships like this, I’m able to have the opportunity to attend one of the most expensive institutions in the country and pursue the opportunities that were not available to my mother who grew up as an undocumented immigrant. I’m incredibly grateful for this scholarship, and I promise to make the most of the opportunity I have been given.