2025 Leadership Awards

Harvey Mudd College recognizes outstanding examples of leadership during its annual Leadership Awards event, coordinated by the Division of Student Affairs. For the 2025 presentations, community members gathered for lunch and ceremony to celebrate students, faculty and staff for their contributions on campus and beyond.

A selection committee of students, staff and faculty reviewed nominations from the campus community and made selections for Outstanding Mudder, Outstanding Emerging Leader, Outstanding Student Organization, Dean Sundberg Prize, Dorman Student Altruism Prize and Outstanding Faculty and Staff members. President Harriet Nembhard opened the event saying, “As we celebrate these individuals, let us also acknowledge that leadership is not defined by awards alone. Every act of mentorship, advocacy, and service—whether recognized or not—helps shape the vibrant and inclusive community we are proud to call our own.”

Outstanding Mudder Award

Recognizes students who contribute to the community and demonstrate creativity, leadership, teamwork, ethics, inclusion, community engagement, wellness and communication in curricular and co-curricular endeavors. Two Mudders were given this award this year.

Shivani Manivasagan ’25

A nominator wrote, “Shivani is definitely the most ‘whole person’ I’ve ever met at Mudd. She puts incredible effort into the quality of all her work and activities both academic and extracurricular, all while emphasizing collaboration and community building. Out of the awards criteria, she easily exceeds every single quality.”

Gabriel Klinger ’25

Nominator comments included, “Gabriel has demonstrated extraordinary leadership through his empathy and commitment to supporting those who are often overlooked or underappreciated in the Mudd community. One example of this is his work with Irma Aguilar’s (Hoch dining staff) daughter, whom he tutored for free in high school math classes. Throughout his time at Mudd, he has helped her succeed with her algebra, pre-calculus and AP Statistics classes. Gabriel has taken the time to support her academic success, understanding the unique challenges faced by her family.” 

Outstanding Emerging Leader Award

The award for Outstanding Emerging Leader recognizes a first-year or sophomore student who exhibits great potential as a campus and/or community leader. This student demonstrates a commitment to leadership and service through participation in organizations that benefit the campus and/or off-campus community. Nominees are engaged in positive, community-building efforts and are respected by peers, staff and faculty.

Gabrielle Reynolds ’27

“Gabby is an outstanding student who works to maintain a clear understanding of the impact of her work on society,” a nominator wrote. “Within HMC, Gabby considers her impact on the community through her leadership in various circles including as a Summer Institute mentor, BLAM co-president and NSBE e-board member. Gabby is always taking any curricular or co-curricular opportunities that come her way to learn or grow. She also shares these opportunities with her community as frequently as she can. She cares deeply about her friends and her community and tries to take care of people as much as she can.”

Outstanding Student Organization

Given to a recognized student organization that makes a positive impact on campus or in the wider community and demonstrates integrity, leadership and teamwork.

GEM (Gender Equity in Mathematics)

GEM provides a welcoming space for women pursuing degrees in mathematics, while remaining open to all students. With a focus on supporting women in STEM, the club hosts events such as professor lunches, study breaks, and guest speaker sessions. It also offers a mentoring program that connects first-year students with upperclass students and alumni in math-related fields.

A nominator wrote, “GEM’s leadership deserves this award for their strong commitment to the math community. Over the past year, they have organized events that help bring people together and make the math community more welcoming. More students have joined the club, and many regularly attend events like weekly lunches and the GEM mentor group. One big example of their leadership is helping organize student volunteers for the Fall 2024 BEER conference. They also organized lunches with three plenary speakers and club members to give students a chance to talk with the speakers and build academic connections.”

Dean Sundberg Prize

Established by Dana Seaton ’06, and with support from Warren Katzenstein ’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.

SJ Caldwell ’27 

“SJ is genuine in everything she does, embodying that work hard, love harder mentality that I think Mudders should strive for,” a nominator wrote. “At Mudd, especially as a sophomore engineer, the workload can be intense. It’s hard to find time for friends, time for others, and time for extracurriculars. Despite this, SJ manages to excel in her classes, be an engaging shop proctor, and an impactful West leader, and make it so incredibly obvious that she cares about all our personal wellbeing. She has the machine shop shift after mine, and she is always incredibly bubbly when she comes in and jumps in to reassure the worried, confused E4 users. Sometimes, I talk to her about her E72 or E80 progress, and despite her humility, it is clear that with her curiosity and drive, she is doing some seriously cool stuff. Outside of academics, her passion is equally as strong. She is an incredibly valued member of the West community and acts as a glue between West leadership and the underclassmen.” 

Dorman Student Altruism Prize

Established by the Dorman Family foundation, this award recognizes one graduating senior who is selected by their peers as the “one who has done the most for their fellow students.” The awardee is selected based on nominations by student peers. The recipient of the Dorman Student Altruism Prize will receive a monetary award.

Devon Tao ’25 

An excerpt from Devon’s nominations states, “Devon truly embodies Harvey Mudd’s values of leadership, collaboration, and social responsibility. They have done the most for their fellow students—not for recognition, but because they genuinely care. Their efforts have shaped a more inclusive, compassionate, and resilient community at Mudd, leaving a lasting impact that will be felt long after graduation.” 

Outstanding Faculty Member

Awarded to a faculty member who has gone above and beyond their job role to serve as a mentor for students and/or student organizations and embody Mudd values, such as collaboration and care for the campus community.

Sharon Gerbode, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of physics

A nominator wrote, “Prof. Gerbode puts a lot of thought and heart (and jokes!) into her quantum physics lectures, making sure that everyone understands what’s going on in the class, and is extraordinarily attentive and respectful when answering students’ questions during the class and outside of it. Apart from holding lectures up to the highest academic and teaching standards, she fosters a tight sense of community, which, in my opinion, has united our class a lot. She brings fresh fruits to some classes, jokes about the lectures, introduces us to the physics community traditions and ‘whimsies,’ performs at Wednesday Nighters and, overall, is the first person that comes to mind when thinking about a teacher, a mentor and an amazing person.”

Outstanding Staff Member

Recognizes a staff member for their positive contributions to the campus, their leadership and willingness to make a difference in the lives of students.

Natalie Razura, building attendant

Nominators shared, “As a building attendant, Natalie brings an energetic positivity to the North Dorm assignment. She has developed important professional relationships with students and they appreciate her work. Natalie’s contributions continue to evolve as she masters new techniques and equipment. Natalie has continued to be an excellent addition to our team, and we look forward to all that she will continue to accomplish within the HMC community.”

“Leadership, in Natalie’s case, is quiet leadership. Her work speaks for her. Natalie is there day in and day out, leading by example of how grace and commitment show up every day … doing her part to make North home for its residents by knowing all her students and their stories, by caring enough to go the extra mile.”