[Y HMC?] Jason Gounder

Hi! My name is Jason Gounder. My pronouns are He/Him, and my hometown is Phoenix, Arizona – although I’m proud to call Mudd home too! I’m a freshman in the Class of 2026, and I plan on majoring in Computer Science.

I first heard about Mudd from my college counselor. I was looking for a Computer Science school; there are plenty of those. I didn’t just want a place to practice STEM but one with a specific environment. My high school was small, with a close, tight-knit community. As I searched for a college, I wanted that. A school with too many students isn’t a place where I could personally thrive. I liked being able to know most of my classmates by name. Additionally, I learned the material by slowly interacting with it, so I wanted a place where I could talk to professors and get to know them personally – Mudd offered me all this and more. At office hours and group tutoring (known to Mudders as Grutoring), I can truly feel our school community’s cohesiveness. 

Students often study and do homework together. Whether it’s with friends, upperclassmen, or with professors, there’s always someone there to lend a helping hand! Photo Credit: Jason Gounder

The community was one of the things that surprised me most: it feels like everyone knows everyone. During high school, I took classes at a few universities nearby; there, you feel like a lone face in a sea of people, and you’re just a cog in a machine. It’s hard to have an impact, mainly when most research is concentrated on upper-level students and master’s degree students. On the other hand, here there’s a plethora of labs for even first-year students to participate in. Your professors all know you. Even on the first day, the college’s current President, Maria Klawe, knew my name; she made an effort to memorize every single first-year student’s name and face. 

That brings me to my last bit of advice to keep in mind as you hunt for college; you’re going to live at the school you choose for the next four years. Whether you want it to or not, the school’s culture will strongly impact life. It makes the difference between the general attitudes of students and staff. On that note, go where you feel natural. Judge the school’s environment, and think, “Will this place be my new home?” Pick the school that speaks to you on this level – though I’d say Mudd is the best of all. 🙂