Letter From the Chair

A highlight of the previous academic year was the successful search for and hiring of the College’s sixth president, and I’m grateful to all who contributed to this tremendous effort. Community Connections events held in recent months have allowed alumni, parents, donors and friends, students, faculty and staff the opportunity to connect with our new president, Harriet Nembhard, since she began her tenure on July 1. For Nembhard, coming to Harvey Mudd College was a homecoming of sorts as she completed her undergraduate education at Claremont McKenna College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in management-engineering and was a CMC alumna trustee for three years.

A nationally recognized leader in industrial and operations engineering, Nembhard spent her first 100 days at HMC reaching out and connecting with hundreds of individuals, listening to their ideas and suggestions about how we can accelerate the College’s success in a rapidly changing world. Six themes emerged, and I look forward to building upon them to develop a strategic plan.

2022–2023 Highlights

In May, the HMC community celebrated outgoing president Maria Klawe honoring her 17 years at the helm of HMC. During that time, Klawe worked tirelessly to promote the College nationally and internationally; she was recognized for increasing diversity and inclusion, and she led the College through its first major fundraising campaign in more than 25 years. Klawe is now president of Math for America, a nonprofit founded by mathematician and philanthropist Jim Simons to promote recruitment and retention of mathematics teachers in New York City secondary schools.

This past year, the College continued efforts to reestablish the Honor Code as a critical structure of campus culture. As many of you may know, the Honor Code states that HMC students are expected to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity both personally and academically and to respect the rights of others. A series of programs and events helped reacquaint students with the Honor Code and encouraged conversations about it. Efforts spearheaded by the Division of Student Affairs are continuing.

The Hixon Center for Climate and the Environment made great strides during 2022–2023 toward its mission of developing a leading undergraduate climate program that equips students with the knowledge and skills to tackle complex environmental issues. With guidance of Hixon Center Director Lelia Hawkins, new classes, such as Climate Dynamics, and Games for Climate Literacy, are being offered along with a variety of seminars and electives that either focus on climate change or include it. In addition, two Core courses have been added, including a new biology Core course that has climate change as its central theme and STEM & Society: Climate Change, an interdisciplinary look at the climate challenge. The center made progress recruiting faculty for joint appointments across all departments, adding Sarah Kavassalis, assistant professor of climate and chemistry (specializing in specializing inatmospheric chemistry, physical chemistry and scientific computing) and Lynn Kirabo, Maria M. Klawe Assistant Professor of Climate and Computer Science (equity in smart public transit systems). As part of an ongoing initiative to maintain and modernize some of our aging buildings, the College continued preparing for installation of a backup generator that will safeguard important research and lab work in the academic complex (installation will occur in 2024). Projects involved replacing roofs, installing new HVAC systems and improving plumbing and power back-up. With President Nembhard continuing the tradition of strong and capable leadership and with the support of a dedicated community, Harvey Mudd College will undoubtedly broaden its impact in STEM.