Strategic Planning Update: Innovation Accelerator Proposals Selected to Advance
November 19, 2024Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
I am excited to update you on the Innovation Accelerator (IA) proposal process and to share the next steps for the submitted proposals. I want to thank everyone who submitted a proposal. Your ideas were truly exciting, and everyone involved in reviewing and discussing them was incredibly energized by the innovative ideas that were shared.
As you may have read in HMC Board Chair Jim Bean’s message to the community, the proposals were discussed during this year’s Saddle Rock board retreat to gather feedback and suggestions from the trustees, students, faculty, staff and alumni who participated. Following this meeting, the Cabinet and I reviewed the full slate of proposals and made our decisions on next steps.
It was truly a joy to see how everyone collaborated to develop these outstanding ways to advance our strategic planning work. The proposals have been grouped in two areas. The first group will advance to the Innovation Accelerator Summit, which we plan to hold on April 4, 2025. Given the number of great ideas suggested, we hope to advance some of the other proposals as mentioned below.
Group 1: Proposals Moving Forward to Seed Stage Funding and Spring IA Summit
These proposals will advance to the next step in the Innovation Accelerator process and will be pitched as part of the Innovation Accelerator Summit. We are suggesting that a few of the proposals be combined with others in order to further strengthen the collaboration among the projects proposed. The team for each proposal will receive $20,000 (or $40,000 for combined proposals) to use in initiating their work. We ask that the proposers collaborate with the Cabinet to discuss and determine potential financial, administrative, IT or other infrastructure needs as well as fundraising opportunities and marketing needs as appropriate. Tom Donnelly, Andrew Dorantes, and Cindy Martinez will be reaching out to these proposers to meet and discuss potential next steps.
The proposers should prepare and submit their 10-page proposal submissions by March 15 using the online form.
| Proposal Name | Proposers |
| Harvey Mudd Center for the Enterprise of Science | CS Professor Zachary Dodds with Benson Tsai and Josh Jones, HMC entrepreneurship faculty and alums |
| Third Landscape COMBINED WITH New Residence Hall; Prioritizing Comfort and Community Spaces | Jia Yi Gu, assistant professor of architecture, HSAANDKaren Romero Sandoval, associate dean of students and director of residential life |
| Institute for Data Science & Social Impact | Heather Z. Brooks, Zachary Dodds, Gabriela Gamiz, Jamie Haddock, Sarah Kavassalis, Lynn Kirabo, Haydee Lindo, Susan Martonosi, Xanda Schofield, Andrés R. Vindas Meléndez, Talithia Williams |
| Creating Pathways to Careers in Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences | Matina Donaldson-Matasci & Danae Schulz, associate professors of biology, Steven Santana, assistant professor of engineering, & Naim Matasci, adjunct assistant professor of computer science, and senior director of applied AI research, Ellison Institute of Technology |
| Lab for Art, Science and Technology (LAST) | Jon Ebueng, Gilbert Gutierrez, Ken Fandell, Lucas Bang, Rachel Mayeri |
| Empowering All Students to Thrive in Mudd’s Core Curriculum: A Comprehensive Program from Pre-Frosh Summer through Sophomore Year COMBINED WITH Core Curriculum Cohort (C3) Program | Sharon Gerbode, Liz Connolly, Kyle Thompson, Veronica Clairmont, Kathy Van HeuvelenANDDanae Schulz, associate professor of biology & Sharon Gerbode, professor of physics and associate dean for academic affairs |
Group 2: Proposals to Advance Via Existing Organizational Structures and Methods
The following proposals represent wonderful suggestions that we think may be implemented more quickly, and thereby advance our shared strategic planning work more effectively, if they are implemented as part of the operations and work of existing offices of the College. The VP for these respective areas will coordinate with proposers to attempt to realize these proposals through alternative means, either as part of the annual budget allocation process, the annual goals set for the various offices in those administrative areas and/or other appropriate means.
| Proposal Name | Proposers |
| Staff Development Academy – Learn, Innovate, Foster, Thrive Together COMBINED WITH Center for Staff Development | Dana Nagengast, AVP/Chief Human Resources OfficerANDMark Ashley, AVP and registrar, and Laura Palucki Blake, AVP for institutional research & effectiveness |
| Mind-Body Balance Course | Michelle Harrison, associate dean for wellbeing and DSA staff |
| Convert music rooms in Platt into multipurpose rooms | Karen Romero Sandoval, associate dean of students & director of residential life |
| Division of Student Affairs – International Student Support | Nita Kansara, assistant dean for institutional diversity and international students and scholars |
| Community-based Innovation Hub | Danny Ledezma, associate director of civic and community engagement; Gabriela Gamiz, director of civic and community engagement; Karl Haushalter, Seeley W. Mudd Professor of Chemistry and Biology and department chair, Lelia Hawkins, professor of chemistry and Hixon Professor of Climate Studies; Laura Palucki-Blake, AVP of institutional research and effectiveness; Katherine Van Heuvelen, R. Michael Shanahan Professor of Chemistry and associate dean of faculty; and Talithia Williams, professor of mathematics and mathematics clinic director. |
| Elevate STEM: Professional Experiences for First-Gen Students (Job Shadowing x Muddership) | Veronica Clairmont, associate dean for institutional diversity, Shannon Braun, director of career services, Jennifer Green, executive director of alumni and parent relations (APR), & Arran McNabb, director of APR |
The remaining proposals, while not selected for seed stage funding, suggested wonderful future possibilities. If we determine there will be another call for IA proposals, these ideas may be well worth discussion and further collaboration. Tom Donnelly and I are happy to offer insights from the feedback received at Saddle Rock and the subsequent discussions among Cabinet.
In closing, I want to again thank each of you who proposed ideas for your suggestions on how we might begin to live our strategic plan. The level of enthusiasm expressed as part of gathering feedback from the students, faculty, staff, alumni and trustees who attended this year’s Saddle Rock retreat was palpable and provided an exciting jumpstart to our strategic planning efforts as well as to our work to begin thinking about potential priorities for our upcoming comprehensive fundraising campaign for the College.
I look forward to continuing our work together to propel Harvey Mudd College forward as we strive to achieve our shared vision of STEM for a Better World.
Sincerely,
Harriet B. Nembhard
President