The Opportunity

Harvey Mudd students, driven by a desire to make a positive societal impact, often face limited exposure to career pathways beyond traditional tech roles. Despite their strong interdisciplinary training, many are unaware of the diverse opportunities in biomedical engineering and health sciences—fields that draw from engineering, biology, computer science, and mathematics. The lack of structured support for exploring these careers, among other factors, prevent students from fully realizing career options that align with their technical expertise and social impact aspirations. This gap limits both student fulfillment and the College’s ability to position itself as a leader in preparing future innovators in health technology and biomedical research.

The Big Idea

Expand career pathways for Harvey Mudd students into biomedical engineering and health sciences by creating a robust support system that includes alumni networking, partnerships with academic and industry leaders, and hands-on research opportunities. By showcasing these opportunities and leaning into alumni networks in health-related careers, the initiative aims to inspire current and prospective students while solidifying Harvey Mudd’s reputation as a leader in training future innovators in biomedical engineering and health technology.

The Plan

The initiative will be implemented in two phases:

1. Phase I: Networking and Information Gathering
   • Develop relationships with alumni, regional organizations and academic/industry partners to facilitate career exploration in biomedical and health sciences with the goal of creating a network of alumni in health-related fields, organize campus events and offer student internships.
   • Collect information on industry needs and provide resources such as a website with suggested courses and activities.
2. Phase II: Curricular Innovation and Recruitment
   • Introduce new skills workshops, research opportunities and interdisciplinary capstone experiences focused on biomedical engineering and health technology.
   • Explore long-term initiatives such as new faculty recruitment and a 4+1 degree program in bioengineering in partnership with institutions like the Keck Graduate Institute.
   • Advertise these new programs to students and celebrate alumni successes in health-related careers.

The Impact

This program can influence healthcare and research sectors beyond higher education by preparing highly skilled STEM graduates for impactful careers in emerging fields like medical technology, drug discovery and health data science. Health sciences rely on data, engineering and AI, and this initiative highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary approaches in modern healthcare. By fostering innovation and expanding career pathways, the program can inspire other organizations to adopt similar strategies, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes and advancing medical research worldwide.