Featured Alumni of the Month - Hayden Hatch '12

Joint Major in Chemistry and Biology

Four years ago, when I made the decision to attend Harvey Mudd, I knew that I would be well prepared academically. However, what I couldn’t predict as an entering freshman was how well Harvey Mudd would prepare me both socially and professionally for what lay ahead. By working on homework with my peers, and through programs such as Academic Excellence, I quickly learned how important communication and collaboration were when solving difficult problems. Harvey Mudd’s core curriculum also allowed me to be well versed in the STEM fields beyond my major and gave me the knowledge and confidence to tackle engineering, computer science, biology, neuroscience, and chemistry related research projects––projects that would have been extremely difficult had I not been exposed to such a broad spectrum of courses. Additionally, Harvey Mudd’s Honor Code greatly influenced my ability to “understand the impact of my work on society,” as HMC’s mission statement describes. As the chair of the Honor Board during my senior year, I not only settled cases involving violations of the Judicial Code, but I also learned how to interact with and mentor students who had trouble indentifying academic dishonesty––an action which could have serious implications in the academic and professional worlds. All of these experiences greatly prepared me academically and taught me how to become a leader and a team player.

The Office of Career Services showed me how to market my academic experiences and leadership roles on campus, particularly through their extremely helpful résumé and career workshops. I was given numerous opportunities to meet one-on-one with director, Judy Fisher, to map out my career goals and improve my résumé. Events such as the fall and spring career fairs were especially helpful.  I was surprised at how much support I received from the Office of Career Services in my job search, and would recommend taking advantage of the numerous resources the Office of Career Services has to offer early on. It’s never too early!