Academic Sessions | Weekly Schedule | Boojum Institute | Summer Institute Staff

We spell success, S-I!

Summer Institute is a long-standing summer program designed to ease students’ transition to HMC. It is primarily aimed at underrepresented students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (i.e., women, students of color, 1st-generation college students), but we encourage all incoming students to apply.

Participants will arrive on campus on August 2nd, exactly 27 days before New Student Orientation. In that time, students will enjoy making best friends, acclimating to their new life at HMC and getting a sneak peak at the intellectual challenges awaiting them in their first semester in the Mudd.

SI is a free summer program, which includes room, board and a $1500 stipend. In addition, participants are awarded a stipend worth up to $5000 to be used the following summer to participate in summer research or Summer Math.

Most participants say that participating in SI gives them greater confidence in their transition to HMC, as well as provides them with a strong, supportive community. Also, we don’t like to brag (read: yes we do), but a significant number of campus leaders started out in Summer Institute: 16 Proctors, 4 New Student Orientation Directors, 2 ASHMC Presidents since 2003.

Since SI it is limited to only 24 participants, we realize what a highly coveted program it. However, we are currently not accepting applications for this program.  Our selection process is based on the admissions applications and invitations have already been sent out. 

Dip your toe in the academic waters.

The academic sessions are an integral part of SI and presented by a sampling of HMC’s exceptional faculty. Here’s what’s on the menu in 2012 (updates will follow for 2013):

WRIT 001: Introduction to Academic Writing (1.5)
WRIT 001 is part of the Common Core and is a half-semester course typically taken in the students’ first semester at HMC. Participants will complete WRIT 001 during SI and earn 1.5 academic credits, thereby lessening the academic load in their fall semester. In SI 2012, WRIT 001 will be presented by Mathematics Professor Rachel Levy, Engineering Professor Patrick Little and Director of Learning Programs, Wendy Menefee-Libey.

Everything Else

In SI 2012 (updates will follow for 2013), workshops will be offered in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, HSA (Humanities, Social Sciences & Arts), Mathematics and Physics! These workshops will give you a preview of how exciting coursework will be here at HMC. The 7 workshops will be presented by these amazing faculty:

Biology: Genetically Modified Food, Daniel Stoebel
Chemistry: Exploring Chemical Oceanography with Redox Chemistry, Lelia Hawkins
Computer Science: Robotics Lab, Zach Dodds
HSA: Working on the Bomb, Vivien Hamilton
HSA: Of New Things and Old: Brazil's Cinema Nôvo and Cannibalism, Isabel Balseiro
Mathematics: Calc/Prob Stat/Lin Alg/DEs Computing - Susan Martonosi
Physics: Consider a Spherical Cow, Peter Saeta

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Busy has never been this much fun!

Summer Institute is a jam-packed 25-day program. When participants are not engaged in WRIT001, the other academic sessions and homework, they will be immersed in OID workshops, group activities and getting familiar with the 5C’s. There are also off-campus excursions, a community service trip and of course, some free time. Here’s what a typical week looks like:

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Have you ever climbed a giant’s ladder?

Boojum Institute is an overnight trip to the San Jacinto Mountains during the first weekend of SI. Participants and staff will stay at Idyllwild Pines camp and participate in a Challenge Course experience involving low and high ropes activities. We hope this experience fosters cooperation and development of inner strength, leadership skills and interpersonal relationships.

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The greatest people you will ever meet, ever!

Mentors
The mentors are participants’ primary contacts during the program. They will live in the same dorm and can provide support on academic and personal matters. Most of these students were themselves participants in Summer Institute and have served as mentors previously.

Sophia Williams '15, Head Mentor
Other Mentors: To Be Decided

Writing Fellowes
The writing fellowes have been hand-selected by Director of Learning Programs, Wendy Menefee-Libey as top writing tutors at HMC. They will also live in the same dorm and can assist participants with assignments from WRIT 001.

Writing Fellowes: To Be Decided

Office of Institutional Diversity
The OID staff is responsible for coordinating the leadership aspect of the program and for providing administrative support. For any other questions, please feel free to contact the OID office.

Sumun L. Pendakur, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Institutional Diversity
(909) 607-1865
spendakur@hmc.edu

Angelica Ibarra, Assistant Dean for Institutional Diversity
(909) 607-3470
aibarra@hmc.edu