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 28 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.

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:

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.

We are still in the process of finalizing the other academic sessions for 2012.
In the mean time, here’s what was offered in SI 2011:

Mathematics & Physics Workshops
These workshops give participants a preview of what it’s like to study math and physics at HMC. In SI 2011, these workshops will be presented by Physics ProfessorsAnn Esin, Theresa Lynn and Peter Saeta, and Mathematics ProfessorsLisette de Pillis, Dagan Karp, Talithia Williams and Darryl Yong.

Robotics Lab
The Robotics Lab lets participants dabble in experimental robotics with Computer Science Professor Zach Dodds. Through designing, building and testing their own mobile autonomous robots, participants will learn about computer vision (“sensing”) and programming which allows robots to maneuver obstacle courses and locate objectives

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Busy has never been this much fun!

Summer Institute is a jam-packed 27-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 development of a team mentality, inner strength, leadership skills and interpersonal relationships.

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The greatest people you will every 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.

From left to right:
Sophia Williams '15
Katie Shepherd '14
Brianna Posadas '13, Head Mentor
Daisy Hernandez '15
David Derry '14

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.

Nick Carter '15
Martha Cuenca '13
Simeon Koh '12
Carling Sugarman '14
Michelle Vick '14

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.

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