Jan 22, 2006 - Claremont, Calif. - Despite suffering from severe bronchitis the days before her visit, she was able to visit campus and speak to several groups throughout the day. She fell ill during a trip to India the previous week, where she was an invited guest and speaker at an Indian university and a Microsoft research center. At a standing-room-only meeting with faculty and staff, she outlined her initial hesitancy about seeking the presidency: "One of the things that really caused me to have severe doubts about doing it was the exciting thing about being part of a university is interactions with students, and getting a chance to do teaching and research and collaborating with faculty. At virtually every university you can think of, presidents don't get to do that. But here, I thought it would be worth exploring whether it was possible to be president and still have some of those interactions. "The thing that got me and my husband Nick really interested was meeting with the faculty. There is a set of faculty and staff here who are unbelievably committed to the mission of Mudd. This really is a very cohesive and collegial group and it's a place that essentially knows where it wants to go, it works well together and it really cares about what it's doing. "This is a place that has had great ambition, has great ambition, but it really needs to come up with its dream for the 21st century and figure out what that dream is and just jump full-speed ahead into going after that dream. I really got the sense from everybody I met with that they are really ready to do that. And if there is one thing I totally enjoy doing, it's being part of community that creates a dream and then just goes after it like crazy. The best times of my life have been when I've had that kind of opportunity." Following her meeting with faculty and staff, Klawe (pronounced KLAW-vey) met with students during lunch in Hoch-Shanahan Dining Commons. Midway through the discussion, a group of fully costumed students marched into the commons with much fanfare, chanting and song. It was proclaimed: "...whereas you have recently been appointed the next president of Harvey Mudd College, and whereas we have absolutely no authority whatsoever...we hereby induct you into the Honorable Order of the Wart." She was then "knighted" with numerous passes of the sword over each shoulder and given the title Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. President Klawe. Three cheers of "hip-hip-huzzah!" followed. Announcement of the appointment of Maria Klawe as the fifth president of Harvey Mudd College:
Maria Klawe, whose selection as the fifth president of Harvey Mudd College was announced Tuesday, Jan. 17, was introduced to faculty, students and staff at a series of meetings on campus Jan. 19.
Klawe was regaled by a legion of students who bestowed upon her the cloak of office (with appropriate headgear) and inducted her into the Order of the Wart.
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