Sure, most poetry readings take place in dimly lit lounges with a stage and a microphone. But that’s so traditional.

At Harvey Mudd College, poetry readings pop up in grassy quads on Southern California fall evenings, with coffee, dessert, lamps and dorm furniture arranged to create the ambience of an outdoor lounge.

That was the setting for “The Poetry,” the first in a series of readings organized by the Mudd Creative Collective (MuCC), led by Adrian Sampson ’09, a computer science major from Bainbridge Island near Seattle. About 20 students and faculty members participated in the event.

“One of our goals is to show that Mudders can be creative,” says Sampson. “Our events give everyone on campus a chance to see another side of the students and the work they’ve done. I think there is a magical synthesis of art and science here that you can’t find anywhere else.”

MuCC also provides outlets for student creativity through the semester art shows it sponsors. Organized around themes such as “Transform,” “Caught in the Act” and “Big Mistake,” the exhibitions have featured entries ranging from acrylic paintings to a contraption capable of shooting out flames timed to a musical beat.

Other club activities include “Chalk the Walk,” where students, faculty and staff are invited to express their artistry on HMC sidewalks, and several annual trips to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Sampson, the club’s president, is also a participant. He combines his love of the arts and computer science in his photography, shooting candid portraits and using digital post processing to alter the colors. Three of his recent pieces, exhibited in the “Transform” show, included two abstract photo compositions and a large digital work dubbed “Rabbit Quilt.”

In addition to his MuCC activities, Sampson has been active in Free Culture 5C, a group at Scripps College working to liberalize intellectual property law. He also spent a quarter as a volunteer at the Academy of Culture and Technology, a charter school for disadvantaged elementary and middle school students in Pomona.

“I ran an after-school computer club and helped set up a lab as part of a humanities course called ‘Building Community,’” he explains. “One of the reasons I chose Harvey Mudd is because I wanted a school that had a rigorous technical curriculum, but also gave me a chance to try other things.”