Badier Velji ’07 has a simple definition of the ideal Mudder: “Someone who wants to learn everything.”

Adds the engineering major from Sacramento, “It also helps to have a wide variety of interests. You need to balance your life by focusing on more than just academics. If you go through life like a drone, it’s just not as rewarding.”
 
Velji could be describing himself. With extracurricular interests ranging from jazz to student government to inner tube water polo, Velji works as an admissions interviewer and a diversity facilitator. He’s a drummer with Jive Overdrive, a student combo that performs on campus and beyond. And as president of the Associated Students of Harvey Mudd College (the college’s student body government), Badier tries to get to know every student on campus.

As for academics, Velji has pursued his learning interests all the way to Japan for a study-abroad experience. This year, he’s pursuing an economics emphasis while participating in a yearlong project to design and test a ventless, airless microfluidics device for Applied Biosystems. The project is part of HMC’s Clinic program, which brings together teams of students to work with faculty advisors on industry- and government-sponsored design and development projects.

For Velji, Clinic offers a golden opportunity to solve real-world problems. But it’s also a chance to support the broader mission of the college, which emphasizes the social impact of the work of engineers, scientists and mathematicians.

“I originally wanted to become a doctor,” says Velji. “But after going on rounds with my father, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stand to see people suffering. I thought if I became an engineer, I could help people on a wider scale.”