Harvey Mudd Honors Karen Angemi and Bill Alves With 2026 Henry T. Mudd Prize

Harvey Mudd College President Harriet B. Nembhard presented the 2026 Henry T. Mudd Prize to two recipients during the College’s spring Commencement ceremony: Karen Angemi, chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees, and Bill Alves, Louisa and Robert Miller Professor of the Humanities.

The Henry T. Mudd Prize recognizes faculty and staff members whose extraordinary service has significantly benefited the College. Recipients are honored for contributions that may include superior teaching, leadership in curriculum development or research supervision, effective administrative work or other exceptional service to Harvey Mudd. Awardees receive $6,000, with $3,000 designated for use within the College at the recipient’s discretion.

Angemi was recognized for her extraordinary and sustained service to Harvey Mudd. Her accomplishments include supporting the College through periods of growth, change and transition; helping ensure continuity, clarity and excellence at the highest levels of administration; and advancing major institutional priorities with precision, discretion and care.

She also was honored for her role as a trusted adviser, steward of institutional knowledge and mentor to colleagues. Through her sound judgment, collaborative spirit and ability to bring clarity to complex work, Angemi has strengthened relationships across the community and helped others succeed. Her service reflects humility, generosity, professionalism and a deep commitment to Harvey Mudd’s mission and values.

“Receiving an award that bears the Mudd family name is a profound honor, especially having the privilege of knowing and working with many members of the Mudd family. My respect for their vision, generosity and foundational impact on Harvey Mudd College is immense, and connecting my contributions to their legacy is a privilege,” said Angemi.

Alves was recognized for a lifetime of devoted service to Harvey Mudd and for his role in expanding the place of the arts within the College’s academic and cultural life. He has shaped programs, curriculum and artistic opportunities that connect intellectual rigor with creative expression, helping students see the arts as an essential part of a Harvey Mudd education.

His accomplishments include decades of teaching, mentoring and welcoming students into musical and artistic practice; creating sustained opportunities for creativity, experimentation and performance; and building a vibrant musical community across Harvey Mudd and The Claremont Colleges. Over the span of 25 years, Alves has developed a program of remarkable scope, created hundreds of performances and helped establish The Claremont Colleges as a global center for microtonal music, while also contributing as a leading composer and advocate for innovative forms of performance.

“It’s always been a joy and privilege to bring music to our community and help our students, but this unexpected recognition from the College is a lifetime honor,” said Alves. “I love teaching and facilitating performances by our students, whose dedication, talent and creativity continue to astonish me. I think of what I do more of a service to myself, but I’m glad to be contributing what I can to make the College a place where the arts flourish.” 

The annual Henry T. Mudd Prize reflects Harvey Mudd College’s commitment to recognizing exceptional service and fostering a supportive, inclusive workplace community.

Text of the Henry T. Mudd Prize citation awarded to Karen Angemi

For extraordinary and sustained service to Harvey Mudd College, carried out with distinction, humility, and unwavering commitment over many years;

For exceptional leadership in supporting the institution at its highest levels, ensuring continuity, clarity, and excellence through periods of growth, change, and transition;

For a remarkable ability to orchestrate complex endeavors with precision and grace—anticipating needs, navigating challenges, and enabling others to succeed;

For serving as a trusted advisor and steward of institutional knowledge, offering wise counsel, sound judgment, and steadfast discretion;

For fostering connection and collaboration across the community, strengthening relationships and advancing a shared sense of purpose;

For mentoring and uplifting colleagues with generosity of spirit, cultivating confidence, belonging, and professional growth in others;

For embodying the highest ideals of service—with an unflappable spirit, a generous heart, and a sense of joy that uplifts those around her and carries the College forward, even in its most challenging moments;

For leadership that enables the success of the College’s most important work with insight, foresight, and exceptional care;

For bringing clarity to complexity and ensuring that the critical priorities of the College move forward with purpose and cohesion;

For being at the very heart of the College’s administration, reflecting in daily practice the values and spirit of the community we each serve;

Karen Angemi, chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees, is hereby designated as a 2026 recipient of the Henry T. Mudd Prize.

Text of the Henry T. Mudd Prize citation awarded to Bill Alves

For a lifetime of devoted service to Harvey Mudd College, marked by humility, generosity, and an extraordinary commitment to the life of this community;

For enriching the College through a vision of education that joins intellectual rigor with artistic expression, expanding what it means to learn, create, and belong at Harvey Mudd;

For steadfast dedication to students as a teacher and mentor, welcoming learners of all backgrounds into artistic practice and nurturing their confidence, imagination, and growth;

For leadership that has shaped not only programs and curriculum, but also elevated the place of the arts within the identity, culture, and mission of the College;

For opening sustained opportunities, over many years, for students, colleagues, and the broader community to encounter creativity, experimentation, and joy through the arts;

For a rare generosity of service, giving countless hours—often quietly and without fanfare—to the performances, collaborations, and shared experiences that have enlivened this campus and connected it to the wider world;

For bringing to Harvey Mudd an extraordinary breadth of musical life, from recitals and ensembles to internationally recognized artists and innovative new forms of performance;

For helping to make this campus a home for music in all its range and possibility, shaping a vibrant artistic community whose reach extends across the Claremont Colleges and beyond;

For a quarter century of singular dedication to the musical life of Harvey Mudd College, personally building a program of remarkable scope, creating hundreds of performances that have become a defining part of this community while also serving as a leading composer and establishing The Claremont Colleges as a global center for the avant-garde genre of microtonal music;

Bill Alves, Louisa and Robert Miller Professor of the Humanities, is hereby designated as a 2026 recipient of the Henry T. Mudd Prize.