Harvey Mudd College conferred bachelor of science degrees upon 183 students\u201484 women and 99 men\u2014at its 59th commencement ceremony, May 14, 2017, in Claremont, California.<\/p>\n
Richard Tapia, a leading researcher in the computational and mathematical sciences and a national leader in diversity education and outreach, gave the keynote address. Tapia directs Rice University\u2019s Center for Excellence and Equity in Education, with a mission to empower\u00a0underrepresented students who are passionate about STEM education.<\/p>\n
Tapia shared his experience pursuing a career in academia as a first-generation Mexican-American.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you encounter obstacles and adversity, learn to look both ways,\u201d Tapia told the graduates. \u201cYour challenge is to handle adversity. Prosperity is quite easy to handle. Realize that tragedy and failure are as much a part of life as are triumph and success. Failure is a part of every successful person’s life. You must learn to grow from your failures and to develop compassion and sensitivity from your tragedies. At each stage of your life and career, continue to dream and work to make your dreams come true, but learn to cope and still enjoy life if they do not all come true.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graduating senior Dylan Baker gave the student keynote address. Baker, who pursued an individual program of studies in computational data science and art, described the Mudd experience with the saying, \u201cyou can\u2019t step twice in the same river.\u201d The College and its students are constantly influencing and changing each other, Baker explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve watched dorm communities shift. We\u2019ve watched core class curricula get written and re-written. And we started FemUnion. We helped build Black Lives at Mudd and the LLC (Living Learning Community). Baker said that as the College has seen more people from underrepresented groups on campus arrive, the graduating seniors have pushed Harvey Mudd to grow, \u201c\u2026because the old Mudd just doesn\u2019t fit any more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baker thanked faculty and students who impacted the life of the institution and individual lives, and recalled a conversation with fellow senior Willie Zuniga, who passed away during the year and whose family accepted his diploma at the ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Willie] reminded me that this degree isn\u2019t just an accomplishment, but a gift and privilege of insight into the world,\u201d Baker said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just an accomplishment, but a tool that we can use to educate and do work that means something and help lift up the people around us.\u201d<\/p>\n
David Sonner \u201961 welcomed the graduates into the HMC Alumni Association.<\/p>\n
\u201cLife’s transitions, like today’s graduation from Harvey Mudd College, can be exciting and a little scary because you don’t know what the future holds,\u201d Sonner said. \u201cBut please believe me: Like thousands of alumni before you, you are extremely well-prepared for your future\u2026.but probably what you will value the most are the close friendships forged during your Mudd experiences together.\u201d<\/p>\n
President Maria Klawe was the final speaker of the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are so proud of all that you have accomplished,\u201d Klawe said. \u201cYour achievements in research, clinics, competition, and national awards are incredible. Your commitment to helping each other succeed, to having a positive impact on the world, and to preserving a strong sense of humor and humility are inspiring. Whatever your next steps after Mudd will be, I know you will bring your full talents to bear and spread creativity and joy to those around you.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to preliminary data, 62 percent of the Class of 2017 are headed into the workforce; the most frequently mentioned employers are Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Northrop Gruman, Oblong Industries, Yelp and Space X. Eighty-two percent of those who expect to be employed in the fall have already secured a position, and of those who have secured positions, 19 percent indicate they are with start-up companies.<\/p>\n
A large percentage of the Class of 2017 is headed to graduate school: 28 percent are enrolled or expect to be enrolled in graduate programs, with the most common institutions being MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Yale and Northwestern.<\/p>\n
The remaining members of the Class of 2017 have various plans including volunteering for Teach for America and AmeriCorps, studying on a Watson Fellowship, participating in internships and traveling.<\/p>\n