Letter From the Chair

As Harvey Mudd College celebrates its 70th anniversary and the alumni association marks 60 years of connection and pride, I invite you to reflect with me on some of our accomplishments. The College’s founding mission—to educate engineers, scientists and mathematicians who understand the impact of their work on society—continues to guide every initiative, even as we adapt to meet the ongoing changes facing higher education.

The 2024–2025 academic year was shaped by significant milestones in the College’s ongoing strategic plan, STEM for a Better World. From investments in faculty growth to expanding opportunities for innovation and collaboration, the Harvey Mudd community has continued to push boundaries while staying true to its core values.

The community welcomed two new members of the College’s senior leadership team. Jennifer Eccles joined as vice president for advancement, bringing extensive experience in higher education fundraising and campaign leadership as Harvey Mudd moves into the planning stages of a new comprehensive campaign. Her work is helping to strengthen the foundation for philanthropy that will advance the College’s strategic goals and expand opportunities for students and faculty. Professor Karl Haushalter, an award-winning educator and longtime member of the chemistry faculty, was appointed vice president for Academic Affairs and R. Michael Shanahan Dean of the Faculty. His leadership continues to strengthen faculty development, mentoring and interdisciplinary teaching and research, hallmarks of the Harvey Mudd experience.

Our faculty are recognized nationally for their excellence in teaching and scholarship. Several received prestigious teaching awards, reflecting the College’s enduring commitment to exceptional undergraduate education. Harvey Mudd’s faculty hiring has also continued apace: 12 new professors joined the College as of July 1, 2024, with an additional three beginning in July 2025. These talented scholars expand the College’s expertise across disciplines, ensuring that students learn from teachers who are both accomplished scholars and passionate educators.

Task forces created by President Harriet Nembhard to support the College’s strategic plan goals continue their work. In January 2025, the Task Force on Clinic and Corporate Partnerships assessed the College’s Clinic Program and corporate partnerships and made recommendations for improvements, including support for Clinic directors and career services staff as they help to increase students’ confidence and capabilities with determining which industry/organization matches their interests. The Task Force on College Affordability, which focuses on advancing equitable access and affordability, released its first interim report in May 2025.

Innovation continues to thrive on campus. The Innovation Accelerator, the key engine for driving educational innovation under the College’s strategic plan, made remarkable progress, inspiring community members to explore and present innovative, ambitious and forward-looking ideas. Three Innovation Accelerator Laboratories were selected during spring 2025: Data Science and Social Impact; Emerging Health Technology; and Thriving in the Core Curriculum. The project teams will receive $240,000 over the next three years to help further develop their projects. And, during the 2025–2026 academic year, we issued a call for proposals for new projects on artificial intelligence.

The 2024–2025 academic year also brought moments of both loss and resilience. During the fall, the College community grieved the loss of two outstanding students: Arjun Vattipalli ’27 and Olivia Guerrero ’25. The community mourned the passing of aviation pioneer and longtime faculty member Iris Critchell, whose life embodied excellence in teaching, mentorship and service. We celebrated the lives and contributions of board members C. Dean Rasmussen, P’93 (board member from 1991 to 2003) and Michael Blasgen Jr. ’63 (2005–2023), both of whom supported scholarships, shaped key decisions and provided invaluable guidance. We experienced the effects of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, which disrupted parts of our community but also prompted acts of compassion and support. In the spirit of generosity, Harvey Mudd contributed a piano to a music teacher impacted by the fires—a small gesture reflecting the College’s values of empathy and service.

As we celebrate seven decades of learning, discovery and collaboration, the Board of Trustees is focused on planning for the College’s upcoming comprehensive fundraising campaign so that our community can continue to build on our past progress, amplifying our ability to expand access to an outstanding and rigorous Harvey Mudd education while preparing our students to address society’s most complex problems.

Seventy years after its founding, Harvey Mudd College remains a place where bold ideas flourish, where learning and discovery go hand in hand, and where the next generation of scientists, engineers and leaders are inspired to change the world for the better. The milestones of the 2024–2025 academic year remind us not only of how far we’ve come but also of the possibilities ahead.