Panel Discussion and Dinner Program

“Entrepreneurship for Social Good”

Panel Discussion featuring Mellody Hobson and Ajit Singh

Join us for an inspiring conversation featuring Mellody Hobson, co-CEO and president of Ariel Investments, and Ajit Singh, partner at Artiman Ventures, moderated by Harvey Mudd College President Harriet Nembhard. This dynamic panel will explore how entrepreneurship can drive meaningful social impact, with a focus on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The discussion will delve into the nature of entrepreneurship for social good and what it takes to bring transformational change into practice. Panelists will share insights on how education, investing and innovation help create solutions, highlighting real-world examples of successful ventures tackling global challenges like poverty, racial inequality and climate change. The conversation will also explore how Harvey Mudd College can contribute to this space, rethinking approaches to learning, funding and accessing capital for ambitious, high-impact projects.

This engaging session will inspire bold visions and provide a deeper understanding of how entrepreneurship can serve as a powerful catalyst for building a sustainable and equitable future. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from leaders at the forefront of innovation and social impact.

Forum Panelists

Mellody Hobson

As co-CEO of Ariel Investments, Mellody Hobson is responsible for management, strategic planning and growth for all areas of Ariel outside of research and portfolio management. Additionally, she serves as chair of the board of trustees of Ariel Investment Trust, the company’s publicly traded mutual funds. Prior to being named co-CEO, Hobson spent nearly two decades as the firm’s president. In 2021, she co-founded Ariel Alternatives, an enterprise offering a patient, focused and non-consensus approach to private equity investing. Its first fund, Project Black, has a mission to scale sustainable minority-owned business enterprises to serve as Tier 1 suppliers to Fortune 500 companies—driving economic growth and equality from the entry-level to the boardroom.

Hobson has been a leader in corporate boardrooms. She is the former chair of Starbucks Corporation and its current lead independent director. She also serves as a director of JPMorgan Chase. She was a long-standing board member of the Estée Lauder Companies and chair of the board of DreamWorks Animation until the company’s sale in 2016.

A well-recognized financial literacy advocate, Hobson is author of the New York Times bestselling children’s book, Priceless Facts about Money. Her community outreach includes her role as chair of After School Matters, a Chicago non-profit that provides area teens with high-quality after-school and summer programs. Hobson is also co-chair of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and a board member of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the George Lucas Educational Foundation, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Center for Strategic & International Studies. She is a member of the executive committee of the Investment Company Institute, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and past chair of the Economic Club of Chicago.

Hobson earned her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. In 2019, she was awarded the Woodrow Wilson Award, the university’s highest honor presented annually to a Princeton graduate whose career embodies a commitment to national service. Hobson has also received honorary doctorate degrees from Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, St. Mary’s College and the University of Southern California. In 2015, Time Magazine named her one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the world.

Ajit Singh

Professor Ajit Singh is a partner at Silicon Valley based Artiman Ventures, focused on early stage technology and life science investments, with over $1 billion in assets under management. He serves on the boards of Sofie Bio, Leo Cancer Care, Artidis and Harbinger Health. He also serves on the board of trustees of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Foundation. Singh is an adjunct professor in the School of Medicine at Stanford University, where he teaches clinical technologies and entrepreneurship.

Singh has served on the board of directors of Max Healthcare and as a senior advisor to the Tata Trusts Healthcare program. Until recently, he also served on the board of directors of Cadila Pharmaceuticals. He was the executive chair of Summer Bio, which performed 20 million PCR-based Covid tests during the two years of the pandemic.

Prior to joining Artiman, Singh was the president and CEO of Biolmagene, which specialized in AI-based diagnostics and was acquired by Roche Pharmaceuticals in 2010. Before Biolmagene, Singh spent nearly 20 years at Siemens in various roles, in the U.S. and in Germany, most recently as the global CEO of Siemens Oncology, and Siemens Digital Imaging Systems. Before transitioning to these executive responsibilities, Singh spent several years in R&D at Siemens Research in Princeton, New Jersey, responsible for research in the areas of artificial intelligence and robotics. During this time, he concurrently served as an adjunct faculty at Princeton University.

Sing has a PhD (computer science) from Columbia University, a master’s (computer engineering) from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s (electrical engineering) from Indian Institute of Technology in Varanasi, India. He has published two books and numerous refereed articles and holds five patents. His Top-10 Book Review is carried by various blogs and reading journals in December every year.

Dinner Program Presented by the Harvey Mudd President’s Scholars

Dinner and Dialogue: Spotlighting Social Impact through Entrepreneurship

Join us for an engaging evening of learning and connection at the Harvey Mudd President’s Scholars Dinner and Dialogue program. This special event builds on the insights shared during the morning panel, “Entrepreneurship for Social Good,” exploring how innovative thinking can drive meaningful social impact and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

At dinner, Harvey Mudd students will bring the morning’s themes to life by showcasing alumni who are driving change through entrepreneurial ventures for social good. This intimate gathering offers a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of social entrepreneurship and connect with a community dedicated to making an impact.

Enjoy a thought-provoking celebration of the Harvey Mudd spirit of innovation and collaboration that inspires bold visions for a better world.