Harvey Mudd Leadership Awards
May 3, 2017Share story
Harvey Mudd recognized exemplary examples of leadership at its fifth annual Leadership Awards ceremony, which celebrates students, faculty and staff for their contributions on campus and beyond.
鈥淲e value leadership, big and small, on our campus and in our community, and it is important to take time to join together and recognize this as a community,鈥 said Jon Jacobsen, vice president for student affairs and dean of students.
A selection committee of students, staff and faculty reviewed nominations from the campus community and made selections for the following awards:
Outstanding Faculty Member鈥 Zach Dodds, Leonard-Johnson-Rae Professor of Computer Science
A nominator commented, 鈥淏esides being an amazing professor he embodies Mudd values by going above and beyond his job role serving as a mentor for students and their organizations. He demonstrates leadership in providing quality student support, promoting inclusion, fostering intellectual growth and encouraging involvement in campus, local, national and global communities.鈥
Outstanding Staff Member鈥 Ron Caldwell, construction manager
The award recognizes staff members for their positive contributions to the campus and for their leadership and willingness to make a difference in the lives of students. 鈥淩on values the safety of the community above all other considerations during construction projects 鈥 he quietly and successfully completes projects (e.g., OID suite, Galileo auditoria, Drinkward Residence Hall and many smaller projects) without fanfare,鈥 wrote a nominator.
Outstanding Contribution to 无忧视频鈥 Alec Fox, university programs specialist, Google
Given to an employer or community partner that supports the co-curricular education of HMC students. A nominator commented, 鈥淎lec develops and implements strategies for outreach to HMC students in order find candidates for both internships and full-time positions. What makes Alec so successful is that he has developed and continues to maintain relationships with the entire Career Services staff as well as faculty and student groups at HMC.鈥
Dean Sundberg Prize鈥 Jordan Howard-Jennings 鈥19
Established by Dana Seaton 鈥06, and with support from Warren Kazenstein 鈥04 and Nate Yoder 鈥06, the Dean Chris Sundberg Prize ($500) recognizes a rising junior who demonstrates exceptional leadership and a positive impact on the College community. A nominator remarked, 鈥淛ordan is a powerful agent of change and inspires those in his community, and I find myself inspired and challenged by his rare vision, his cutting-edge insight, and his tireless commitment to community organization and social justice.鈥
Outstanding Student Organization鈥 Engineers for a Sustainable World/Mudders Organizing for Sustainability Solutions (ESW/MOSS)
This award is given to a recognized student organization that makes a positive impact on the campus or wider community and demonstrates integrity, leadership and teamwork. ESW/MOSS works with local community groups to advance sustainability by providing paid and volunteer opportunities to revolutionize solar technology and provides opportunities for the 5Cs, particularly HMC, to understand the impact of their daily choices on the environment.
Outstanding Emerging Leader Award鈥 David Olumese 鈥19
The award recognizes a first-year student or sophomore who exhibits great potential as a campus and/or community leader. Olumese is an active member of the CS department (including serving as a grader/tutor), an Experimental Engineering team leader, co-president of the Class of 2019, a Black Lives at Mudd (BLAM) member, Mudders Mentoring Mudders and Building Bridges participant, an organizer of the HMC Student Philanthropy Campaign, phonathon manager and caller and a 3-C InterVarsity member.
Outstanding Mudder Award鈥 Maya Martirossyan 鈥17 and Willie Zuniga 鈥17
Outstanding Mudder Awards recognize students who contribute to the community and demonstrate creativity, leadership, teamwork, ethics, inclusion, community engagement, wellness and communication in both curricular and co-curricular endeavors.
Martirossyan (physics) is a multi-dimensional student involved in orchestra as well as physics research. She was a two-time mentor and is a North Dorm proctor. In addition to being involved with the 5C Armenian organization, she volunteered with Upward Bound. As part of the Napier Course in community engagement, she helped create a community engagement opportunity for those wishing to teach in local prisons.
Zuniga (physics), who passed away Feb. 2, 2017, was a campus leader known for his giving personality. 鈥淗e had a special skill of making people feel like they were the most important thing in that moment by giving them his undivided attention,鈥 a nominator said. The College will present this award to Zuniga鈥檚 family at the May 14 HMC Commencement ceremony.
Dorman Student Altruism Prize鈥 Emily Beese 鈥17 (engineering)
Established by the Dorman Family foundation, the $250 award recognizes a graduating senior student who is selected by their peers as the 鈥渙ne who has done the most for their fellow students.鈥 Beese a proctor, is recognized as being a 鈥減eacemaker, always concerned for the well-being of teammates 鈥 [she] embodies the Mudd value of caring for others in every way.鈥
Community Engagement Internships and Prizes
Strauss Internship
Darien Joso 鈥19 (engineering) and Donely Gunn 鈥18 (engineering) were each awarded the Donald and Dorothy Strauss Internship for Social Understanding. Designed for Harvey Mudd students interested in working with a local community service agency, the 10-week internship includes up to $4,000 in support to work with local groups.
Huppe Memorial Internship
Priscilla Chu 鈥19 (engineering), Herrick Fang 鈥19 (mathematics), David Olumese 鈥19 (computer science), Clark Whitsett 鈥19 (engineering) and Kayla Yamada 鈥19 (engineering) each received the Ben Huppe 鈥14 Memorial Internship for a Sustainable World. Established by Maggie Lewis and Bob Huppe in memory of their son, Ben, and his passion for science and social justice, the internship provides a stipend of up to $4,000 for work in renewable energy, green technologies or environmental sustainability, or for work that addresses the problems of underserved populations.
New Millennium Experiential Learning Fund鈥 Madeline Pignetti 鈥17 (computer science)
Established by Aaron Archer 鈥98 and Gregory Rae 鈥00, the New Millennium Experiential Learning Fund seeks to engender in students a significant commitment to a lifetime of service activities with national or international nonprofit organizations.
Napier Initiative Fellowship颅鈥 Lee Joon Kim 鈥17 (chemistry and biology)
The fellowship is a partnership between Pilgrim Place and the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges to encourage leadership for social change. Kim is working to create STEAMers, a program where local college student volunteers deliver science, technology, engineering, art and math lessons and demonstrations to elementary school children who are at-risk in these subjects to decrease differences in achievement.
Spacapan Memorial Scholarship鈥 Emily Beese 鈥17, Lee Joon Kim 鈥17, Jessica Lupanow 鈥18
Established by family and friends in memory of Harvey Mudd Professor of Psychology Shirlynn Spacapan, this scholarship recognizes sophomores, juniors or seniors who are highly involved in community service.
Scholarships and Fellowships
Also recognized at the HMC Leadership Awards ceremony were Goldwater Scholarship winner Daniel Johnson 鈥18 (computer science and mathematics) and honorable mention recipient Rachael Kretsch 鈥18 (chemistry and biology); and Thomas J. Watson Fellow Dina Sinclair 鈥17 (mathematics).