Harvey Mudd has participated in the challenge since fall 2020, expanding programming and voter registration efforts across campus. The College鈥檚 Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE) leads this work through its Civic Impact Initiative, which invites the Mudd community to explore what it means to live, learn and lead in a diverse democracy. The initiative connects the College鈥檚 vision of 无忧视频 for a Better World with civic and community engagement practices. In fall 2025, OCCE highlighted civic holidays such as National Voter Registration Day and Voter Education Week, creating opportunities for students to participate in voter registration, civic education and dialogue around democratic participation. More than 125 students took part in Voter Education Week activities.

These efforts reflect the College鈥檚 commitment to preparing informed, engaged citizens. That commitment is central to Harvey Mudd鈥檚 action plan, which positions civic and democratic engagement as a core part of the campus experience.

鈥淭he Highly Established Action Plan Seal represents a strong institutional commitment to civic and democratic engagement,鈥� said Ayah Hamdallah, assistant director of civic and community engagement. 鈥淔or the Mudd community, it signals that civic engagement is not just an add-on but an integrated part of the student experience.鈥�

Data-informed approaches also play an important role in shaping and strengthening OCCE鈥檚 goals. In the 2022 midterm election, Harvey Mudd鈥檚 student voting rate was 35.5%, exceeding the national institutional average of 30.6%. The College reported a voter registration rate of 81.6% and consistently high turnout among registered students.

These results highlight both strengths and opportunities for growth, particularly in maintaining participation during midterm election cycles. For the remainder of 2026 and looking ahead to 2027, OCCE is expanding efforts to increase and sustain voter participation across student populations.

OCCE initiatives such as Cultivating Connections further support this work by creating pathways for students, faculty and staff to build relationships, explore civic identity, connect academic experiences with community-engaged learning, and broader education surrounding civic responsibility. The initiative emphasizes belonging, reflection and sustained engagement beyond a one-time service.

Civic engagement efforts will continue to build on the ALL IN action plan, with a focus on the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. Programming will center on ensuring students are informed and prepared in their civic participation. This includes supporting voter registration and guidance in developing personalized voting plans.

Set to begin July 12, 2026, the two-week program invites rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders to the Harvey Mudd campus for a deep dive into hands-on research, collaborative design and humanistic inquiry.

鈥淎SPIRE is designed to give high-achieving students an early glimpse into what it means to study 无忧视频 at Harvey Mudd,鈥� says Cindy Martinez, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. 鈥淲orking closely with our faculty and receiving mentorship from current Harvey Mudd students, participants will experience the collaborative learning culture that defines the Mudd community.”

ASPIRE is fully residential. Participants will live in Harvey Mudd鈥檚 residence halls, eat at the highly rated Hoch-Shanahan Dining Commons and take part in 鈥渃areer treks鈥� to Southern California companies working at the intersection of technology, creativity and entrepreneurship.

“The residential component is critical,鈥� Martinez adds. 鈥淲hat makes the Harvey Mudd experience special is the way students learn together鈥攕upporting one another, exploring ideas and building community both inside and outside the classroom. We want ASPIRE participants to get a genuine glimpse of what it feels like to be part of the Mudd community.”

Application Details

ASPIRE is open to both domestic and international students. The all-inclusive cost of $5,500 covers everything from instruction and materials to weekend excursions and roundtrip airport transportation.

The extended priority application deadline is March 31, 2026; applications will be accepted on a rolling basis thereafter. Prospective students and parents can learn more and apply on the ASPIRE webpage.

无忧视频 无忧视频

无忧视频 is the premier liberal arts college of engineering, science and mathematics. The College鈥檚 mission is to educate engineers, scientists and mathematicians of the highest ability who also have a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.

鈥淔rom the early stages of launching our first Innovation Accelerator in fall 2024 and receiving 21 outstanding proposals, to presentations and pitches at our first Innovation Showcase last spring, and now to our three projects selected to advance, this has been an outstanding celebration of innovation at Harvey Mudd,鈥� said President Harriet Nembhard. 鈥淚t was truly a joy to witness the creativity, collaboration and community support that brought these outstanding proposals to life鈥攅ach one advancing key aspects of our strategic plan.鈥�

Launching Innovation Accelerator Laboratories

These inaugural Innovation Accelerator Laboratory (IA Lab) projects will integrate the high-impact research, hands-on learning and exceptional curricular innovation intrinsic to Harvey Mudd. By uniting faculty, students, alumni and community partners, these initiatives will create new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, real-world problem-solving and the application of cutting-edge tools and methods in 无忧视频. Whether advancing ethical data science for social impact, expanding biomedical engineering and health technology pathways, or creating new curricular models that foster student success in the College鈥檚 rigorous Core Curriculum, each project blends research excellence with immersive learning experiences. 

Leading a 无忧视频 Education Renaissance

Together, they embody the College鈥檚 vision of 无忧视频 for a Better World, and serve as key examples of the College鈥檚 ongoing efforts to lead a renaissance in 无忧视频 education through its unique approach to integrating the humanities, social sciences and the arts with 无忧视频 fields to prepare engaged and civically minded leaders who are prepared to address the greatest challenges facing our world鈥攂oth now and in the future.聽

The College鈥檚 first Innovation Accelerator Laboratories were selected with input from an evaluation team of internal and external stakeholders as well as the President鈥檚 Cabinet. The Innovation Accelerator issued its first call for proposals in fall 2024, and community members submitted 21 proposals for review. From this group, several ideas were selected to begin immediate implementation. Of the remaining submissions, the field was narrowed from 21 to six teams that were given funds to begin testing their ideas. These six teams presented at the College鈥檚 first Innovation Showcase in spring 2025, and three teams were selected to receive up to $240,000 in funding to begin developing their ideas further. The three selected projects are:

Innovation Accelerator Laboratory for Data Science and Social Impact

Twelve proposers from the areas of life sciences, entrepreneurship, community engagement, mathematics, climate science, chemistry and computer science will leverage data science to address societal challenges. The team envisions making 无忧视频 a national hub for leveraging data science to address societal challenges by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, advancing data science research and creating pathways to apply data-informed methods to real-world issues. Through conferences, datathons, workshops and deep partnerships with community-based organizations, they will connect data scientists, students and practitioners to co-develop impactful solutions in areas such as climate, education and health.

The team believes an emphasis on ethical frameworks, interdisciplinary research and real-world applications can accelerate the integration of social impact into 无忧视频 fields worldwide, promoting a new generation of data scientists trained to address the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges.

Innovation Accelerator Laboratory for Emerging Health Technology

Proposers from the fields of biology, engineering and computer science will expand career pathways for Harvey Mudd students into biomedical engineering and health sciences by creating a robust support system that includes alumni networking, partnerships with academic and industry leaders, and hands-on research opportunities. By showcasing these opportunities and leaning into alumni networks in health-related careers, the team aims to inspire current and prospective students while solidifying Harvey Mudd鈥檚 reputation as a leader in training future innovators in biomedical engineering and health technology.

Health sciences rely on data, engineering and artificial intelligence tools, and this initiative highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary approaches in modern healthcare. By fostering innovation and expanding career pathways, the program can inspire other organizations to adopt similar strategies, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes and advancing medical research worldwide.

Innovation Accelerator Laboratory for Thriving in the Core Curriculum

Proposers span the fields of academic affairs, physics, institutional diversity, chemistry and biology. They note that Harvey Mudd鈥檚 Core Curriculum, while foundational for developing 无忧视频 expertise and intellectual curiosity, can present significant challenges. Yet, through a tailored support program that addresses both academic and social needs, the College can increase academic achievement and joy in the Core Curriculum, thus fostering a sense of community and belonging. The team will provide structured resources from pre-first-year summer through the sophomore year, including skills preview sessions, a Summer Institute, customized one-on-one tutoring, and cohort-based mentoring with both faculty and student mentors.

Collectively these programs will build a strong community that empowers students to thrive in the Core, achieve academic success and develop a lasting sense of belonging. This initiative can provide other institutions with a replicable blueprint for creating inclusive, supportive environments that empower students to succeed in 无忧视频, contributing to a more diverse and resilient global 无忧视频 workforce. Also, it can make 无忧视频 education more equitable and accessible to all students of diverse backgrounds, ultimately enhancing 无忧视频 innovation and research outcomes, which drive progress in scientific and technological fields.

Collectively these programs will build a strong community that empowers students to thrive in the Core, achieve academic success and develop a lasting sense of belonging. This initiative can provide other institutions with a replicable blueprint for creating inclusive, supportive environments that empower students to succeed in 无忧视频, contributing to a more diverse and resilient global 无忧视频 workforce. Also, it can make 无忧视频 education more equitable and accessible to all students of diverse backgrounds, ultimately enhancing 无忧视频 innovation and research outcomes, which drive progress in scientific and technological fields.

Going Farther Together

During the 2025鈥�2026 academic year, the selected teams will begin the work described in their proposals, with regular progress reports submitted to the President鈥檚 Cabinet and shared with the College community. Requests for future project proposals are planned for the Innovation Accelerator, the key engine developed by the College as part of its strategic planning goal on innovative education to engage the community in cultivating forward-thinking possibilities for the future of Harvey Mudd.

Visit the Innovation Showcase website to see highlights from the event, including recordings of the team project pitches, a as well as videos of the and sessions.

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, a nonpartisan initiative of , aims to reduce voting gaps based on age and race while promoting inclusiveness and equity. The Highly Established Action Plan Seal specifically recognizes colleges that create and execute robust plans to support civic engagement, learning and student voter participation.

Harvey Mudd has participated in civic and democratic engagement since fall 2020, taking significant steps to implement educational programming and voter registration efforts across the campus. These activities are part of the College鈥檚 commitment to the Ask Every Student Initiative, which focuses on integrating voter engagement into the student experience. The continuation of these efforts not only meets the requirements of the initiative but also aligns closely with the College鈥檚 mission to foster informed, engaged citizens. This dedication is a key goal of Harvey Mudd鈥檚 action plan, which emphasizes the importance and value of civic and democratic engagement as central to the community and its broader objectives.

鈥淥ne of the things that I noticed from our students is the curiosity of where 无忧视频 and civic engagement intersect,鈥� says Gabriela Gamiz, director of Civic and Community Engagement at HMC. 鈥淭hey’re always trying to find their voice in all of this, asking 鈥榳hat could we be doing, and what does this mean?鈥� I think their support and their eagerness has brought such a positive light to our efforts.鈥�

Events that Harvey Mudd hosted for students to support civic engagement were an ice cream social during New Student Orientation that included civic engagement activities and an info booth about resources like Motivote and AllSides, drawing 110 participants. Students were also encouraged to join the Unify America College Bowl, and staff and faculty held tabling events to assist with voter registration and mail-in ballots, promoted Motivote, which 314 students used, with 72% verifying their registration and 74% creating a voting plan. HMC also collaborated on a 5C carnival and election watch party and offered free postage and notary services to students.

鈥淭he continuation of these civic engagement efforts aligns closely with the College鈥檚 mission to foster informed, engaged citizens,鈥� Gamiz says. 鈥淚 think our students have lived during a very polarized time when this political identity can play such a heavy role. So, how do we unpack that? How do we make decisions about how we vote and why? How do we leverage that privilege? What does it mean to have that power of voting? What is it for them during this time? And so, I think that鈥檚 another driving force when I think about why we are so dedicated to civic engagement at the College.鈥�

The event showcased projects of HMC students, faculty and staff who collaborate with local and national partners with shared ambitions to better society.

Cynthia Martinez, interim vice president for student affairs and dean of students, welcomed 7C students, staff, faculty and community partners. 鈥淭hank you to our community partners for helping us make a difference,鈥� Martinez said. 鈥淣ot only are we making a positive impact, but also a meaningful contribution to society.鈥�

Posters showcased projects from groups that included SALSA-Mudd (Society for the Advancement of Latinx Students At Mudd), Science Bus, Sacred Sistahs, and Gateway to Exploring Mathematical Sciences (see full list below).

Gabriela Gamiz, director of civic and community engagement, reflected on the success of community engagement efforts during the past decade.

鈥淲e started Voices of Engagement to honor the work that our community partners are doing as well as the dedication and passion shown from our students and faculty,鈥� Gamiz said. 鈥淲e kept it going every year because both our local and campus community expressed gratitude to be in that space where they can connect and learn from one another.鈥�

The Office of Civic and Community Engagement works with students, faculty and staff to develop community partnerships and support community outreach efforts.

Voices of Engagement, 2023鈥�2024 Projects

Science Bus

5C Student Organization

Science Bus aims to inspire young students to pursue higher education and careers in the sciences. We write and test our own hands-on science lessons, then implement the lessons each week in local elementary schools. Through our passion for science and the fun integrative experiments, we hope to make science exciting and inspiring to young students.

A Summer at the Weill Cornell Cardiovascular Research Institute

Matea Zelich 鈥�24

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the developed world, with socioeconomic status being one of the strongest determinants of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease impacts all communities, including communities whose risks may be understudied and communities without access to steady healthcare. This summer, I conducted cardiovascular research at the Weill Cornell Cardiovascular Research Institute with the goal of translating what we learned in the lab to patient care.

Adaptive Design

Leilani Elkaslasy 鈥�26

We use engineering to build custom adaptations for those with disabilities. We build everything from switch-adapted toys to chairs to prosthetics so that those with disabilities can find independence. In so doing, we meet needs that the market does not build for and create lifelong relationships with those we help.

Cancer Basic Research and Activism

Nicholas Schiller 鈥�25

I interned in Professor Kornberg’s lab at UCSF as a research assistant, contributing to research on developmental disorders and cancer. I also volunteered with the American Cancer Society鈥檚 Cancer Action Network. I supported cancer advocacy efforts and learned how to integrate cancer research and policy.

Ecological Restoration in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park

Lila Blank 鈥�25

Work in urban ecology helps to combat the biodiversity crisis and mitigate the impacts of climate change felt on cities. Prospect Park is the largest park in Brooklyn, which is NYC鈥檚 most populated borough. As an ecological restoration intern at the Prospect Park Alliance, I worked with the senior forest ecologist to engage in field work monitoring forest health.

Flux Marine Internship, Summer 2023

Brittany Pan 鈥�24

Flux Marine is a startup based in Rhode Island that is making all-electric outboard motors for boats. During the summer, I worked on a coolant flowrate analysis and heat dissipation test rig. This test setup will help the company test components in their cooling loop and inform their next designs.

GEMS Program

Student/Staff/Faculty Project: 7C Gateway to Exploring Mathematical Sciences

The Gateway to Exploring Mathematical Sciences program (GEMS) is a once-a-month, Saturday morning workshop designed to get young students excited about math and science. GEMS is designed to reach eighth, ninth and 10th grade students who may have an interest in mathematics, science or engineering. The GEMS program helps excite the interests and curiosity of young students and shows them how amazing and satisfying the mathematical sciences can be.

HMC’s Sacred SISTAHS Science and Technology Conference for Girls

Talithia Williams, associate professor of mathematics and Mathematics Clinic director

The Sacred SISTAHS conference is an enriching experience for African American youth ages 12 to 18. A diverse selection of conference speakers share life experiences that inspired their development, their work and their dreams. Students explore the Harvey Mudd campus, meet some of our faculty members and get inspired to aspire for careers in one of the STEAM fields. The conference includes a special parent session, a mixture of expert science talks, keynotes and a panel. There is no cost for the conference.

HMC Society of Women Engineers

Student Organization

HMC-SWE鈥檚 mission is to empower women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering and technology professions as a positive force in improving the quality of life and demonstrate the value of diversity and inclusion. Throughout the year, we build our community through mentorship programs, social events, organized conference trips and company collaborations. In the spring, we host our annual Women Engineers and Scientists of Tomorrow Conference on the Mudd campus, where local high school girls can participate in a day filled with 无忧视频-themed workshop sessions hosted by our very own professors.

Machine Learning Applied to Expanding Model Understanding of Low Resource Languages

Alyssa Sawyer 鈥�26

Large language models, like what powers Chat-GPT, perform extremely well in English because there is the entire internet worth of data. However, for languages that are not represented online but are utilized offline, it is almost impossible to train large language models the same way since the training data just doesn’t exist. This research proposes a method of textbook training to expand resources associated with machine learning and low-resource languages.

Midtown Summer 2023

Lucas Lemos 鈥�26

Midtown offers a summer enrichment program for low-income urban youth in Chicago to learn to love learning, play sports and develop in virtue. This summer, I taught the math class for approximately 150 students, from third through eighth grade. I engaged the students with project-based learning that was playful and applicable to real life to show my students that math isn鈥檛 horrible.

Mudders Making Difference Through Community Engagement

Student Organization

MMAD is a student-run organization that works with the Office of Civic and Community Engagement to serve as a connection between HMC students and local communities, provide HMC students the chance to participate in a variety of existing community service and socially conscious activities and support students who wish to pursue independent volunteer or community-oriented projects. Some of the organizations that MMAD works with include Shoes that Fit, Crossroads, Food Recovery Network, Red Cross and Priceless Pets. Each program for these organizations is typically managed by a liason of MMAD and HMC student volunteers to help or provide resources.

Napier Initiative

Faculty/staff Project: Napier Initiative

The Napier Initiative is a partnership between Pilgrim Place and the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges to encourage leadership for social change. The Napier Initiative offers as its primary programs: 1) Napier courses and 2) The Napier Awards for Creative Leadership.

Research at Scripps Research 鈥淲orms to Human Health鈥� hlh-11 Gene Dynamics in C. elegans

Fumi Tanizawa 鈥�25

During my summer internship at Scripps Research in the Department of Neuroscience, I worked on a project aimed at defining the action site of a key transcription factor involved in regulating fat metabolism, innate immunity and lifespan in C. elegans. This transcription factor is also implicated in colorectal cancer, making my research crucial for uncovering new therapies for major unmet medical needs. My role involved generating custom DNA rescue constructs, transgenic animals and conducting phenotypic assays.

Silicone Nasal Swabs

Ethan Sandoval 鈥�26

This research project started at City of Hope National Medical Center during the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to improve COVID testing through the optimization of nasopharyngeal testing. It found that decreasing the amount of viral transport medium per test would thereby decrease the dilution of patient samples and false-negative rates. Now, the research project has shifted toward creating silicone nasal swab alternatives that are more efficient at collecting samples and cause less discomfort for patients.

The Art of Giving Back

Student Organization

The Sewing and Fashion Design Club has taken pride in teaching dozens of workshops every year in textile arts and design. This year, we aim to show how appreciation of textile craft and teaching others to create can build communities and inspire generosity. Crocheting for a Cause gathers individuals to teach them to crochet and encourages donations of crocheted squares that are distributed to various charitable causes. With Crocheting for a Cause, we hope to show how learning a simple technique can enable us as a community to weave together tangible symbols of solidarity and support.

SALSA Mudd

Student Organization

SALSA Mudd partners with Uncommon Good to hold bi-weekly tutoring sessions, where local students can visit Mudd and meet some of the Latinx students. Uncommon Good is an organization that works to provide underprivileged youth a path to college. Our SALSA Mudd students spend two hours providing assistance with homework or explanations of concepts from our 无忧视频 specialties. We think it鈥檚 important to promote academia in the communities surrounding The Claremont Colleges to perpetuate the presence of Latinx personalities in collegiate institutions.

Union of Concerned Scientists

Social Justice Clinic

This is a climate and social justice Clinic project with the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) whose mission is to put rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe and just future. One of the goals is to analyze the extent to which funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) is equitably distributed to communities in California that are marginalized and/or historically disadvantaged. A main focus is on the climate, energy and environment section of the BIL.

Inauguration festivities on Thursday include a community reception, tours of selected campus areas and a community engagement project. Also on Thursday, Nembhard will lead a conversation at 2 p.m. with Harvey Mudd engineering alum and entrepreneur Ho Nam 鈥�88, managing director and co-founder of Altos Ventures. The discussion, 鈥淏uilding Success with Heart: The Role of Kindness and Curiosity in Venture Capital,鈥� is part of the spring Annenberg Leadership and Management Speaker Series.

An investiture ceremony begins Friday at 10 a.m. at Bridges Auditorium (Pomona College), and will include speeches by Nembhard鈥檚 colleagues, family and friends, including Jil Stark SCR 鈥�58 (former first lady of Claremont McKenna College), former student Hyojung Kang and family members David Nembhard and Naomi Nembhard. Additional remarks will be given by Harvey Mudd alumni, faculty and students, followed by presentation of the presidential medallion, remarks from Nembhard and a recitation by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Lim贸n. The Claremont Concert Choir will also perform. Lunch and a celebration will follow the ceremony on the Harvey Mudd campus. Friday evening, Harvey Mudd community members will enjoy a Dancing and Desserts event.

Participants are encouraged to for events on both days.

Nembhard began her tenure as Harvey Mudd鈥檚 sixth president on July 1, 2023, succeeding former president Maria Klawe who retired after 17 years of leading the College. Nembhard, a nationally respected leader in the field of industrial and operations engineering and former dean of the College of Engineering at University of Iowa, was appointed president by unanimous vote of the 无忧视频 Board of Trustees.

鈥淚 firmly believe that we must create the presidency that Harvey Mudd needs for this moment in its history,鈥� Nembhard says. 鈥淚 hope that as a community, we can begin to explore and engage with the possibilities for our future, being sure that we are always looking toward those things that make Harvey Mudd distinctive, while focusing on our areas of opportunity.鈥�

After her first 100 days as president of Harvey Mudd, Nembhard released 100 Days of Community Connections, a report highlighting themes around her initial conversations with students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, trustees and other members of the College community. The conversations, themes, strategic planning information sessions and many feedback opportunities will all inform 无忧视频鈥檚 future direction.

鈥� More , including event locations and times
鈥� Read more about .
鈥� Explore Mudd Magazine鈥檚 summer 2023 story about Nembhard:

A goal of the conference is to expand the number of faculty involved in climate education at higher education institutions and, for those already involved, to deepen their understanding of and appreciation for the strengths that multiple perspectives bring to addressing the challenges of climate. A theme throughout the conference will be broadening participation in climate education on campuses and within communities.

“The Hixon Center for Climate and the Environment is eager to partner with SENCER ambassador Karl Haushalter and OCCE Director Gabriela Gamiz to host this event that will speak directly to the mission of the center as a catalyst for climate education efforts on campus,” says Lelia Hawkins, Hixon Center director, professor of chemistry and Hixon Professor of Climate Studies. “In addition to making connections and networking with fellow educators from diverse backgrounds, participants will leave feeling empowered to engage/expand/improve climate education at their home institution and will have the opportunity to workshop ideas for lessons and modules that could be implemented in their own classrooms.”

The conference begins on the Harvey Mudd campus Sept. 14, Thursday evening at 5 p.m., with a keynote by V. Ram Ramanathan, emeritus professor at the University of California at San Diego. He is founding chair of University of California鈥檚 Bending the Curve, a climate solutions education protocol that is taught at many campuses around the world. Ramanathan discovered the greenhouse effect of chlorofluorocarbons and other heat-trapping pollutant gases. His findings on super pollutants (methane, HFCs, ozone and black carbon) have led to several successful climate mitigation actions worldwide, including the formation of Climate and Clean Air Coalition by the United Nations to mitigate these pollutants.

On Friday, Sept. 15, at 9:15 a.m., Crystal Chissell, executive director of the Global Council for Science and the Environment, will speak. She has worked with government, business and academic organizations to identify, analyze and implement a diverse portfolio of effective strategies for reversing climate change at local and global scales. There will be speakers, workshops and poster presentations throughout the day, and the event closes with a reception at 4 p.m.

Registration for the SENCER West Coast Regional Conference is $25, and fee waivers are available upon request. Registrants will have the option of attending in-person or viewing many of the presentations online. The deadline to register is Sept. 12 (in-person) and Sept. 14 (remote).

Conference organizers are seeking through June 30 from those with climate expertise, teacher-scholars, staff and administrators, and community partners.

More information about the conference

鈥淭his year鈥檚 honorees played a crucial part in registering and empowering student voters ahead of last year鈥檚 midterm elections, resulting in historic turnout among young voters. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is honored to celebrate hundreds of student leaders encouraging nonpartisan democratic engagement across the country,鈥� said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. 鈥淭hese students organized voter registration drives, coordinated campus-wide voter engagement resources and brought polling locations to their campuses. We are excited to watch these students continue to change the world.鈥�

Morgan, co-president of the student-led Living Learning Community (LLC), helped host an Election Night get together that allowed students to either follow or avoid the election news. She said, 鈥淎nother thing we did was work with the Office of Civic and Community Engagement providing voter education. During lunchtime, they set up a table outside of the Hoch that our members would go to and just give out information on how to register to vote, how to figure out what was going to be on your individual ballot, how to check if you鈥檙e registered to vote, if your mailing address was right, how to get an absentee ballot and all the hoops that you have to jump through. We take on issues that our community members care about but don鈥檛 have time to investigate themselves. We bring them that information and present it to them in very accessible ways.鈥�

In addition to her work organizing student activities, Morgan is a computer science major who has worked in three different labs at Mudd, including work on educational computer science, human-robot teams and computer vision design. She has served as a tutor, was an Academic Excellence facilitator for the physics department and worked in the Office of Admission as a social media intern and tour guide. Earlier this year, she was recognized with an honorable mention by the Computing Research Association for her 鈥渙utstanding research potential.鈥�

In January, 无忧视频 was named to ALL IN鈥檚 list of Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting, honoring institutions that promote democratic engagement by facilitating civic learning, political engagement and voter participation among students. The College was also awarded the Highly Established Action Plan Seal of Recognition and highlighted for its participation in the Ask Every Student Initiative.

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement and engages more than 9.8 million students from more than 965 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a national nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, which seeks to close voting gaps based on age and race and to create a more inclusive and equitable United States of America. The ALL IN initiative empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement by providing structure, support and recognition.

Since fall 2020, Harvey Mudd has participated in civic and democratic engagement, educational programming and voter registration efforts. These activities are requirements of the Ask Every Student Initiative, and their continuation aligns with the College鈥檚 mission and is a goal of its action plan, which emphasizes the importance and value of civic and democratic engagement.

A recent event to promote student engagement at HMC was held during the 2022 General Election. In partnership with the Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE), the student-led Living Learning Community (LLC) hosted a get together that allowed students to either follow or avoid the election news.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to be informed as we鈥檙e going through the elections,鈥� says Hannah Betts, co-president of the LLC, 鈥渂ut we are on a college campus, so we need to be aware of mental health issues at same time. With the Election Night Watch Party and the Ignore Election Night Party, we are trying to balance engagement with our civic responsibilities while also giving the space to be like, 鈥極K, I voted and stressed about this. I need a break,鈥� which maybe helps students be a bit more willing to engage with voting when they need to if they can take a step back after.鈥�

鈥淎nother thing we did was work with the Office of Civic and Community Engagement providing voter education,鈥� says Malia Morgan, LLC co-president. 鈥淒uring lunchtime, they set up a table outside of the Hoch that our members would go to and just give out information on how to register to vote, how to figure out what was going to be on your individual ballot, how to check if you鈥檙e registered to vote, if your mailing address was right, how to get an absentee ballot and all the hoops that you have to jump through.鈥�

The voter education tabling aligns with the LLC鈥檚 mission, which is to maintain a respectful environment created by students, for all students; to foster open, passionate and intelligent discussions about social justice issues; to encourage students to become leaders in challenging these issues; to support those who may feel marginalized on campus; and to vitalize 无忧视频鈥檚 mission to inspire students to understand the impact of their work on society.

鈥淲e take on issues that our community members care about but don鈥檛 have time to investigate themselves. We bring them that information and present it to them in very accessible ways,鈥� says Morgan.

鈥淚n general, I think that at least the election watch party and election ignoring party were important because of how much interest we had in them,鈥� Betts says. 鈥淚t was pretty important to help provide some sort of place where we could all get together and either discuss it or ignore it collectively.鈥�

Established in 2015, the Office of Community Engagement began integrating civic learning and engagement activities into its programming during 2020, and the HMC community has been supportive and engaged. Now officially renamed the Office of Civic and Community Engagement (OCCE), its recent initiatives have included developing and implementing an educational yearlong series, Power of Your Voice, as well as other events related to voter registration, elections and public policy. A video created by the office has helped launch voter registration efforts, and students, faculty and staff have attended programs about being civically engaged.

鈥淗MC student voting rates have increased since 2014 when the rate was 13%,鈥� says Gabriela Gamiz, director of the OCCE. 鈥淚n 2018, the rate increased to 49%, and it was 84% for 2020, a testimony that our students value being civically engaged.鈥�

In November 2021, HMC received the ALL In Democracy Challenge Platinum Seal for its 2020 voting rate of 84.1% (the 2020 national student voting rate was 66%), putting it among the Top 5 universities/colleges.

In August, the College earned the Highly Established Action Plan Seal for working to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement and graduate engaged voters by building a strong, nonpartisan action plan. ALL IN and the American Democracy Project, Campus Vote Project, NASPA Lead Initiative and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition created the Strengthening American Democracy Guide to help guide campuses on their journey to graduate democratically engaged students by building effective action plans. In 2019, a rubric based on the guide was released to allow campuses to self-assess the strength of their action plan. ALL IN provides a confidential score and feedback that helps campuses celebrate and strengthen their action plans. The Highly Established Action Plan Seal recognizes campuses that score at least 32 out of 36 possible points on the Strengthening American Democracy rubric. Harvey Mudd is one of 82 campuses that earned this inaugural recognition during the 2022 election cycle.

鈥淗aving the support from the Harvey Mudd community has been instrumental in moving civic learning and engagement forward,鈥� says Marco Antonio Valenzuela, vice president for student affairs and dean of students.

The Office of Civic and Community Engagement works with faculty to support and develop new service-learning courses, utilizes endowed funds to support student community engagement efforts and offers a number of community involvement opportunities for students. Close to half of the Harvey Mudd student body collectively contribute about 17,000 hours to community service each year.

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