The College awarded 220 bachelor of science degrees to the Class of 2026 at its 68th Commencement ceremony Sunday, May 17. Commencement speaker Laurie Leshin, space scientist and higher education leader, spoke about the power of passionately pursuing bold dreams and viewing setbacks as learning experiences. “When you think big, pursue audacious ideas and do so with passion, amazing doors into new worlds can open,” said Leshin.
Aditi Bonthu ’26, student body president, gave the student keynote address. Bonthu reflected on Mudd’s value not simply as a place of academic rigor, but as a collaborative community that helps students face uncertainty, difficulty and intellectual friction. In her closing remarks, President Harriet B. Nembhard spoke to graduates, saying, “Use what you’ve learned here at Mudd to lift up and strengthen each other and society. We need your ideas. We need your energy. And we need your courage.” View photos and video of the event.
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Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Graduation kick-off festivities included our annual Senior Snack and Stein, sponsored by the HMC Alumni Association. During the weeklong event, seniors picked up snacks and swag, including an engraved HMC glass stein and posed for photos with friends in front of our festive photo backdrop. Following the commencement ceremony, the Office of Alumni and Family Engagement hosted a special reception for grads and their families with members of the board of trustees and the Alumni Association Board of Governors. We wish you the best!
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Family Weekend 2026 T-shirts are 50% off! Match your Mudd crew in the perfect HMC keepsake for half the price.
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The College presented two Henry T. Mudd Prizes during its annual Commencement ceremony. Professor of Music Bill Alves and Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board of Trustees Karen Angemi were honored for their extraordinary service to the College.
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Ananya Venkatachalam ’26 has earned a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to conduct advanced research in Germany. Venkatachalam will leverage physics-informed machine learning to study complex liquid-liquid phase separation, bridging computational models with physical sciences to address fundamental questions in chemical theory and molecular behavior.
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Four seniors and five alumni were awarded the National Science Foundation’s 2026 Graduate Research Fellowship. Supporting high-potential STEM scholars pursuing advanced master’s and doctoral degrees, this elite program recognizes these Mudders as vital future experts who will drive global research and innovation.
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Soon Young Kwon ’29 received two esteemed international awards from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Recognized for pioneering breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and mechanical innovation, Kwon highlights the College’s focus on fostering early career undergraduate research and cutting-edge technological design.
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Showcasing the artistic talents nurtured within Harvey Mudd’s holistic STEM curriculum, two Mudders received Rudolph Polk Memorial Award in Music honors. Chengyi Tang ’27 (pictured) won first place and Lucy Wen-Xin Will ’28 earned honorable mention. Both musicians were lauded for their high level of musical and technical expertise.
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Promotions and tenure appointments were approved by the board of trustees at its May meeting. Those promoted to full professor are Ambereen Dadabhoy (literature), Matina Donaldson-Matasci (biology) and Erin Talvitie (computer science). Approved for three-year reappointments are Sarah Kavassalis (climate and chemistry) and Lynn Kirabo (climate and computer science).
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The Mudd Amateur Rocketry Club (MARC) won first place at the FAR Unlimited 2026 competition. Club president Naomi Horiguchi ’26 reports, “Our rocket, Apollyon 1, reached an altitude of 11,432 feet with an accuracy of 95.2% from our estimated apogee at 12,000 feet. We demonstrated that our refined build techniques—which emphasize reduced complexity in manufacturing and higher precision—work well.” Supported by the Shanahan Fund, MARC is advised by engineering professor Leah Mendelson. View the launch video.
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Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team captain Advik Mareedu ’26 finished his CMS career by becoming only the third player in Division III men’s tennis history to win back-to-back NCAA Singles Championships. Mareedu finished his senior season with a 43–2 record in singles, breaking his own mark (41 last year) for singles wins in a season.
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Congratulations to the CMS men’s baseball team for winning the NCAA Regional title and making it to Super Regionals for the second straight season. The team includes Andrew Blackett ’26, Bryce Didrickson ’26 and Slader Spoor ’26, part of a senior class that won 130 games in four years (previous best in program history was 113). The Stags set a new program record with 107 home runs in a season, leading the nation.
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Building Attendant Gracie Alvarez was presented with the Mary G. Binder Prize at the annual service awards luncheon. Alvarez has 33 years of service at the College and was recognized for her kindness, hard work and friendly attitude.
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Student entrepreneurs and soccer teammates Kevin Xia ’26 (pictured), Daniel Zhu ’26 and James Gómez CMC ’27 won first place at the spring 2026 SageTank pitch competition. They developed Whistle, an agentic NCAA compliance software designed to help athletic departments stay compliant with NCAA regulations.
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In 1997 the Mary G. Binder Prize was established by a gift from Professor Sam Tanenbaum and his wife, Carol, to honor Carol’s mother, Mary G. Binder, and to express their gratitude to the College’s support staff. Sam shared, “Mary G. Binder was for many years the personnel director of American Insulated Wire Co., a large manufacturing firm in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. She believed that the greatest virtue in life is to help others, and she practiced this philosophy in her interactions with other employees at work, through her contributions of time and talent to many charitable organizations and in her relations with neighbors, friends and family. She truly exemplified the spirit that we hope to recognize with this award.”
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In the final video of the Mudd Minute series, President Harriet Nembhard describes HMC’s spring celebrations, which embodied the creativity, collaboration and purpose that define the Mudd community. A new video series will highlight the upcoming comprehensive fundraising campaign and the work being done to further the College’s vision for the future: STEM for a Better World.
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Student success is built by a community of supporters who believe in opportunity, persistence and potential. You are an essential element in helping students thrive, providing scholarships, resources, mentorship and life-changing experiences. Every gift makes a meaningful impact. Please consider making a gift by June 30, and invest in the success of today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders.
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Mudd Magazine–Entrepreneurs |
The magazine editorial team is working on the spring/summer issue, which will spotlight alumni and students who are innovating, building organizations and businesses, solving problems and making meaningful contributions in their fields and communities. If you’d like to suggest someone you think we should feature, send us an email by June 2. We look forward to sharing the stories in August.
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 Mudd in the Media
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 Alums in the Media
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The Mudd Monthly e-newsletter takes a hiatus in summer. Look for the next edition in August.
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 Selected Events
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Save the Date for Summer Welcome Receptions!
June 27 | Northern California—Los Altos
June 28 | Chicagoland—Wilmette, IL
July 12 | Southern California—Orange County
July 12 | Pacific Northwest—Hillsboro, OR
July 18 | Southern California—West Los Angeles
July 25 | Hawaii—Honolulu
July 25 | New York
July 26 | Seattle
Aug. 1 | HMC Campus
Aug. 2 | Denver
Aug. 16 | Boston
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No. 10 Best National Liberal Arts College –U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2026 | No. 2 Best Undergraduate Engineering Program –U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2026 | No. 13 Most Innovative Schools –U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2026 | No. 20 Best Liberal Arts College –Washington Monthly College Guide and Rankings 2025 | No. 4 Highest Mid-Career Salaries –PayScale’s College Salary Report | No. 1 Best Schools for Return on Investment –PayScale’s College ROI Report
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