Article by Tessa Han, Photos by Lea Twicken, Design by Isabel Godoy

On March 1, 2024, the Harvey Mudd Community officially welcomed President Harriet B. Nembhard through a fanfare-filled two-day inauguration, which included a formal investiture in addition to community engagement events, a Caribbean lunch reception, and desserts and dancing. 

President Nembhard, a CMC ’91 alum, has extensive experience in teaching, administration, and leadership. After receiving her PhD in Industrial and Operations Systems at the University of Michigan, she went on to work at various higher education institutions, where her research focused on improving healthcare operations and reducing healthcare inequity.

The first day of the inauguration celebration included a lecture from speaker Ho Nam as part of the Annenberg Lecture Series, which was followed by a community-building event with local high school students, where science kits were distributed. The second day began with the investiture, which I’ll cover more in the rest of the article. Then, a catered Caribbean lunch was served at the Liquidambar Mall Tent, after which another community building event with local high schoolers was held. Finally, a Desserts and Dancing event was held in the evening to close out the celebration.

The investiture ceremony was set to be held at 10 AM at Big Bridges Auditorium at Pomona College. Before the investiture officially started, dozens of 5C students organized a die-in to call for divestment from weapons manufacturers and Israel-affiliated companies. As a result, the investiture ceremony was streamed for public viewing and Mudd community members viewed it from Galileo Hall. 

The investiture began with a brief introduction from HMC Board of Trustees Chair James Bean (HMC ’77), who then introduced Professor of Religious Studies Erika Dyson. Dyson’s charming speech was a warm welcome with the spirit of Mudd: a call to action and for camaraderie, all spoken with great humor.

This was followed by a performance by the Claremont Concert Choir of Rosephanye Powell’s “To Sit and Dream,” which takes inspiration from the namesake poem by Langston Hughes. 

Kathy French (HMC ’97), the President of the HMC Alumni Association Board of Governors, then shared remarks reflecting back to the original founding of Harvey Mudd and our first president, Joe Platt. Her speech celebrated the past, while looking to the future, emphasizing Mudd’s core qualities. She was followed by current CMC president, Hiram Chodosh, who gave a heartfelt speech highlighting the excitement the 5C community has to learn about and grow with President Nembhard over the coming years.

Next, Professor Susan Martonosi, current Chair of Faculty, spoke on behalf of the Harvey Mudd faculty, who extended another warm welcome to President Nembhard and emphasized Mudd’s current commitments to improving STEM education. Then, Laura Palucki Blake, who served on the Presidential Search Committee and is currently the Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research and Effectiveness, gave a speech highlighting some of President Nembhard’s critical qualities, sharing anecdotes as to why President Nembhard was chosen.

We then heard from two Mudders: ASHMC President Kayleah Tsai and Senate Chair Henry Hammer. They shared anecdotes of their experiences with President Nembhard, such as when “during an evening activity, President Harriet noticed that one of the students appeared cold in the chilly desert air. Without a word she retrieved one of the Harvey Mudd embroidered throw blankets for the student and wrapped it around his shoulders. Not only that, but President Harriet insisted on wrapping a blanket around herself as well so that the student did not feel out of place at the formal function.” They described other attributes of President Nembhard, particularly her “kindness, foresight, and empathy,” and other ways she’s already given to Mudd. This speech in particular really stuck with me because of the very tangible examples of how President Nembhard looks out for others in even small ways, and why she will so strongly integrate into the Mudd community.

Next, Laura Larson, who is the Vice President of the Board of Trustees and also served on the Presidential Search Committee, spoke about the presidential search process and the qualities that Larson believes made President Nembhard such a strong candidate. She was followed by Jil Stark, former first lady of CMC, as well as President Nembhard’s close friend and “Claremont Mom.” Stark shared stories from her time as a student, commented on the interplay between the colleges, and showcased the qualities of Mudd, particularly as they relate to the role of our President.

Following this was John Birge, President Nembhard’s PhD advisor from the University of Michigan, who spoke about his time as President Nembhard’s advisor, and about the qualities he saw in her that have carried her to success. In something of a full circle moment, Birge was followed by Hyojung Kang, one of President Nembhard’s former PhD students who talked about her time as President Nembhard’s advisee, remarking that, “She ensures that students feel cared for and supported in all aspects. She will inspire students, staff, faculty members, and community members to dream big, and embrace challenges with resilience, and always strive for excellence in all that we do.”

We then heard from two of President Nembhard’s family members: her daughter Naomi Nembhard, who emphasized how President Nembhard’s qualities have had an impact beyond her professional and academic life, and Professor David Nembhard, President Nembhard’s husband and engineering professor at Mudd. He reminisced on his relationship with President Nembhard and his decision to come and teach at Mudd. He reflected, “I’ve met so many fabulous, incredible people…and have become proud and frankly quite honored to be a part of this community.”

Finally, we heard President Nembhard’s inaugural speech. Her heartfelt words included her gratitude to the different parts of Mudd’s community and to her community, her journey that led her here, and the unique components that make up Mudd (including alumni accomplishments, social justice efforts, and more). She concluded: 

I am filled with hope and excitement for the boundless possibilities — knowing that we are worthy of special endeavors. Thank you for entrusting me with the great honor of leading this remarkable institution. I am deeply committed to serving Harvey Mudd College, and I look forward to working hand-in-hand with each of you in realizing our collective vision. Together, let us embrace this journey with optimism, courage, determination, and a shared dedication to excellence. Together, let us continue propelling innovation as we push the frontiers of knowledge and inspire future generations of thinkers and leaders. Together, let’s soar to even greater heights!

The program concluded with a performance of “The Campers at Kitty Hawk” by the Claremont Concert Choir, then a final speech by US Poet Laureate Ada Limón.

While I was first lured in by the free donuts, hearing the speakers weave a tapestry of President Nembhard’s qualities and experiences and of Mudd’s past, present, and future was a genuinely inspiring experience that made me excited to see where Mudd will go. I’m truly looking forward to seeing President Nembhard around campus and how her vision will shape our future.