Harvey Mudd College is a private liberal arts college located in Claremont, California. The college is known for its strong programs in science, engineering, and mathematics. While academics are a central focus at Harvey Mudd, the college also has a vibrant campus life, including a mascot that represents the spirit and identity of the college community. The mascot of Harvey Mudd College is an unusual one: a mole. The choice of the mole as the college mascot reflects the college's emphasis on scientific and mathematical pursuits. Mole, a unit of measurement in chemistry, is also a play on words, as it sounds similar to "Mudd.
Mole, a unit of measurement in chemistry, is also a play on words, as it sounds similar to "Mudd." This clever wordplay adds a sense of humor and uniqueness to the college's identity. The mole mascot is an important symbol for the Harvey Mudd College community.
Gotta Love Mudd, Warts And All
Hi everyone, this is Hannah Larson with another blog post for you!
Hannah Larson, HMC ’20
We love warts here at Mudd. No, not those warts you find on the bottoms of your feet after walking barefoot outside (although there are definitely people at Mudd who walk around outside without wearing shoes). No, we love those concrete square prisms that are placed systematically throughout all of our buildings.
Left: Sprague has long lines of windows bordered by warts running up the building. Right: The overhang outside of Kingston is held up by supports which are decorated with warts
Left: An Outer Dorm (Linde Dorm) has warts on the edge of the roof. Right: The overhang, support pillars, and roof edge of the Platt Campus Center are all covered in warts.
In fact, we love these warts so much that they became our unofficial mascot. In addition to our official mascots, the CMS (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) Athenas and Stags, Harvey Mudd has Wally the Wart, our friendly anthropomorphic square prism mascot who can be seen in various line drawings, waving Harvey Mudd flags or unicycling around. One prospective student for the class of 2021 even crafted a clay version of Wally for the admissions office!
Polymer clay Wally the Wart, crafted by prospective Mudd student
These warts are inspiration for lots of our interesting architectural spots on campus. The story goes that when the Shanahan Center was designed, the architects took color samples of the warts around campus and used those to create the multi-colored tiles that cover the building.
One wall in the Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning shows the multi-colored tiles representative of Mudd Warts
The Shanahan also has a pathway on the northern side that is lined with old warts from Thomas Garrett, the building that used to be where the Shan is now. This pathway is a cool way to preserve the school’s history and reuse building materials, but many people walking by aren’t aware of the warty implications.
Left: The pathway behind the Shanahan, leading towards the Founding Class Room and Admissions Office. Right: A close-up of some of the old warts, which also have plaques on them dedicated to different donors.
Our newest dorm on campus, Drinkward Dorm, also has a neat wart-themed architectural design! There are warts arranged on the sides of the building which, rumor has it, spell out a phrase in braille. Looking at one panel of Drinkward and using a newly downloaded Braille app, I determined that the warts and indented squares on the building spell out “MUDD WART”, an homage to our love for warts on campus. If you go in blocks of 2×3 rectangles, starting by looking at the raised warts and then inverted warts, you can see that the raised warts spell MUDD and inverted warts spell WART in braille.
Left: One side of Drinkward Dorm is covered in bumps and indents reminiscent of Harvey Mudd’s Warts. Right: A zoomed in photo of one panel of warts. Looking at first the indented squares and then protruding warts in braille will read “MUDD WART.”
The braille text underneath the English translation of “MUDD WART.”
Although I am personally a big fan of all of the warts and wart references we have on campus, there are definitely some people who don’t pay as much attention to it. If you’re one of those people, don’t worry about it; after all, we wouldn’t you to be a worry wart! 😉
This interdisciplinary approach is meant to prepare students not only for successful careers in their chosen fields, but also for a lifetime of critical thinking and problem-solving.
It serves as a rallying point for students, alumni, and faculty, bringing them together in a shared sense of pride and camaraderie. The mole embodies the qualities and values that the college upholds - curiosity, intelligence, and a commitment to academic excellence. The mole mascot can be seen at various college events, games, and activities, cheering on the college teams and fostering a sense of school spirit. It is also featured on college merchandise, such as shirts, hats, and banners, allowing individuals to proudly display their affiliation with Harvey Mudd College. Overall, the mole mascot of Harvey Mudd College is a unique and meaningful symbol that represents the college's values and community spirit. It serves as a source of pride and unity for students, alumni, and faculty, reminding them of their shared experiences and the importance of scientific inquiry and academic achievement..
Reviews for "The Bounds of Creativity: Alternative Mascot Ideas for Harvey Mudd College"
- John Doe - 1 star
I was really disappointed with Harvey Mudd College's choice of mascot. The design is unimaginative and uninspiring. It's just a generic bulldog, which has been done a million times before by countless other schools. I was hoping for something more unique and representative of the college's identity. It's a shame that they settled for something so ordinary.
- Jane Smith- 2 stars
I wasn't impressed with Harvey Mudd College's mascot. The bulldog is a common choice that doesn't seem to have any special meaning or relevance to the college. It's just another generic animal mascot that could belong to any school. I was hoping for something that would better reflect the college's values and spirit. The mascot feels like an afterthought rather than a carefully considered symbol of the college's identity.
- David Johnson - 1 star
I don't understand why Harvey Mudd College chose a bulldog as their mascot. It seems like such a cliché choice. They could have come up with something more original and representative of the college's unique attributes. The bulldog is overused and doesn't capture the essence of what Harvey Mudd College stands for. I'm disappointed that they didn't push the boundaries and think outside the box when deciding on a mascot.