The team mascot of Harvey Mudd College is the Stag. The Stag is a symbol of the college's competitive spirit, resilience, and dedication to excellence. The choice of the Stag as the mascot was inspired by the college's location in Claremont, California, where deer and other wildlife roam freely in the nearby mountains and canyons. The Stag represents the harmony between nature and knowledge, embodying the college's commitment to academic excellence and its appreciation for the natural world. The Stag also reflects the determination and perseverance required to succeed in the rigorous academic programs offered at Harvey Mudd College. Overall, the Stag serves as a powerful and meaningful symbol for the college, representing its values and conveying a sense of pride and identity to students, faculty, and alumni.
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.
If you re unsure whether Harvey Mudd is the right fit for you, you ll want to get expert insight to find the best college for you based on your goals. As someone who has gotten approval from the Squirrel Squad to post this, I believe weird is actually an acronym for Wonderful, Energetic, Ingenious, Resourceful, Daring squirrels.
Overall, the Stag serves as a powerful and meaningful symbol for the college, representing its values and conveying a sense of pride and identity to students, faculty, and alumni..
Squirrel Shenanigans: Why Squirrels are HMC’s True Mascot
You may have heard that Wally the Wart is the HMC mascot. But as someone attending the institution, I believe this statement is incorrect.
I present to you the true mascot of Harvey Mudd: the squirrel!
Squirrels rule the campus. They are fluffy and fun, but incredibly mischievous. Their young run wild across the campus, digging burrows, jumping from tree to tree, and… relaxing?
Photo Credit: Kaitlynn Gray
Interacting with Mudd’s true mascot is always entertaining. But, sometimes, the squirrels remind us of who is in charge. In the Fall of 2022, the squirrels welcomed a bunch of baby squirrels into their community. These squirrels enjoyed learning the campus layout and frequently hung out in the grass and bushes. However, they were still learning how to interact with humans! While the older squirrels would stare when humans passed by, these squirrels would run directly in the path of a human to escape, leading to a fun human-squirrel dance.
At least, it should have been a fun squirrel dance, but it usually leads to fear on both sides as the squirrel desires to return to safety, and the human, sometimes on wheels, must dodge them. I believe the squirrels use this tactic to remind us of the hidden power they possess – the power to take over the school once and for all.
As an admissions intern, I have sworn my loyalty to Wally the Wart and have no affiliation with the Squirrel Squad. But I feel a bit suspicious that the squirrels are waiting for the prime moment to strike. After all, two are stationed at my desk. To chill? To watch my every move? I am unsure. Rest easy, though, I have run this article by them and they seem pretty chill about it. At least, I think they are…
Photo credit: Kaitlynn Gray
Hannah Dearman-So ‘25 shares, “It all started one day when I came walking down from the third story of Shan. First I saw the floor – it was covered in foam and bits galore, and I thought to myself what a mess! Talk about someone with bad manners leaving litter everywhere smh. But then my gaze began to scan the mess all the way back to my BIKE SEAT!! OH THE HORROR!! My trusty bike seat was ripped to absolute shreds. But even this wasn’t enough for the squirrels. About a week later I began to notice holes developing in my fabric bike basket. THE SQUIRRELS HAVE STRUCK AGAIN! I currently live in fear – afraid to park my bike under trees and across the [academic] end of campus for fear that they might come for my tires next! Stay safe out there everyone!”
Squirrels around bikes! Photo credit: Kaitlynn Gray
Ashley Tan ‘25 shares that she once watched a squirrel fall out of a tree onto someone’s foot. The squirrels really keep us on our toes!
Nithya Yeluri ‘25 shares, “They look weird.” As someone who has gotten approval from the Squirrel Squad to post this, I believe weird is actually an acronym for “Wonderful, Energetic, Ingenious, Resourceful, Daring squirrels.”*
Holly Chen ‘24 shares that she saw a squirrel climb up a tree with a pink flower in their mouth. But before the squirrel could enjoy their prize, the flower fell to the ground, leaving them with a single petal in their mouth. Even as the squirrels experience sad times, they make a positive mark on the campus.
Ryan Nguyen ‘25 adds, “The squirrels have always been kind to me, but they have a strange desire to be run over.” I believe that this is further proof that squirrels rule the campus. This isn’t a desire to be run over, but a desire for us to make way for the epic, majestic campus squirrel.
*W.E.I.R.D acronym generated by ChatGPT
As an admissions intern, I have sworn my loyalty to Wally the Wart and have no affiliation with the Squirrel Squad. But I feel a bit suspicious that the squirrels are waiting for the prime moment to strike. After all, two are stationed at my desk. To chill? To watch my every move? I am unsure. Rest easy, though, I have run this article by them and they seem pretty chill about it. At least, I think they are…
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Reviews for "Bringing the Spirit: How Harvey Mudd College's Mascot Motivates the Team"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the team mascot at Harvey Mudd College. It was unoriginal and lacked creativity. I was expecting something unique and memorable, but instead, they had a generic animal costume that you can see at any other college. It did not give me any sense of school spirit or rally the crowd during games. Overall, I was not impressed with the team mascot and felt it could have been so much better.
2. Johnathan - 1 star - The team mascot at Harvey Mudd College was absolutely terrible. It was unclear what exactly the mascot was supposed to represent, and it just looked silly and unprofessional. The costume was poorly made and did not make any impact during games or events. The lack of effort put into designing and portraying the mascot truly showed and left me feeling disappointed. I believe that a college as prestigious as Harvey Mudd should invest in a better mascot that can truly represent the spirit of the institution.
3. Melissa - 2 stars - I didn't find the team mascot at Harvey Mudd College to be engaging or exciting at all. The costume was outdated, and the mascot didn't seem to have any personality. It felt like a missed opportunity to create something truly unique and inspiring. I believe that a mascot should be able to energize the crowd and make everyone feel proud to support their team. Unfortunately, this mascot failed to do so, and I was left feeling underwhelmed.