The aura of Magic surrounds us. It exists in the air we breathe, the land we walk upon, and the depths of our imagination. It is a force that transcends the boundaries of the physical world, weaving its way through the fabric of existence, leaving traces of wonder and mystery in its wake. Magic is not just confined to the realm of fairy tales and fantasy novels. It manifests in the everyday moments that make up our lives. It can be found in the warmth of a smile, the touch of a loved one, and the beauty of a sunset.
No, Harvey Mudd is part of the Claremont Colleges , which includes five undergraduate liberal arts colleges:
Located on contiguous campuses in the Southern California city of Claremont, each institution has its own student body, faculty, governance, curricular emphasis, culture, and mission. For those who decide to continue their studies, a staggering 30 of graduates go on to PhD programs, the highest rate of any school in the country, according to IvyWise.
It can be found in the warmth of a smile, the touch of a loved one, and the beauty of a sunset. It is present in the laughter of a child, the melody of a song, and the amazement of discovering something new. But perhaps the most enchanting aspect of magic is its ability to ignite our imaginations and open our minds to infinite possibilities.
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! 😉
Harvey Mudd College was ranked among the top undergraduate engineering programs in the country and is particularly known for its small class sizes, personalized attention from faculty, and hands-on approach to learning.
It invites us to look beyond what is visible and tangible and to explore the realms of the unknown. It encourages us to question the boundaries of reality and to embrace the extraordinary. Magic comes in many forms. It can be the solace we find in a good book, the thrill of witnessing a breathtaking performance, or the awe-inspiring wonders of the natural world. It can be the spark of creativity that ignites our passions, the serendipitous encounters that change our lives, or the unexplainable coincidences that leave us in awe. In a world often governed by logic and reason, the presence of magic reminds us that there is more to life than what meets the eye. It serves as a tantalizing reminder that there is still much to be discovered and understood. It encourages us to embrace the unknown and to cultivate a sense of wonder in our lives. This aura of magic is not limited to a select few. It is freely available to all who are willing to open their hearts and minds to its presence. It is a reminder that we are part of something greater than ourselves, connected to a vast and intricate web of existence. So, let us not dismiss the magic that surrounds us. Let us celebrate its presence in our lives and allow it to inspire us, to ignite our passions, and to fill our hearts with wonder. For in doing so, we will not only enrich our own lives but also contribute to the greater tapestry of magic that exists in the world..
Reviews for "Captivated by the Aura of Magic"
1. John - 2/5 - I was really excited to read "The aura of magic surrounds us" based on the reviews and accolades it received. However, I was sorely disappointed. The plot seemed promising at first, but it quickly devolved into a convoluted mess that was difficult to follow. The characters were poorly developed and lacked any depth or relatability. The writing style was also quite clunky and disjointed, making it a struggle to get through the book. Overall, it just didn't live up to the hype for me.
2. Sarah - 3/5 - While "The aura of magic surrounds us" had its moments, I found it to be overly predictable and clichéd. The story followed the typical formula of a protagonist discovering their magical abilities and embarking on a grand adventure. There were no surprising twists or innovative ideas to set it apart from other fantasy novels in the genre. Additionally, some of the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, causing the characters to come across as flat and uninteresting. Overall, it was an average read that didn't leave a lasting impression.
3. Michael - 2/5 - The aura of magic surrounds us turned out to be a lackluster read for me. The world-building felt incomplete and underdeveloped, leaving me with more questions than answers. The pacing was also quite slow, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. I expected a grand and immersive magical experience, but instead, I found myself bored and disinterested. The potential was there, but it fell short in execution. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book to avid fantasy readers.