Harvey Mudd College, based in Claremont, California, is one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. It is commonly referred to as “Harvey Mudd” or simply “Mudd” and students at Mudd are called “Mudders”. The Mudd was chartered in 1955, by a committee of the Claremont Colleges consortium, in co-operation with the family of Harvey Seeley Mudd, a mining engineer and co-founder of the Cyprus Mines - one of the richest copper mines in the world. Two years later, in 1957, the college started with 48 students and seven faculty members. A recognized clinic program was added, in 1963. Harvey Mudd is one of the highly selective colleges in the nation which provides top-notch undergraduate engineering, science, and mathematics education. Four-year degree programs in chemistry, physics, computer science, and biology, and interdisciplinary degrees in computer science, biology, and chemistry are offered. Special programs such as the academic excellence program, learning programs, special intercollegiate programs, MESA program, and writing center are also provided. Almost all full-time faculty members at the college are Ph.D. or terminal degree holders in their respective fields. The student - faculty ratio is 9:1, with more than 700 undergraduate women and men are enrolled each year. In addition to being a prominent center for education, Harvey Mudd also stands out for its extra curricular activities. The athletic team is an active participant in national and intercollegiate collegiate athletic meets. As an affiliate of the Claremont Colleges system, Harvey Mudd College shares educational, laborator,y and library facilities with other Claremont members. Harvey Mudd is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It is recognized as one of the top-20 undergraduate liberal arts colleges in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report.