Former Scholars Deepening Partnerships: Haydee Lindo

Haydee Lindo (Jamaica, Mahindra UWC India ’04, Williams College ’08) grew up in Montego Bay, Jamaica. After completing UWC in India, she matriculated to Williams College as a Davis UWC Scholar, drawn by what she describes as its “excellent, high-touch liberal arts education” and the freedom to explore across disciplines. At Williams, Haydee double-majored in mathematics and political science, with concentrations in political theory and international relations, and studied abroad through the Williams–Exeter Program at Oxford. She also immersed herself fully in campus life—exploring dance, stage managing performance groups, playing rugby, and serving as co-president of the Minority Coalition, a network of student affinity organizations.

Reflecting on her undergraduate experience, Haydee emphasizes the value of intellectual breadth alongside rigor. While her mathematics training laid the foundation for her academic career, she notes that her political science studies were equally formative. “My math degree is most directly connected to what I do now,” she explains, “but I believe my political science degree also makes me a better teacher. The combination made me a deeper and more flexible thinker.” That interdisciplinary grounding continues to shape how she approaches teaching, research, and mentorship.

After graduating from Williams, Haydee worked in management consulting before returning to academia to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Utah. Following the completion of her doctorate, she held a Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowship and then joined the mathematics faculty at Williams College in a tenure-track role. In 2020, she moved to Harvey Mudd College, where she earned tenure in 2024 and now serves as an associate professor of mathematics. That same year, she received the MAA Henry L. Alder Award, a national honor recognizing distinguished teaching in undergraduate mathematics.

In her current role, Haydee conducts theoretical research in commutative algebra and teaches across the undergraduate mathematics curriculum, including advanced courses in her field. She is also co-leading an initiative to build an institute focused on data science for social good—work she describes as “grounded in how I can improve my communities, whether local, regional, or international.”

Haydee remains deeply grateful to the Davis UWC Scholars Program, which supported her education at Williams and connected her to a lasting community of fellow UWC alumni. “The program didn’t just make my education possible,” she reflects. “It helped me keep asking how to live my UWC values beyond UWC—and how even technical work can be part of making the world better.”

This profile is part of the “Former Scholars Deepening Partnerships” series from the 2026 Annual Report