WE ARE BABSON. WE BELIEVE:
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS THE MOST POWERFUL DRIVER OF POSITIVE CHANGE.
Entrepreneurship is the most powerful tool there is to confront and overcome today’s challenges and create new opportunities.
HOW WE LEARN, TEACH, AND OPERATE MUST EVOLVE.
We each must continually reinvent ourselves by acquiring new skills and knowledge. Colleges and universities also must reinvent themselves, engaging learners more deeply, co-creating relevant, experiential learning and real problemsolving opportunities.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS CORE TO HUMANITY.
We each carry within us vast potential to create new solutions, act on our values, and impact the world in positive and powerful ways.
WE CAN HAVE IMPACT EVERYWHERE.
We can educate and act across geography, across politics, across demographics, and across the lifespan.
BABSON CAN UNLEASH AND AMPLIFY THIS POTENTIAL TO HAVE IMPACT.
With a developed entrepreneurial mindset, training, and inspiration, people everywhere can create lasting value for ourselves, our communities, and the world.
THERE IS NO CHOICE BETWEEN SOCIETAL AND ECONOMIC VALUE.
We must have both. Each creates and strengthens the other. Finding, developing, and scaling opportunities that do both, simultaneously, is the ultimate challenge of our time.
WE MUST BREAK BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY.
We can create value for everyone, everywhere. There can be no edge. Everyone should have access to opportunities, and to the tools for learning and untethered self-determination.
WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.
We can achieve more when we move powerfully together, respecting and trusting each other, developing and strengthening networks, and connecting with diverse, multiple, even unlikely partners in order to accomplish shared goals.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
The 2023-2024 academic year at Babson College—my fifth as president—was one underscored by historic outcomes and continued validation of our place as a global leader in entrepreneurship and business education. Public rankings and accolades, all-time-high application numbers, and the ways our students and alumni create social and economic values in Wellesley, Needham, and beyond leave me invigorated for the College’s future.
At Babson, we have long asserted that entrepreneurship is core to humanity—a competency that not only should be taught, but one that must be taught. This year, we proudly maintained our decades-long place as U.S. News & World Report’s No. 1 undergraduate and MBA entrepreneurship programs in the country.
These valued recognitions came on the heels of our historic placement as the 10th best college in the country and No. 1 for career preparation by The Wall Street Journal. Our unprecedented accolades hold great significance. They signal that Babson College is now leading beyond entrepreneurship across higher education.
We’re proud of the value and rigor associated with a Babson education and look forward to building on this historic momentum.
The external recognition of Babson’s success also was evidenced by the generosity and support of our passionate donors, alumni, and friends. This year, we announced Babson ELevates, the next phase of our campaign as we set our sights on a new fundraising goal of $750 million. Since first launching the campaign in honor of Babson’s centennial celebration, Babson donors have repeatedly raised the bar, meeting and exceeding goals of $300 million and $500 million.
This new phase of fundraising will open doors for a Babson education to the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders around the world, while providing them with world-class facilities and state-of-the-art classrooms.
I invite you to read this year’s Community Impact Report to explore and celebrate Babson’s many achievements. Our progress and historic momentum are thanks to you and our collective commitment to Babson College.
President
Stephen Spinelli Jr. PhD, MBA’92
RANKINGS AND ACCOLADES
To Babson, rankings are a reflection of our commitment to innovation and the impact our students make across industries. This is how Babson College is continuously seen as one of the best undergraduate schools in the country that also has one of the best MBA programs in the U.S.
IN CAREER PREPAREDNESS
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2023
IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, 2023
UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL (27 YEARS)
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, 2024 MBA PROGRAM (31 YEARS)
BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR SALARY POTENTIAL PAYSCALE, 2023
FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN NORTHEAST GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE, THE PRINCETON REVIEW, 2023
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2023 #10
COLLEGE IN AMERICA
FOR NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FOR 2022–2023
INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, 2023 #2
BABSON’S FINANCIAL IMPACT
Babson spends a significant amount on products and services from Wellesley and Needham businesses each year.
Babson paid $1,366,871 in property taxes to the Town of Needham, due to the North Hill Needham Inc. retirement community, located on land owned by Babson.
Babson uses local vendors and contractors whenever possible:
investment in building projects investment in plant maintenance
Babson is proud to employ a number of local residents from Wellesley and Needham:
Residents of Needham
Residents of Wellesley
$5,119,497 68 57 $12,760,705 $11,273,325 in Wellesley and Needham
$11,966,512.97 contributed in total income
FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS
For 2023-2024, Babson will award $49 MILLION in need-based aid and merit-based institutional scholarships to undergraduate students.
For 2023-2024, Babson will award $14 MILLION in institutional scholarships to graduate students. A total of $211,500 in grants and scholarship funding in 2023-2024 will be given to students who are residents of Needham and Wellesley.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Babson’s Student Organization Fair Spotlights Local Businesses
At the start of the fall and spring semester, Charles River Chamber of Commerce businesses in Needham and Wellesley were invited to participate in the Undergraduate Student Organization Fair. Local businesses such as Roche Bros., Playa Bowls, Stretch Lab and the Needham Community Council’s The Council Thrift came to campus and participated in the fair, which had over 400 students in attendance. The businesses that participated gave out samples or coupons for students to use.
Real-World Learning with Needham Public Schools
In the 2023 Fall semester, Babson students had the opportunity to advise Needham Public Schools, as part of Lecturer Leigh Heyman’s Communicating for Consumer Behavior Change course. Four undergraduate student teams presented the Needham Public Schools’ superintendent with recommendations for improving community engagement and communication. This was the culmination of a semester-long project that included market research, integration of psychology theories and actionable recommendations. This experiential learning program was in collaboration with The Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
By the end of the semester, Needham Public Schools took away four impactful, implementable, low-cost solutions.
The Babson students were energetic, focused and quite sophisticated when they talked about how to engage families and the community. They thought out of the box and helped us think through strategies and opportunities to inform and engage families.”
— Dan Gutekanst, Superintendent of Schools, Needham Public Schools
Local Babson Alumni Businesses:
• Modern Shade Décor: Richard T. Flynne ’09, Founder
• Parlato Electric: Stephen J. Parlato ’80, Founder
• Volante Farms, David W. Volante ’03, Co-owner
• Café Mangal, Mehmet Ozargun ’02, Co-owner and Chef
• Crackerjack Communications, Ginny Walker Caggiano ’91, Founder
• Fells Market, Paeter Katsikaris ’88, Owner and Manager
• Hoffman Insurance Services Inc., Robert S. Hoffman III ’60, P’00, President
• Kertzman & Weil, LLP, Amy Reich Weil ’87, Partner
• Creating Homes LLC, Michael W. Lohin MBA’07, Founder and CEO
• O’Neil Jewelers, Steven N. Varriale MBA’73, Owner
• Wellesley Asset Management Inc., Greg Miller MBA’72, P’14, CEO & Founder
• Boston Mortgage Solutions LLC, Darren Franco M’00, Principal
• Brian & Company Inc., Brian Hickman MBA’02, Owner
• Ampersand Capital Partners, Dr. David Quentin Anderson, PhD MBA’99, Founder & Owner
Empowering Young Minds through Local Organizations
In collaboration with The Institute for Social Innovation and its Community Action Programs, Babson staff and students engage in community service initiatives to help instill an entrepreneurial way of thinking in young minds. We partner with organizations such as:
• Hoops and Homework
• Needham Housing Authority Afterschool Program
• Boys and Girls Club’s Ready to Work Program
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore
• Harvard Square Church Meals
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
• Jewish Family Services’ TechMates
Babson Supports Community Safety Training
Massachusetts Police Training Council in coordination with Babson College Public Safety and Wellesley/Needham Police Departments hosted an ALERRT Active Attack Integrated Response Instructor Course on Babson’s campus in late February.
NOTABLE AND LOCAL SPOTLIGHTS
Industry Titan Kevin O’Leary Invigorates Our Students
Babson welcomed Kevin O’Leary, famous entrepreneur and longtime Shark on the ABC show “Shark Tank” to campus in October to sit down and look back on his career and the lessons he has learned along the way. Joined by Jack McCarthy MBA’82, associate professor of practice in management at Babson, “Mr. Wonderful” provided some valuable insight to a packed audience at the Sorenson Center for the Arts. Some key lessons include:
• Accept Failure: It is inevitable. The crucial thing is to learn from it.
• Learn to Listen: Hearing the opinions of others is essential.
• Be Authentic: Learn how to be a great and genuine storyteller.
Cutler Center Hosts Bank of America CEO for Annual Distinguished Speaker Series
In partnership with Scholars of Finance, the Stephen D. Cutler Center for Investments and Finance welcomed Brian Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America and Wellesley resident, to campus for a fireside chat with moderators Oleksandra Mukha ’26 and Emily Truszkowski ’26. In front of over 300 Babson community members, Moynihan touched on topics from his early education to his career, values, and leadership before taking time to connect with members of the Babson community during a networking reception.
I’m not encouraging you to fail, but I’m saying it’s going to happen anyway. Get over it before it happens. It’s not the end of the world. You just get up and keep going.”
— Kevin O’Leary, investor, entrepreneur and longtime Shark on ABC’s “Shark Tank”
Participation in clubs like SPEAR IB and Scholars of Finance played a pivotal role, offering opportunities to learn from other students, enhance my planning abilities, stay cool under pressure, and gain invaluable feedback from students and mentors.”
— Oleksandra Mukha ’26, Ukrainian Global Scholar
What AI Means to the Babson Community
AI and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. Babson understands the limitless potential artificial intelligence brings to entrepreneurs everywhere and is quickly mobilizing faculty, staff, and students around it. From AI courses and interdisciplinary labs to new AI concentrations and tech conferences, Babson is incorporating AI into all facets of the College’s ecosystem and demonstrating its power in the hands of the entrepreneurial leader.
Here’s a sample of how Babson student entrepreneurs are using AI to transform their work and their ventures:
BROCK ALPHER ’27
Recognizing AI as a tool, rather than a disruptive force, is critical for navigating its evolving landscape.”
— Joshua Bell ’26
The Startup: SneakerSoul, which offers sneaker care items, including its signature product, a sole protector.
How Alpher has used AI: Brainstorming concepts, crafting scripts, and editing for video production. SneakerSoul videos enhanced by AI have amassed more than 150 million views, underscoring the power of AI in revolutionizing content creation.
JEFFREY JIANG ’25
The Startup: Jiang Prototyping, a designer and builder of websites and applications prototypes for entrepreneurs.
How Jiang has used AI: Both with ideation and various menial tasks. “AI has helped me make many processes more efficient in my business,” he says.
JOSHUA BELL ’26
The Startup: Sentir Systems, a software company that helps estheticians find new clients and book appointments.
How Bell has used AI: After using paid advertising to create demand for an esthetician’s services, a trained AI bot takes over, scheduling appointments for leads.
A Home for Young Entrepreneurs
The Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership, in collaboration with The Weissmann Foundry, hosted a “Day at Babson” for Wellesley-based Dana Hall School’s first summer entrepreneurship camp. Babson supported learners of all ages and stages by introducing high school students to entrepreneurial leadership.
Maggie Noone ’25, admissions fellow and Dana Hall alumna, gave a tour of the campus to the students, who also met with Donna Levin, the CEO of the Blank School and Kristen Yngve, the Associate Director, Strategic Engagement for the Institute for Social Innovation, to discuss entrepreneurial leadership, social innovation, and sustainability. Students used Weissman Foundry resources to create prototypes and work on pitch ideas. The Babson community, including the Blank School, plan to use learnings from the day to scale similar programs together in the future.
From Belfast to Babson: Babson Provides Northern Ireland Students Entrepreneurial Perspective
In March 2024, participants from Northern Ireland’s Ulster University 25@25 Leadership Programme for Young Leaders, a group of professionals who came together in 2023 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, participated in a Babson Executive Education entrepreneurship program.
Through courses about discovering your entrepreneurial identity, design thinking, finance modeling, prototyping, and leadership, the week at Babson brought emotional and professional breakthroughs and a new way of learning and thinking about what the future can hold for the Northern Irish community. It culminated in a rocket pitch event that, serendipitously, happened on Good Friday 2024.
None of the sessions ever had a tumbleweed running through. You knew the minute that session started you were in it. That was a unique characteristic that we got here in Babson that we probably wouldn’t have had at home.”
– Michael Lynch, Ulster 25@25
Bridging the Gender Gap in Investment Management
More than two dozen Babson students have taken part in the Loomis Sayles Women’s Investment Management Network (UWIN), which provides mentors and paid internships to empower women in investment management careers. Catherine Ferri ’20, for example, joined Loomis Sayles’ credit research team after her UWIN internship.
The program offers other resources such as workshops on technical skills and professional development to immersive internship opportunities that provide hands-on experience working with Loomis Sayles’ investment teams.
Junk Teens Reinvent Your Waste
Westwood, Massachusetts, resident and entrepreneur Kirk McKinney ’26 has applied many of the lessons he has learned at Babson College directly to his venture Junk Teens, a waste removal company started by himself and his brother, Jacob, when they were in high school. The brothers were honored this past November on the BostInno’s “25 Under 25” list. Junk Teens serves a growing list of towns in Massachusetts, including Needham and Wellesley.
Babson Graduate Students Consult Wellesley Shop ChocAllure
Over the spring semester, part-time MBA students collaborated and consulted in teams to help local chocolatier, Liron Gal, and her business based in Wellesley, ChocAllure. Students worked in partnership with Gal to produce actionable recommendations as she continues to grow her luxury chocolate business.
This internship is extremely unique in its emphasis on empowering young women in the investment management space.”
— Lillian Gofman ’25
I think the biggest thing that Babson has taught me is how important it is to have a good team. How valuable it is to have good people that have positive energy and aren’t going to hold you down.”
— Kirk McKinney ’26, co-founder of Junk Teens
It was pretty amazing. You could see that these are people who have experience, so it was really interesting hearing so many different viewpoints. And, I’ve already incorporated some of it.”
—Liron Gal, Maitre Chocolatier, Owner, ChocAllure (Wellesley)
MILESTONES OF 2023-2024
Babson Ranked the 10th Best College in America and No.1 School for Career Preparedness
For the first time, Babson was ranked the 10th best college in America by The Wall Street Journal in its WSJ/College Pulse 2024 ranking. The Best Colleges in America ranking’s methodology improved to place a greater emphasis on student outcomes, with a focus on graduation rates and graduate salaries. Babson also was ranked No. 10 for Salary Impact.
The Wall Street Journal also named Babson the No. 1 School for Career Preparedness, a testament to the hard work done by Babson’s Hoffman Family Undergraduate Center for Career Development (CCD). Campus resources include networking and industry-specific events, pop-up sessions across campus as part of their “meet you where you are” initiative, and the professional attire fund and internship sponsorship awards.
The Class of 2023 reported an average annual starting salary of $75,579 only six months after graduation and across industries which is nearly a 6 percent increase over the prior year.
Continuing to Lead: No. 1 MBA in Entrepreneurship for 31 Years
For 31 years in a row, Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business has been recognized as the Best MBA in Entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report
The F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson offers a range of graduate programs designed to empower future business leaders. Whether you’re seeking a full-time MBA, specialized master’s degrees, or part-time options, with impressive networks, strong career support, experiential learning opportunities, and invested faculty, Babson empowers its graduate students to apply entrepreneurial thinking to any problem.
This top-10 ranking is a clear validation of Babson’s strength in the market, not just in entrepreneurship and business education, but across all of higher education.”
— President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD
While we maintain the core elements of our entrepreneurship education in all its facets, we are also expanding into adjacent areas of management such as growth and renewal. We are also continuously reinventing our curriculum by incorporating big themes such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, and sustainability.”
— Sebastian Fixson, the Marla M. Capozzi MBA’96 Term Chair in Design Thinking, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and associate dean of graduate programs and innovation
Babson ELevates Campaign Raises Goal to $750 Million
Babson ELevates is a new phase of the ever-successful Centennial Campaign, which was launched ahead of the College’s 100th anniversary in 2019. The Centennial Campaign was the most successful fundraising effort in Babson’s history, surpassing its original goal of $300 million. Over $525 million was earned in total commitments from nearly 36,000 donors. The campaign was essential to all aspects of Babson, touching everything from student scholarships, faculty support, academics, athletics, major improvements in campus facilities, and an enhanced endowment.
The new phase of the campaign is taking Babson’s ambitions even higher with a new total campaign goal of $750 million, further emphasizing entrepreneurial leadership—to continue to fulfill Babson’s mission to develop entrepreneurial leaders impacting communities everywhere. Babson’s undergraduates, graduates, and executive students will continue to be further equipped with the resources to help change the world.
THE KEY INITIATIVES OF BABSON ELevates INCLUDE:
• Solidifying Babson’s position as a global leader in entrepreneurial leadership
• Launching its position in technology entrepreneurship
• Promoting lifelong learning with increased access to hands-on training and enhanced opportunities for alumni, companies, and families
• Building out the transformative Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village and other collaborative workspaces
Our campaign has touched virtually all aspects of Babson. It is an investment in our mission of educating entrepreneurial leaders. But a campaign is about more than numbers. It’s about impact on people, places, and programs.”
— Deborah L. De Santis ’85, P’26, vice chair of the Babson Board of Trustees
$525,941,960 Total Commitments
9,429 Campaign Volunteers
2,904 Campaign Events
2,037 Scholarship Recipients
160,762 Total Gifts
35,896 Total Donors
CAMPAIGN IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
Babson Unveils the Herring Family
Entrepreneurial Leadership Village to the Babson Community
This spring, the Babson College community experienced the first sneak peek of the Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village (HELV), the first-of-its-kind living and learning community dedicated to entrepreneurial leadership, which will open in the fall 2024. The state-of-the-art village provides new spaces to learn, explore, and collaborate, houses the largest residence hall on campus, and is the new home of Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME). Students, alumni, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders can enjoy the multitude of spaces and services, including the Village Coffee House, interactive Global Outreach Studio, co-curricular lounge, and serene outdoor patios.
The HELV was made possible by the generosity of the name gift from the Herring Family and the founding gift from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, as well as a growing list of other donor supporters. These investments in the College’s strategy will establish Babson as the convening place for entrepreneurial leaders from all around the globe.
Venturing Out Prison Education Initiative Offers Transformative Experience
Entering its third year, Babson College’s Venturing Out Prison Education Initiative is a transformative program that operates within the Massachusetts Correctional Institution Framingham (MCI-Framingham). This medium-security prison hosts female inmates who often hail from marginalized communities marked by poverty, addiction, and violence. The Babson initiative offers a four-course certificate program that considers the challenges and trauma the inmates have faced and seeks to empower them with an entrepreneurial mindset. A critical partner in the program, Babson students are given the opportunity to work with MCIFramingham through a human rights course where they act as mentors, help with research for business plans, and participate in a book club with inmates.
I love it. This is a great space. We don’t have anything like this on campus.”
— Avery Butt ’26
Entering the MCI-Framingham Prison has unequivocally been the most eye-opening and transformative experience I have had at Babson (and quite frankly, my life). What a powerful, motivating, and humbling experience to end my college experience.”
— Babson College student
Leading Entrepreneurship Educators of the Venturing Out Prison Education Initiative:
• Elizabeth Swanson P’19, the Joyce H’22 and Andy Mandell ’61 Endowed Professor of Literature and Human Rights
• Beth Goldstein, Senior Director, Academic Strategy for the Babson Youth Impact Lab
• Nan Covert, Senior Director, University Relations and Business Development
A Call for Mental Health at Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Day
Every year, Babson honors and reflects upon the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and this year’s event placed an important emphasis on mental health advocacy.
Keynote speaker and mental health advocate Wes Woodson ’20 shared a powerful story of his mental health journey, which he has documented in his 2021 book, I Have Anxiety (so what?), and on a recent national speaking tour, visiting more than 20 colleges and universities from Boston to Seattle. Drawing from “Make a Career of Humanity,” a 1959 speech by King to support the youth march for integrated schools, Woodson captivated the full house with his honesty and authenticity.
At the MLK Legacy Day event, five recipients were recognized and honored with the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award:
• Haja Fatoumata Ba ’24, president, Babson Black Student Union
• Rhesa Teesdale ’23, MSEL’24, CEO, Prophet | Envoy
• Elissa Kalver ’09, founder and CEO, WeGotThis.org
• Michele Brown Kerrigan, assistant professor of practice in the Management Division
• Lorien Romito, senior director of international education at Babson
RESEARCH TEAM:
• Eliana Crosina ’05, MBA’11, assistant professor of entrepreneurship
• Andrew Corbett, The Paul T. Babson Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies
• Danna Greenberg, chair of the Management Division, associate dean of faculty, and the Walter H. Carpenter Professor
• Erin Frey, assistant professor of management and organization at USC’s Marshall School of Business
I want to help students by saying you are enough here, you deserve showing up for, you are human, and you deserve to be helped. You deserve to be loved.”
— Wes Woodson ’20
New Landmark Study Showcases the Impact of the Babson Curriculum
In 2023, a team of Babson professors published landmark research on the impact that the Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship class (FME) can have on students, particularly its emphasis on experiential learning. The required course takes students through the process of starting a business and all the ups and downs that come with it. What the evidencebased research found was that the trials and struggles of FME, along with the support, mentorship, and reflection that the course offers, build resiliency and an entrepreneurial mindset in students, and those benefits remain well beyond their time in the classroom.
The research was published in the Academy of Management Learning & Education journal and reported on in The Chronicle of Higher Education
It’s a mindset that transcends the classroom. Students carry this mindset with them and put it to work after FME.”
— Eliana Crosina ’05, MBA’11, assistant professor of entrepreneurship
Leadership Program for Women & Allies Program Celebrates 20 Years
The Babson Executive Education Leadership Program for Women & Allies (LPWA) is designed to help people identify and leverage their strengths in professional settings. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the program is based on the principles of self-efficacy, or someone’s belief that they can accomplish something.
According to the co-faculty directors of LPWA Smaiyra Million P’21 and Kristen Getchell, participants are encouraged to think about the skills they already have and embrace the idea that they can have a significant impact.
Join a Community of Lifelong Learners
Whether you’re looking for individual courses to boost your entrepreneurial leadership skills, credit-bearing graduate coursework, or a custom corporate program to upskill your whole team, Babson offers an array of courses and programs to support lifelong learners of all kinds. Babson is committed to helping you fuel your innovative mindset through lifelong learning opportunities for you, your companies, and the larger Babson ecosystem.
I’m trying to put into practice everything I’ve learned and see how that works. The program helped me embrace myself fully in a way I wasn’t used to. I accepted that it was OK to be me rather than finding a way to fit in.”
—
Igeme Egwu, LPWA participant from Lagos, Nigeria
COMMENCEMENT 2024
The COVID-19 College Generation Graduates
The Class of 2024 began their college careers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, learning how to pivot with confidence as they moved in and started their FME businesses in Fall 2020. They recently graduated in May 2024, eager to bring their Babson educations and experiences to the world and start building their professional lives.
This group of over 600 students hailed from 35 states and more than 40 countries, including India, China, Brazil, Canada, and Thailand. Forty nine percent of students are of color, 22% of students are international, and 22% are first-generation college students. The class’s 11 global scholars represent South Africa, Rwanda, Portugal, Nepal, Mexico, Liberia, Kenya, Brazil, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
THE ARTHUR M. BLANK SCHOOL FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP
Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship Marks a Quarter Century
The year 2023 marked 25 years of entrepreneurial innovation at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College, which celebrated its anniversary on October 24. The Blank Center brought together the Babson community for a full day of events representing all of its programmatic pillars—a thought leadership breakfast and networking event, a startup incubation lunch and mentoring session, and a startup acceleration panel and pitch showcase. The Blank Center also honored 10 leaders and luminaries who have made significant contributions to its growth and success.
Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary
The Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship (BIFE) at Babson College facilitates mentorship connections between students and experienced entrepreneurs, such as local Needham resident and Babson alum, Kevin Grimes ’97, second generation President and Chief Investment Officer of his family business, Grimes & Company.
Through BIFE’s Family Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program, students gain insights and guidance from industry leaders like Grimes, who share their wealth of knowledge in family entrepreneurship. Students receive personalized coaching on various entrepreneurial aspects, empowering them to navigate challenges and pursue their own ventures with confidence and resilience.
Frank & Eileen Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Collaborates with Audrey McLoghlin
Just over one year ago on International Women’s Day, the Babson community dedicated the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (F&E CWEL) in a memorable ceremony with Frank & Eileen founder Audrey McLoghlin.
In January, the F&E CWEL team visited Los Angeles to research the Frank & Eileen brand for a global case study on McLoghlin, also a member of the Babson Board of Trustees, and the company. The group had the opportunity to tour the company’s warehouse, conduct interviews with department heads, and enjoy a sneak preview of the fall 2024 collections. The following month, McLoghlin returned to campus to meet the spring 2024 cohort of our Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab®.
The Institute for Social Innovation Empowers Youth in Local Communities
The Institute for Social Innovation’s Community Action Programs at Babson College play a vital role in fostering positive change within the Greater Boston area. Through the Framingham Housing Authority’s Hoops and Homework program, for example, a dedicated team of eight Babson students provides mentorship to low-income elementary and middle schoolers, offering academic support and nurturing their aspirations.
Events like Entrepreneurship Day, in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, provide Babson students the chance to empower middle school students from the Boston area with essential entrepreneurial skills, fostering a spirit of innovation and ambition within the community.
The Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship Raise Additional Funds for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Project
The Kerry Murphy Healey Center (KMH) for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship aims to provide cutting-edge healthcare entrepreneurship research, innovative educational opportunities, and entrepreneurial training for healthcare providers, scientists, and business leaders.
Through the center’s Babson Health Entrepreneurial Leader Network: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) project, and its inaugural SUD Sprint this past August, professionals innovating in the substance use disorder space came to campus to engage with Babson’s signature Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® methodology. The KMH Center’s SUD Sprint is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), with an investment up to $1.6M across five years, and additional supplemental funding recently secured by the KMH Center.
Tariq Farid Franchise Institute Launches “Stars of Franchise” Podcast
In Fall 2023, the Tariq Farid Franchise Institute launched its new podcast, Stars of Franchising, to highlight stories of inspiration and entrepreneurial grit while amplifying those voices who advocate for community empowerment through franchising. In Episode 12, Omar Simmons, Planet Fitness Franchisee and Venture Investor in Greater Boston, speaks on the franchise model as a path to support the dreams of entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities and achieve success through the power of partnerships. New episodes of the podcast can be found on Spotify and Apple.
These individuals running these franchises are your community, their money is going back into your community, they’re hiring people in your community, and serving people in your community, so this is a community business.”
— Tim Vogel, Founder & CEO of Scenthound, from Episode 19 of Stars of Franchising Podcast
BabsonARTS
BabsonARTS provides a wide range of programming for the campus community and beyond that includes theater, dance, music, film, literary and visual arts. Led by BabsonARTS director Leslie Chiu, BabsonARTS produces and presents student and professional artists on campus, bring dynamic speakers who share insights on the connections between business and creativity, and provide students, staff, and faculty opportunities to engage professional arts in the Greater Boston area.
Highlights from 2023-2024
opera soprano Karen Slack performs a moving recital with pianist Kamilla Arku for Babson and surrounding community members. Slack hosted an intensive residency in partnership with BabsonARTS to coach and mentor students on business and entrepreneurial leadership in the arts.
Most events are free and open to the public and include recurring series such as the Thompson Visiting Poet Reading series each April, four art exhibits with an artist talk and reception, music concerts, and theatrical productions.
Community Engagement
BabsonARTS is proud to regularly host many local organizations in its sought-after venue, the Sorenson Center for the Arts, including Wellesley Theater Project (Wellesley), Total Eclipse Dance Studio (Needham), Charles River Ballet Academy (Needham), Kinetic Dance Studio (Norwood), and The Brookline Ballet School (TBBS).
Connect with BabsonARTS
Planning is already underway for Fall 2024 programming, including a new speaker series called Creative Commerce and a residency with MASARY Studios—all of which will be free and open to the public.
Contact BabsonARTS at babsonarts@babson.edu to receive the season brochure mailed out for each semester or to be added to the monthly digital newsletter that shares upcoming events each month during the academic year.
Renowned
Guy Mendilow Ensemble’s production of “The Forgotten Kingdom,” performed for members of the local and Babson communities.
BABSON ATHLETICS
Dan Fireman MBA’00 Endows Babson Golf Program
Babson College graduate, entrepreneur, investor, and Wellesley resident Dan Fireman MBA’00 provided the institution’s men’s and women’s golf program with a transformative gift that will endow the program and positively impact Babson golf in perpetuity.
For more information about the transformative gift from Fireman, visit babsonathletics.com.
Babson Women’s Golf Concludes First Season
In 2023, for the first time in more than 20 years, Babson College added a new varsity athletics team. Babson women’s golf, led by its pioneering players Michelle Guan ’27, Laura Lu ’27, Victoria Salim ’27, and Rachel Sim ’27, and head coach Jeff Page, teed off for the first time on September 9 at the Polar Bear Shootout in Brunswick, Maine, and immediately made an impression. The Beavers placed fifth among eight teams at the two-day tournament, and Lu and Salim both recorded top-10 individual finishes.
I’m incredibly proud to support my alma mater and further the strong momentum for our nationally recognized men’s and women’s golf programs. The game and its positive impact extend far beyond the course to life, family, community, and business. Golf has been such a formative part of my own personal journey and I hope to foster that same connection and opportunity for the many talented studentathletes at Babson.”
— Dan Fireman MBA’00
HOMETOWN ATHLETE
Sarah Ji ’25, Women’s Golf
Wellesley, Mass.
Babson Doubles Team Wins Tennis National Championship
Babson tennis stars Olivia Soffer ’25 and Matia Cristiani ’26 won the NCAA Division III doubles national championship in women’s tennis, the College’s first national championship in women’s sports and seventh overall in Babson Athletics history.
More than $300K Raised for Babson Athletics in Annual Barefoot Challenge
The Babson community came together in early March to raise $309,334 for the College’s student-athletes and athletics programs in its annual Barefoot Challenge. These gifts provide funding for team travel, new training equipment and technology, assistant coach positions, leadership development, and mental health resources.
Babson Field Hockey Team Returns to Final Four
For the second time in program history and first time since 2016, the Babson field hockey team reached the NCAA Final Four, propelled by 16 consecutive victories. The Beavers finished the season with a record of 22-2.
Men’s Club Rugby Wins Second National Championship of 2023
The Babson men’s club rugby team took home two national titles in 2023: The National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) Small College National 7s championship in the spring and the NCR Small College National 15s championship in dramatic, buzzer-beater fashion.
Women’s Basketball Team Celebrates Babson Legend Judy Blinstrub
After 39 years, 719 wins, and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, the Babson College community celebrated the innumerable contributions of now-retired women’s basketball head coach Judy Blinstrub through unveiling her signature on the court and announcing the renaming of our female athlete of the class award to the “Judy Blinstrub Female Athlete of the Class.”
STAY CONNECTED
Careers at Babson
Working at Babson means that, every day, you help the College inspire and grow individuals whose ideas can make a real economic and social impact on the world around us. Babson College is where talented people from diverse backgrounds can inspire each other, regardless of role, to make an impact that fuels economic and social value for their students, the community, and each other.
Lifelong Learning at Babson
Babson is committed to helping you fuel your innovative mindset through lifelong learning opportunities for you, your companies, and the larger Babson ecosystem.
LEARN MORE About Careers at Babson College Engage With Us on Social Media
@babsoncollege Babson College
SUBSCRIBE TO The Babson Thought & Action Newsletter
JOIN OUR Lifelong Learning Community
Park, MA 02457-0310
Babson