Babson Magazine Summer 2021 by Babson College

BABSON

MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2021

CLASS OF

2021

COMES TOGETHER / PAGE 10

PEOPLE OF BABSON / 9 LACROSSE: SPIRIT OF ’79 / 20 ALUMNI INFLUENCERS / 22

FROMTHEPRESIDENT

history, all people, no matter where they live or how old they are, can access learning where, when, and how they demand it. Economic and social networks have transformed the way we live and work, and the pace of change

continues to accelerate. Commensurate he Babson community—on campus and around the world—came together

knowledge and learning are essential. The past 16 months have demonstrated

in person and virtually in May to celebrate the

that entrepreneurial leadership is more needed

Class of 2021 and the culmination of a year

and relevant than ever before. The world

unlike any other. These joyful events brought

requires leaders who think and act boldly, with

a sense of accomplishment—and relief. We

limited data and constantly changing variables,

made it. Finally, there is hope on the horizon

to create sustainable and purposeful value.

for a return to normalcy. Hugs are making

Babson is building those leaders. We

a comeback, lunches are being shared, and

are re-emerging into the post-COVID world

parties are being hosted once again. We

prepared to educate a society of lifelong

eagerly await the return to a lively campus,

learners eager to reinvent the world around

when fans will once again pack the stands

them for the better.

to Defend the Dam.

The graduates of the Class of 2021 are those

But, a return to normal does not mean we

leaders. They are entering the post-COVID

revert to a pre-COVID mindset. The world has

world ready to innovate, seek opportunity,

irrevocably changed. The pain and uncertainty

solve problems, lead with empathy, and

of the past year—marked by pandemic, social

catalyze change.

injustice, climate disruption, and political

As an institution, as individuals, and as a

turmoil—and the remarkable societal response

community, we are poised to thrive. The era

it fueled, creates opportunity for a new Age

of entrepreneurial leadership is upon us.

of Enlightenment, powered by knowledge and learning. Society now demands that everyone be included in the right to solve problems, create value, and ﬂourish. For the ﬁrst time in human

Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD

FEATURES 10

Picture Perfect

Alumni Inﬂuencers

The Class of 2021 celebrates its Commencement. Meet the connectors driving the participation rate.

DEPARTMENTS 22

BABSON MAGAZINE STAFF / Vol. 88, No. 1 EDITOR Eric Beato PUBLISHER Kerry Salerno, chief marketing ofﬁcer COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY Lorraine A. Daignault CREATIVE MANAGEMENT Cheryl Robock CREATIVE ART DIRECTION Cathy Cahill SENIOR JOURNALIST John Crawford JOURNALIST Bryan Lipiner CONTRIBUTORS Scott Dietz, James Kiley, Karl Klaussen, Anne O’Rourke, Thecla Ree, Genevieve Rajewski, Wendy Schoenfeld MULTIMEDIA TEAM Christopher Brown, Paul DeWolf, Maggie McGinnis, Adam Pearlman

Babson and Beyond

Ofﬁce Hours

People of Babson

The latest news and updates from campus. Donna Kelley on the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Patrick Hale on ensuring all students are valued.

Athletics

News, Notes, and Nods

Beaver Tales

The men’s lacrosse team’s special bond with 1979. Undergraduate, 26; Graduate, 29; In Memoriam, 30 All the world’s a stage for the Babson Players.

We welcome your feedback on the magazine. Contact Eric Beato at ebeato@babson.edu Find out more about what’s happening at Babson College at: entrepreneurship.babson.edu On the cover:

Photo by Justin Knight

TABLEOFCONTENTS

Babson Magazine (USPS 898-140) is published by Babson College, 231 Forest Street, Babson Park, MA 02457-0310, two times a year, in the summer and winter. Copyright 2021 by Babson College. Editorial ofﬁce: Babson Park, MA 02457-0310. Send address corrections to advancement_services@babson.edu, or call +781-239-4044.

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE

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BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

‘The Class of 2020 stands apart’:

SUCCESS STORIES It was a homecoming like no other for the Class of 2020. The undergraduate and graduate members of the class returned to campus in May to celebrate their Commencement a year in the making. The festivities, including both in-person experiences on campus and digital ceremonies online, represented an emotional milestone for an academic experience unlike any other in the College’s 102-year history. “The Class of 2020 stands apart. You can claim that forever,” President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD told the graduates in his address. “You’ve thrived in a world turned upside down. If you can handle that, you can handle anything.” Within six months of completing their studies, 99% of the undergraduate members of the Class of 2020 were either employed or continuing their education. The average annual starting salary for graduates of the Class of 2020 was $62,399, and students were hired across

“You’ve thrived in a world turned upside down. If you can handle that, you can handle anything.” — President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD

more than 300 total companies. “Babson students can come in and get the job done,” says Donna Sosnowski, director of the Undergraduate Center for Career Development. “Companies that are interested in innovation, in pivoting, in new thinking, ﬁnd Babson students to be the perfect candidates.” Recent graduates of the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College also have excelled. According to the Graduate Center for Career Development, salaries and bonuses for graduates of the Class of 2020 were the highest they have been over the past eight years.

PHOTOS: JUSTIN KNIGHT

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE

BABSONANDBEYOND

Honorary degree recipients share their experiences as INSPIRATIONAL COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS The founder of Sundial Brands and founder and chair of Essence Ventures. The vice chairman, managing director, and senior client advisor at Morgan Stanley. The CEO, founder, and chief inventor of Ring. And, the chairman and CEO of Pﬁzer. These entrepreneurial leaders—Richelieu Dennis Jr. ’91, H’20, Carla Harris H’20, Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21, and Dr. Albert Bourla H’21—shared their words of wisdom with the graduating members of the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 during the Commencement celebrations over three weekends in May. All four also received Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees.

Here are excerpts of their inspirational messages from their Commencement addresses:

Richelieu Dennis Jr. ’91, H’20 The founder of Sundial Brands and founder and chair of Essence Ventures offered his advice to the undergraduate Class of 2020: avoid cynicism and stay engaged, no matter the circumstances.

Carla Harris H’20

Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21

Dr. Albert Bourla H’21

The vice chairman, managing director, and senior client advisor at Morgan Stanley implored the graduate Class of 2020 to take advantage of the opportunities at hand.

The CEO, founder, and chief inventor of Ring addressed the undergraduate Class of 2021 and compared his entrepreneurial journey to the Boston Marathon, which he has run twice.

The chairman and CEO of Pfizer spoke to the graduate Class of 2021 about the importance of finding your purpose and having the right mindset. He also shared insights and specifics into the development of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine as an example of the power of thinking big.

“Now is the time to “You need to allow yourself to feel deep pain and great joy, and you need to let all the pain and all the joy in your life inspire you to do big things, do incredible things.”

Read more about Dennis: babson.edu/dennis2020

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

amplify your voice to

“Babson prepares us

make a difference. …

for the unknown, and

Leverage this amazing

the ever changing.

education that

The world has never

you have received,

been static, never

the outstanding

easy, and certainly

relationships that

never forgiving.

you have built,

While some of you

and leverage your

have seen that either

learnings and drive

directly or through

your own success

those close to you,

and a better global

today marks the start

community for us all.”

of your marathon.”

Read more about Harris: babson.edu/harris2020

Read more about Siminoff: babson.edu/siminoff2021

“Setting extremely ambitious goals that are seemingly impossible, based on conventional wisdom, does not restrain human ingenuity; it liberates it.”

Read more about Bourla: babson.edu/bourla2021

MEET ROGER the comfort dog Babson welcomed its new best friend to campus: an English cream golden retriever, affectionately named “Roger.” In addition to strolling campus and attending events, Roger—a certiﬁed community resource dog—will help respond to emotional, mental, and physical health needs and serve as a calming inﬂuencer in the community. “Having something that everyone is mutually invested in, and excited about, can bring so much school spirit and connection throughout the community,” said Andrea Lindner ’22, president of the Student Government Association, which is providing the funding for Roger.

NEW INVESTMENT STRATEGY

incorporates ESG and DEI factors Babson College’s Board of Trustees

“Babson’s mission is to empower

voted in February to integrate ESG

entrepreneurial leaders to create

(environmental, social, and governance)

lasting social and economic value, and

factors—a growing form of investing that

that entrepreneurial leadership needs

essentially takes a broader

to extend everywhere,

view of a company beyond

including to the

just its proﬁtability—while

investments we make as an

making investment decisions

institution.”

for its endowment. The board

the endowment at Babson

DEI (diversity, equity, and

has performed better than

inclusion) principles into its

98% of endowments of

“We think this is the right

Bruce Herring ’87, P’19

time, and we think this is

similar size. Just last year, the College’s portfolio, which has a total value of

the right thing for Babson,” says Bruce

more than $500 million, realized a return

Herring ’87, P’19, a Babson trustee and

of 14.1%.

chair of the investment committee,

Now, the College is looking to earn

which led the efforts to adopt ESG and

more than just a great return. “Imbedded

DEI investing. “We believe this adoption is

into ESG is the notion you can do well

aligning the objectives of the endowment

and do good,” Herring says. “It’s not just

with the mission of the College.”

proﬁt maximizing. It’s not just risk and

Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr.

return. It’s risk, return, and impact.”

MBA’92, PhD echoed that sentiment:

ROGER PHOTO: JUSTIN KNIGHT

Board of Trustees Transition Marla M. Capozzi MBA’96 stepped down as chair of the Board of Trustees after four years in the role, leading the board through the Centennial celebration, a presidential transition, and the successful navigation of the pandemic. In an important milestone for the College, Jeffery Perry ’87, P’23, a trustee since 2016 and a dynamic business leader who spent 16 years at EY, was elected as the ﬁrst Black Board of Trustees chair.

Award-Winning Transformation Babson received an Excellence in Facilities Transformation Award from the Boston Chapter of the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) for its “Return to Campus” project and its work managing the COVID-19 crisis on the Wellesley campus. IFMA cited Tricia Lyons, associate vice president of facilities management and construction, for her role in overseeing the Facilities Management and Planning Department.

In the past seven years,

also voted to incorporate

endowment investing.

NEWS IN BRIEF

CAPOZZI PHOTO: TONY RINALDO

— John Crawford

HERRING PHOTO: WEBB CHAPPELL

#StopAsianHate Demonstration Dozens of Babson students, staff, and faculty marched in April on College Drive in a demonstration in support of Asian American and Paciﬁc Islanders amid thousands of cases of racism over the past year.

New Healthcare Partnership Babson’s Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Global Healthcare Entrepreneurship and the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Rwanda are teaming up to launch a new partnership aimed at bringing business and entrepreneurial thinking to global health care. The UGHE-Babson partnership was awarded a $100,000 grant from the McGovern Foundation earlier this year.

STOP ASIAN HATE PHOTO: PRESTON WHELCHEL

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE

BABSONANDBEYOND

Around the World with BABSON CONNECT: WORLDWIDE In an unordinary year, the College produced an extraordinary Babson Connect: Worldwide in April. The ﬁrst virtual version of the premier entrepreneurial summit featured a different region each day, attracting guests from 58 countries and 31 states to watch nearly 40 renowned business leaders (many of them Babson alumni) cover topics such as conscious capitalism, family entrepreneurship, innovations in health care, proﬁtable climate protection, and more.

Here’s a sampling of the words of wisdom from BABSON CONNECT: WORLDWIDE: DAY 1:

DAY 2:

UNITED STATES

LATIN AMERICA

MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, AND SOUTH ASIA

EUROPE

DAY 5:

ASIA

“There is something

“Good ideas get

“Luxury is

about the culture

out there sooner

complicated, but it

“We have learned

is to understand the

of Babson and the

than before. Now,

ultimately means

the power of

environment. Look at

process of learning

you can go online,

an emotional

collaboration. We

the opportunities and

at Babson that is so

buy a computer,

connection with the

have seen the public

say, ‘Is what I’m doing

cooperative. You make

create your own

consumer. Even in

and private sectors

going to be needed

lifelong relationships

animation, put it out

times of crisis—like

come together in

or wanted by people

with your friends,

there, and suddenly

the pandemic—that

tremendous ways to

in the same way it

with your classmates.

anybody can see it

connection is not

share information

was pre-pandemic?’

The Babson network

from anywhere in

broken.”

and data in a non-

In most cases, it’s no.

opened many doors.

the world. A decade

And you can sit and

ago, it would require

— Maggie Henriquez, PhD,

competitive way.

I would cover a

These collaborations

cry about it or you

large area of many

networks buying

can be instructive for

can pivot, change, and

countries, and in

your pitch and

us as we go forward.”

execute a different

every country there

producing it.”

was somebody from Babson that would

— Gastón Gorali,

help you in some way.”

— Allan Boruchowicz ’07, founder and managing partner of Carao Ventures, during “Creating Value: Investing in the Babson Network”

CEO of MundoLoco CGI, during “Representation Matters: Exploring DE&I in Media and Entertainment”

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

“The important thing

president and CEO of Krug, Maison de Champagne, during “Selling Dreams: The Reinvention of Luxury Goods”

To watch select sessions of BCW, visit: babson.edu/connectworldwide

DAY 4:

DAY 3:

— Esther Krofah, MPP, executive director of FasterCures and the Milken Institute’s Center for Public Health, during “Accelerating Innovation in Health”

plan. But you’ve got to move quick.”

— Dino Lalvani ’95, GAB, chairman and chief executive of Binatone Communications Group, during “Quarantine Innovation: Finding Opportunity in Isolation”

Don’t miss BABSON CONNECT: WORLDWIDE 2022, which will be held in person next spring in Miami.

Babson Bestows New Award Honoring Family Entrepreneurs to ERNESTO BERTARELLI ’89 substantially under his direction before

fifth-gene ation family business.

being sold to Merck for $13.3 billion in

2006. Today, Bertarelli is chairman of

recognition of the power of family

Waypoint Capital Group, co-chair of the

businesses, which account for

Bertarelli Foundation, and founder of

approximately 70% of global GDP.

the yachting team Alinghi, which has

“It is family entrepreneurship that is

twice won the America’s Cup.

creating the economic and social value

around the world,” he says.

In recognition of his family’s many

For Camus, the award is a

contributions to the global business

and entrepreneurship community,

into the Academy of Distinguished

Babson College awarded Bertarelli

Entrepreneurs® in 2008, supports

and his family the inaugural Babson-

Babson’s Institute for Family

Camus Global Family Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship, funding The

Award. The award was established

Bertarelli Foundation Distinguished

The dynamics of family relationships

to honor a highly distinguished and

Professor of Family Entrepreneurship

are nuanced and can be made even

uniquely impactful business family

chair, because he believes the College

more complicated when a family is in

that has created significant economic

is the rare institution that realizes

business together. At the same time,

and social value across generations.

that the key to understanding family

families in business also carry shared

business is not to focus only on the

values, which often are instrumental in

Family Entrepreneurship Award was

a venture’s success.

presented during Babson Connect:

Worldwide. Babson’s Institute for

leadership and support that Ernesto

Bertarelli ’89, who represented the

Family Entrepreneurship created

Bertarelli has provided to the Institute

third generation of his family at

the award in partnership with Cyril

for Family Entrepreneurship,” says

biotechnology company Serono.

Camus ’91, Babson trustee, chair of

Lauri Union, the institute’s Nulsen

Bertarelli took over as Serono’s leader

Babson’s Global Advisory Board, and

Family Executive Director.

in 1996, and the company grew

the president of Camus Cognac, a

Few know that better than Ernesto

The Babson-Camus Global

Bertarelli, who was inducted

business, but on the family behind it. “We are grateful for the thought

— John Crawford

New curriculum: SUSTAINABILITY, HANDS-ON LEARNING To serve the changing needs of students and society and develop the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, Babson is rolling out innovations to its undergraduate curriculum for fall 2021. “We’re developing students as lifelong learners,” said Professor Wendy Murphy, associate dean of the Undergraduate School. “The skills and mindset that we cultivate here in a classroom are really meant to translate beyond that classroom.” Babson’s best-in-class curriculum will feature a series of interconnected courses weaving through different academic disciplines. Students entering in

FOR MORE BABSON NEWS AND EVENTS:

Babson and Beyond_SUMM021 V7.indd 7

fall 2021 will experience three components:

FOUNDATIONS OF MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (FME)—Students start with the award-winning, first-year FME course, a mainstay of the Babson experience that teaches entrepreneurial leadership from the new startup perspective, outside of an established business. SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS—As sophomores, students will dive into the science behind how people and nature work together—and why that matters, developing the problem-solving skills needed to be entrepreneurial leaders and imagining sustainable

entrepreneurship.babson.edu

solutions to real-world challenges. ADVANCED EXPERIENTIAL—Students will culminate their Babson experience with a semesterlong project with a company or nonprofit, gaining leadership experience from inside an organization. “Babson offers an innovative curriculum where students can learn and grow with a focus on what they’re hoping to learn going forward,” Murphy said. “They take part in unique experiences that can help them craft their own story, develop their own path, and cultivate their growth as entrepreneurial leaders.” — Karl Klaussen

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE 7

7/1/21 11:44 AM

OFFICEHOURS

Unearthing the Value of GEM

Donna Kelley helps mold the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor into an academic powerhouse

All of these reports, for different reasons, have been impactful.

Donna Kelley P’24 will serve as the chair of the Entrepreneurship Division beginning this fall.

rofessor of Entrepreneurship Donna Kelley P’24 joined Babson in 2000, a year after the College co-founded the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). But, despite numerous opportunities, she declined each invitation to join the GEM team. By 2007, though, when pressed by Professor Emeritus and GEM co-founder William D. Bygrave—one of the pioneers of entrepreneurship at Babson—she couldn’t refuse any longer. “I’m glad I didn’t say no,” Kelley says. “The project has grown to have a major impact for policy audiences, researchers, and educators.” Indeed it has, all because of researchers such as Kelley, who serves on GEM’s oversight board and who

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has led the GEM U.S. team for many years. Since joining the GEM board in 2007, Kelley has written more than 30 reports for the organization, which has grown into the largest and most developed research program on entrepreneurship in the world. “GEM went from being a niche project for academics to being the most used database in academic publications for entrepreneurship,” Kelley says. “Our understanding of what’s going on globally through entrepreneurship has been fostered by the availability of GEM data.” In its 22-year history, which began as a joint venture between Babson College and the London School of Business, GEM has surveyed about 3 million people and explored entrepreneurial activity in more than 120 economies.

DIGITAL BOOKSHELF 8

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

Featuring Publications by Babson Faculty

Over the years, entrepreneurship has flourished around the world, in established areas like the United States and in countries, such as many in the Middle East, where it is experiencing a boom. GEM has been there to report on all of it, and it is the range of disparate reports that Kelley is most proud of. “All of these reports, for different reasons, have been impactful,” she says. “We’re looking at the people. Each economy approaches entrepreneurship differently.” GEM is not Kelley’s only endeavor, however. She holds the Frederic C. Hamilton Professor of Free Enterprise Studies chair, and, beginning in fall 2021, she will serve as the chair of Babson’s Entrepreneurship Division, a role in which she will oversee not only the curriculum and course staffing but also the generation of entrepreneurial knowledge through research, and Babson’s evolving teaching methodologies. “Everybody is incredibly collaborative at Babson. We have some of the most phenomenal teachers in the entire field,” she says. “What’s the next step in entrepreneurship education? It’s amazing what the education experience has evolved into. It’s very experiential in the classroom. You’re not just learning from the experience of others; you’re learning from doing it yourself.” — Bryan Lipiner

BABSON.EDU/BOOKSHELF

PHOTO: JUSTIN KNIGHT

PEOPLEOFBABSON

Small Talk with PATRICK HALE Patrick Hale had been working in higher education for a decade when he crossed paths with Lawrence P. Ward, now vice president and dean of campus life at Babson College, at a conference. Hale was captivated by Ward’s presentation and his thoughts on leadership, and that encounter led to Hale joining Ward at Babson. Now, as the director of Multicultural and Identity Programs, Hale inﬂuences the student experience and ensures that all students are seen, heard, and valued in the College community. What motivates you to work so closely with college students? “I was a first-generation college student. I also struggled as a college student, navigating being one of the few Black students in a predominantly white institution and being one of the few out LGBTQ members. So, I knew I would like to ensure that students, especially underrepresented students, are set up for the success they deserve, and also making sure that the rest of the community is supporting these populations by actively creating spaces on campus to make sure that they feel fully part of the community. For me, that’s been a huge motivator.” How have the events around racial injustice over the past year impacted students and the work you do? “The thing that continues to surprise me is how quickly our students are able to mobilize around these causes, particularly with the Babson Students for Black Lives Matter fundraiser that was led by some phenomenal student leaders and was supported by dozens of student clubs and organizations on campus. … Where I see an opportunity, though, is for our community to continue to talk about the role that we can play in correcting some of the injustices that so many of our community members from across the globe are experiencing.” How does diversity, equity, and inclusion meld with entrepreneurial leadership? “I’ve been appreciative of organizations that have stepped up to move us closer to a more equitable and just society. Entrepreneurial leadership requires that boldness to step into that truth, and a willingness to not only make the right investments to identify ways to eliminate barriers, but to invest in the people and communities that are impacted to make sure that they have a seat at the table, that they are rewarded and valued for their labor, and that they are prepared to be entrepreneurs in their own right.” — Eric Beato READ OUR COMPLETE Q&A WITH PATRICK HALE: magazine.babson.edu

PHOTO: JUSTIN KNIGHT

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE

CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021

PICTURE

PERFECT Story by John Crawford / Photos by Justin Knight

On a glorious weekend in May, the CLASS OF 2021 —filled with gratitude and pride—gathers for Commencement and reflects on its accomplishments after a year marked by challenges and uncertainty.

s he stood in line surrounded by celebration—the caps and gowns, the balloons and confetti—Abdullah Zahid ’21 reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of his mother. “I’m keeping her picture on me all day,” says Zahid, a Global Scholar from Pakistan. His mother’s name was Humaira Mansoor, and she had passed away far too young. Zahid remembered her great cooking, and he remembered the many sacrifices she made for his education. “This is her special day as well. It’s a dream come true, not just for one, but for two,” Zahid says. “I’m feeling a lot

of gratitude.” That one word, gratitude, was heard many times the first weekend of May, when members of the Class of 2021 gathered for their in-person Commencement ceremonies. If you chatted with them, in between all the hugging and picture taking, they often talked about how grateful they were feeling. They were grateful for their family, professors, and friends, but there was more than that. In a year that felt so tenuous, so challenging and uncertain, they also were thankful that they had made it through and now had

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE

As we celebrate the members of the Class of 2021, here is just a sampling of their achievements and accomplishments during their time at Babson: Britney Aguayo ’21, a Posse Scholar and the Global Student Leadership Award recipient, delivered the undergraduate Commencement address: “It’s on us to recognize our differences as beauty in diversity; it’s on us to choose community over currency; and it’s on us to make every day count from this point forward.” Charlie Sedlock ’21 earned an appointment to the prestigious Teach For America program. He will be working in Richmond, California, just north of Oakland, educating and mentoring underprivileged students. Mezue Eneh ’21, who joined Babson in January 2019 as part of the GAP cohort for the Class of 2022, completed his degree in just 2½ years with an exemplary GPA. Eneh also was the first community manager of The Johnson House. “I am grateful for my blessings,” he says. Christine Coyne ’21 and Maya Mutalik ’21 co-founded a fundraising campaign to improve the Babson Community Garden and rename it Sudeeksha’s Secret Garden in loving memory of classmate Sudeeksha Bhati (2000–2020). Aakriti Narang MBA’21 and Deepak Lachman Punjwani MBA’21 served as co-chairs of the inaugural Babson Global Entrepreneurial Leadership (GEL) Forum. They also each received the Ralph Z. and Charlotte R. Sorenson Scholarship Award. Aakash Shah MBA’21 won the graduate track of the 2021 B.E.T.A. (Babson Entrepreneurial Thought & Action®) Challenge for his venture, High Time Foods, which created a plant-based chicken product.

12 BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

CLASSof2021_SUMM2021_v7.indd 12

the opportunity to gather together to celebrate. “This year has been trying,” says Reed Wilson ’21, surveying the blissful scene at the campus parking lot where he and his fellow classmates waited to join the procession into the Commencement ceremony. “I’m taking a deep breath and enjoying it. I’m grateful to be here. We’ve made it.”

Reflecting on the Past Year The month of May was overflowing with festivities at Babson, with a variety of Commencement events held not only for the Class of 2021 but also for the Class of 2020, which had seen its Commencement postponed because of the pandemic. During the first weekend of May, the in-person Commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2021 filled the campus with a joyous commotion, with Biz E. Beaver sporting a cap and gown, cannons firing confetti, and a drone taking pictures overhead. The weekend was loaded with memory, emotion, and pride. “I am very proud of myself and my

peers,” says Emily Sterczala ’21. “We kept at it through the pandemic. We have been through a lot.” As Sterczala and her classmates reflected on their time at Babson, particularly the past year and all of its concerns, many thought of how the pandemic had changed them. “It taught me a lot about resilience,” Sterczala says. “Even in the worst of times, you can make good come out of that.” Luna Zhang ’21, meanwhile, gained a new outlook. “I have learned not to take things for granted,” she says. “I have learned to live every moment to the best that I can.” Julia Ferrara ’21 has become more adaptable, an important skill for business and for life. “Being able to adapt to things not going your way is beneficial,” she says. “It will serve us well in the future.” Femi Moito MBA’21 says that relationships changed in the pandemic because of social distancing and remote learning. Connections had to be made in new ways. “We lost relationships, and we found

CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021

CLASS NOTES

7/1/21 6:02 PM

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE 13

CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 Rachel Zelcer MBA’21, president of the Graduate Student Council, co-moderated a panel discussion with Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98 and four senior leaders from the Blank Family of Businesses. Zelcer also received the Graduate Student Alumni and Friends Network Award and the prestigious Roger W. Babson Award. Marc Baghadjian ’21 and his dating app, Lolly, were featured by Forbes, which described the app as “a cross between TikTok and Tinder.” Jonathan DiModica ’21, who dreamed of attending Babson since eighth grade, expanded his sneaker business, Got Sole, and his nonprofit organization, Your Local Lemonade Stand, as a resident of eTower. Kevin Teeter ’21 and Alexa Tutecky ’21 served as co-chairs of Babson’s Hearing Board, raising awareness of a modernized Code of Ethics and the importance of key ethical decisionmaking skills. Duruo Murray ’21, a Posse Scholar and leader with Babson Pride and Origins of Necessary Equality (ONE), received the 2021 Undergraduate Pride Award and was lauded for making Babson a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ students. Nathalya Mamane MBA’21 was named to Poets & Quants’ 2021 Best & Brightest MBAs list and received the Award for Academic Excellence for the highest GPA in the One-Year MBA program. Max Feber ’21, who landed a deal with Mark Cuban on “Shark Tank” in 2019, sold his startup cold-brew coffee company, BRUW. Aria Mustary ’21 won the undergraduate track of the 2021 B.E.T.A. Challenge for her venture, Mai Soli Foundation, which addresses child marriage and gender inequality in developing countries.

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

relationships,” he says. “We were still able to find friendships in unexpected ways.” For Bryce Kitagawa ’21, the pandemic meant he needed to make a decision. He spent the fall 2020 semester taking classes remotely in his native Texas, but to close out his Babson career, he chose to return to campus for the spring. He was glad he did. “It was fantastic, a lot of great moments,” he says. “It concluded our journey.” Jean Christian Arosemena MBA’21 was faced with a similar situation. He lives in Panama, and when COVID-19 hit, he debated taking a hiatus from Babson’s Miami MBA program. Instead, he carried on. “I am proud I stayed,” Arosemena says. At Commencement, all 13 of the students in Arosemena’s cohort, who hail from such countries as Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Spain, made the trip to campus. “Finally, we made it through all the adversity,” he says. “It shows the dedication people have.” When faced with a world turned increasingly unpredictable, Babson is a comforting place to be, says Juan Vergara MBA’21. The lessons learned here are practical and essential. “We were able to put them into practice immediately,” he says. “We are proving Babson’s values and the tools we are acquiring by living through an unprecedented situation.”

Despite all the disruption of the past year, he says, “I am glad for the experiences we had.”

Much More to Celebrate This isn’t to say that the Class of 2021 is defined simply by the pandemic. Graduates celebrated many accomplishments, both big and small, professional and personal. Earning her degree was just one of two major milestones for Amrutha Ananth MBA’21 this year. When she walked across the stage at Commencement (below), she carried the second: her baby girl, Ahiri, who was born in March. Having a baby while in business school wasn’t always easy, she admits, but she is grateful for the support both Babson and her family gave her. “This was a very special day

CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 “Babson is the biggest asset I have in my life!” — Ivan Sene MBA’21, founder and CEO of Spoten, a box of Babson products from student and alumni businesses

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CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 / CLASS OF 2021 Vaidehi Tembhekar MBA’21, who co-founded the ride-hailing app Busy Body in her native Kenya, delivered the graduate student address at Commencement: “At Babson, we don’t wait for a perfect moment. We take the moment and mold it to be perfect. We respond to circumstances by looking for opportunities to survive, to create, and to thrive.” Matthew Pattyson ’21, a guard on the men’s basketball team, was named Student Athlete of the Class for having the highest GPA among graduating student-athletes. Gauri Tawde MBA’21, president of the Babson Business Analytics Club, led Babson’s flagship analytics hackathon, Babson Hack, partnering with Wayfair and including 130 students from six universities. Sydney Logan ’21, a Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) Scholar, originated the idea of The Johnson House, the specialinterest living space named after Eric Johnson ’72, P’08, the founder of the Black Student Union. It is her proudest achievement at Babson, she says, “not only for myself, but for what it means to my peers, and what it will mean to Babson in the years coming.” Dario Guerrero ’21, who received the 2017 Diversity Leadership Award, was an active campus figure as a member of the Black Student Union, the Latin American Student Organization, and ONE. Khalid Alayoub ’21 worked with the nonprofit QueenTech Initiative in West Africa as part of the Affordable Design and Entrepreneurship course. Annie Sheil ’21 also earned a Certificate of Engineering by registering for five courses at Olin College of Engineering. “This invaluable addition to my Babson degree, I believe, ultimately helped me land my dream job as a product manager right after graduation,” she said.

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for me,” Ananth says. “Walking the stage while holding my baby will be a moment I will cherish forever.” Juan Solares MBA’21 also balanced the responsibilities of business school with parenthood. His 2-year-old often was seen running around during video meets with classmates. He also has a 4-month-old baby. “It’s been challenging,” he says. “I had a lot of help from my awesome wife. She is the backbone.” When her own son graduated from Clemson University, Linda Monroe MBA’21 decided to return to college herself. “I’m probably one of the oldest students here,” Monroe says. “It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for so long. It’s a dream come true.” Twice before she had attempted to earn an MBA. The first time, she dropped out because her husband’s job took them to another town. The second time, she stopped because she had gotten pregnant. Through the years, however, she never gave up on furthering her education. “I love to learn,” she says. “I’m the nerdy kid who loves business. When I took classes, my brain lit up.”

Zachary Andersen MBA’21 decided to earn his degree because he felt unsatisfied. “I didn’t like where my life was at,” he says. “This offered me a chance to do it better.” For five years, he chipped away at the degree, working full time while taking classes part time. “I’ve been at it for a while,” he says. “I’m feeling a lot of satisfaction. To finally be here— it’s pretty amazing.” Jonathan Katz ’21 was struck by how much he has grown during his time at Babson. “I’m thinking about the first time I entered campus,” Katz says. “I was much younger and had less business knowledge, less experience, for sure.” Leticia Parreira ’21 also was thinking of her younger self. “I can see a completely different Leticia from freshman year to senior year,” Parreira says. “I feel the Leticia of freshman year would be really proud.” She wouldn’t be the only one. A Global Scholar from Brazil, Parreira is the first person from her hometown of Jaguariúna to study abroad. Its residents have been following her Babson journey, and Parreira was thinking of them on

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Kenza Qermane ’16, MBA’20, MSBA’21, who earned her third Babson degree, served as an analyst and co-program coordinator for the new Babson UK/ Europe Accelerator Programme. Daniel O’Hanlon ’21, who served as the team manager during the baseball team’s historic run to the College World Series in 2019, won the prestigious Roger W. Babson Award for excelling in scholarship, cocurricular activities, and leadership. The Babson Students for Black Lives Matter fundraiser—led by Britney Aguayo ’21, Jaylen Bell ’21, and Motolani Osinowo ’21, along with other student leaders— enlisted 81 student groups. Vinayak Nayak MBA’20, MSBA’21 served as vice president of sustainability in the Graduate Student Council and completed three internships. Wasi Mahi ’21, president of the Student Government Association, won the Ted Grossman “Beaver Believer” Award in 2020. Cem Kullukcu ’21 placed second at the sixth annual Analytics Without Borders conference for his Babson Honors Program research project examining racism and hate speech in soccer. Carolyn Fligor ’21 was one of more than a dozen graduates to attend the Legacy Family Pinning Ceremony. Fligor is the daughter of Andrew Fligor ’84, P’21 and Leslye Fligor ’84, P’21, who began dating as undergraduate students at Babson.

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Commencement day. “I come from a small city. They are really proud,” Parreira says. “I am lucky to have a community rooting for me.”

The Small Moments Commencement certainly was a cacophony of emotions and activity, but as they reflected on their time at Babson, some graduates didn’t linger on the big things such as the life accomplishments or the pandemic and all the hurdles overcome. Instead, they thought of the small moments, the fleeting memories, the quiet times. Theodore Provo ’21, for instance, took time after the Commencement ceremony to have his picture taken with a giant inflatable Biz E. Beaver. It was one of a number of photo stations set up across campus for the graduates to visit, and Provo was first in line at the beaver. That’s because, as a new student at Babson, the first picture he took was with the Biz E. Beaver mascot in Trim Dining Hall. He thought a last picture with the beaver would be a fitting bookend to his Babson experience.

With Commencement weekend turning out sunny and lovely, Andrew Josephs ’21 was thinking of how, after a long winter, the campus always looks so beautiful in the springtime. “The grounds people put a lot of effort into it,” he says. “That’s when the campus looks the best.” Nicholas Widjaja ’21 thought of friendship. Specifically, he thought of a night when his Babson friends, having played board games until the wee hours, decided to stay up and watch the sunrise. They first took an Uber to IHOP, and then watched the sun come up over the Charles River. “It was very pretty,” Widjaja says. It was a simple moment of everyday beauty, and as the bustle of Commencement swirled about him, it was that simple moment, shared with friends, that he thought about. The last four years had been made up of many such occasions, of friends coming together for good times, but now the future awaited for Widjaja and his classmates. “I can’t believe it’s been four years,” Widjaja says. “It still hasn’t hit me yet.” 

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31 Double Beavers earned their second Babson degrees, including seven student-athletes from the Class of 2020 who returned to compete in the spring sports season: William Gallagher ’20, MSBA’21, baseball Michael Nocchi ’20, MS’21, baseball Jacqueline Paul ’20, MSBA’21, softball Valerie Quinlan ’20, MSF’21, women’s lacrosse Brooke Stock ’20, MSF’21, softball Jack Theriault ’20, MSBA’21, baseball Matthew Valente ’20, MS’21, baseball

“Babson means opportunity, plain and simple.” — Ben Norris ’21, who won the 10th annual Babson Sales and Trading Competition and who is joining Citigroup as an analyst in the sales and trading program

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ATHLETICS

Men’s lacrosse team’s tournament tribute:

‘WE OWE IT TO THE GUYS OF 1979’ The year 1979 holds great significance in Babson history. That year included the College’s first undergraduate major in entrepreneurship and the men’s soccer team’s second national championship. For the men’s lacrosse team, though, 1979 carries even greater importance. That year marked the program’s first and only NCAA tournament appearance, setting a standard for success that current head coach Rocky Batty P’24 embraced when he took over three years ago. “My first couple of weeks on campus I had the pleasure to meet with some alums from the ’70s,” Batty said. “Guys who have been involved with Babson lacrosse for close to 50 years. In talking with them, emailing, hearing stories, receiving notes and cards, (I realized) there was a gritty, tough style of play being played at Babson in that time.” Knowing that history, Batty ordered a No. 79 jersey, and every jersey now has “1979” positioned on the inside collar. “Clearly it ties into a team, but having that number ties into an era and ensures we’re connected through generations of Babson men’s lacrosse,” Batty said. “It’s important that number sticks around for generations to come.” Now, that 1979 team has company and an even deeper bond with the 2021 team. The current Beavers won the NEWMAC regular-season and tournament championships, ending the long drought and returning to the national stage with the program’s second NCAA tournament berth. The 1979 team never was far from the minds of the 2021 players, even after a loss to top-ranked Tufts in the first round. USILA All-America honorable mention John Antaya ’21 likened the relationship to a brotherhood. “That’s the class we’re most connected to and feel most related to,” Antaya said. “They’re the guys who will stick around and talk about how hard they worked, how gritty they were, and how much fun they had on the field. They loved every single guy, and all they wanted to do was play with their brothers. “That’s exactly how we feel. I love every single guy on this team. I tell them that before every game and wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else in the world. We went out there and played our hearts out. We owe it to the guys of 1979 and every alumni for building the foundation for this program until this year when we kicked the wall down.”

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— Scott Dietz

Lee Sipes ’21 proudly wears the No. 79 jersey in tribute to the historic 1979 team.

PHOTO: FRANK POULIN

A YEAR TO REMEMBER

Babson Athletics thrived during the winter and spring sports seasons with a combined 75-14 record (.843 winning percentage). The spring teams also achieved several collective firsts for Babson, including five NCAA tournament berths, five NEWMAC regular-season championships, and four NEWMAC tournament titles. Here’s how some of the top individuals—including several Class of 2021 standouts—performed:

BASEBALL Jordy Allard ’21 (7-0, 0.91 ERA) became the ﬁrst Babson player to earn All-America ﬁrst-team honors from both the ABCA and D3baseball.com, leading Babson (13-4) to its fourth straight NEWMAC regular-season title.

MEN’S BASKETBALL Andrew Jaworski ’21 ﬁnished his Babson career 18th in program history in scoring with 1,189 points.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Nicole Hiller ’21 posted career highs in points, rebounds, and assists for the Beavers (11-0), earning all-region and All-America accolades.

MEN’S ICE HOCKEY Nick Rosa ’21, who earned NEHC postseason honors in each of his four seasons, had four goals and seven assists for the unbeaten Beavers (8-0).

WOMEN’S LACROSSE Valerie Quinlan ’20, MSF’21 won NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors, as the Beavers (4-2) advanced to the NCAA tournament for the ﬁrst time since 2018.

SOFTBALL Brooke Stock ’20, MSF’21 became the ﬁrst Babson player to earn All-America recognition since 2013, as the Beavers collected NEWMAC regular-season and tournament titles, and an NCAA tournament berth.

MEN’S TENNIS Kian Yazdi ’22 became just the fourth Babson men’s player to earn NEWMAC Player of the Year honors, as the Beavers (7-1) advanced to the NCAA tournament regional ﬁnal for the ﬁrst time in program history.

WOMEN’S TENNIS Ashley Avery MSEL’21 joined Yagmur Akgul ’17 as the only Babson women to collect NEWMAC Player of the Year honors. The Beavers (4-1) also won an NCAA tournament match in their ﬁrst appearance since 2015.

TRACK & FIELD Katherine Jacobs ’22 (100-meter hurdles) became the second Babson woman to qualify for the NCAA championships. She recorded a career-best time of 14.45 seconds to win the event at the NEWMAC championships. On the men’s side, Colin Cianciolo ’22 (400-meter dash) and Anthony Rodriguez ’24 (10,000-meter run) also earned individual NEWMAC titles. FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, VISIT: babsonathletics.com

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INFLUENCERS By Bryan Lipiner

Kathryn Shilling ’03 at her home in Newton, Massachusetts

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PHOTO: MICHAEL QUIET

Meet the Babson believers who are helping the College’s participation rate skyrocket by keeping the alumni connected. Alumni participation rates nationwide are declining. For more than two decades, colleges and universities across the country have confronted this growing challenge. Yet, at Babson College, the inverse is occurring. Since 2014, the institution’s alumni participation rate has doubled from 16% to 32%, catapulting Babson up 100 spots on the Voluntary Support of Education rankings by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The increased participation rate benefits the College’s reputation and other rankings and directly supports students, providing such critical things as scholarships and funds toward specific causes on campus. And, so much of this success is because of a group of unofficial alumni ambassadors who, through the recollection of memories and the impact of their individual Babson experience and education, keep their fellow alumni connected to and engaged with the College—and one another.

The Day of Giving Founders Milestone reunions often are a motivating factor for Babson College graduates. For the Class of 2003, its 10-year reunion was the celebration of something old and the start of something new. That’s when Kathryn Shilling ’03 and Kevin Shane ’03 founded the Class Days of Giving, an annual tradition for a number of graduating classes established as a way to connect with peers and encourage greater participation. “The entrepreneurial spirit, people go

to Babson because they want to succeed in life,” Shane says. “It’s a worthy cause to give back to, to make sure you can continue to support the school’s effort to provide that same opportunity for future classes.” Members of the class historically have kept in touch through a Facebook group and other forms of social media. These platforms also offer a way for Shane and Shilling to promote the annual Class Day of Giving. “What people are doing, where they’re traveling, alumni we haven’t heard from in a few years,” Shilling says, “I’m always in awe.” Shane can’t get enough of the banter shared with classmates on social media. “I love reading the replies and posts,” Shane says. “It makes our job worthwhile knowing folks are having fun.” “It brings you back to your college experience,” Shilling added. The 2020 Class Day of Giving was planned for the end of March, scheduled, of course, before restrictions necessitated by the pandemic. “We really were going back and forth on, ‘What are we going to do this year?’ ” Shilling says, reflecting on how she and Shane were preparing for the day. They then considered and remembered why they created the initiative in the first place: to bring classmates together. “We took out the push for donating,” Shilling says. “We made it more about checking in. We wanted to know how everyone was doing.” The closing figures of last year’s campaign were just about the same as years past. That approach sparked positive results leading into the 2021 event held April 29, when more than 50 donors contributed close to $40,000.

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Roger Regnier ’63 in Wellesley, Massachusetts

“Kevin and I spearhead it, but our classmates have taken it on as well. They have embraced it as much as we hoped they would,” Shilling said. “The Class of 2003 is very connected. We were connected as students, and now as alumni as well.”

The Connector and the Donor More than 50 years later, hearing about the memory of a Babson classmate falling asleep in the middle of a lecture brings a smile to Roger Regnier ’63. As the story goes, following the professor’s lead, everyone left the classroom. When the classmate woke up, he, too, left the room, and encountered the rest of the waiting class, which greeted him with friendly clapping and heckling. “We’re getting older. We have fonder memories of a time when we were together for three years,” Regnier says, recalling when Babson was a three-

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I’m so happy that I graduated from Babson. They’ve done so well since, and have gotten a reputation which certainly never hurt my career. — Robert Brewster ’63 Robert Brewster ’63 year institution. “We had our own unique happenings.” Regnier learned of the tale through a fellow classmate as part of a round of alumni communications. Those one-of-a-kind moments are brought up frequently during Regnier’s emails, phone calls, and notes to Babson classmates. “We’re 55-plus years out. As a class, we have our unique characteristics,”

Regnier says. “It’s fun to engage, to talk.” Among the 120 or so remaining graduates, Regnier is well-known, and he works to keep connections active and classmates informed. “Communication is so important, and being positive with what you’re saying,” he says. “We all stumbled through 2020. We try to make an effort

TOP PHOTO: MICHAEL QUIET

People go to Babson because they want to succeed in life. It’s a worthy cause to give back to, to make sure you can continue to support the school’s effort to provide that same opportunity for future classes. — Kevin Shane ’03

to stay in touch, perhaps a little bit more regularly because of that.” One person he never has had to motivate about giving? That would be Robert Brewster ’63, who has donated for 58 consecutive ﬁscal years, starting in November 1963, shortly after he graduated that June. “Education in accounting, business law, humanities, everything—Babson helped me out when I needed it,” Brewster says. He still vividly remembers the day he toured the Wellesley campus for the ﬁrst time, and how he almost instantly made the decision to enroll. “I’m so happy that I graduated from Babson,” Brewster says. “They’ve done so well since, and have gotten a reputation which certainly never hurt my career.”

The Class Agent In the midst of planning for her own 10-year reunion, Kerry Liszka ’11, one of three class agents for the Class of 2011, was sifting through her emails when she came across a schedule for Senior Week 2011. She is well aware of the value of adding an anecdotal ﬂair to her communications, which she says can spark recollections of memories made as a student. “We were able to put that in one of our outreach emails: ‘This week, 10 years ago, we were at Foxwoods for senior week!’ ” Liszka says. “Adding that personal touch creates a sense of

Summer Receptions Are Back! nostalgia with your classmates.” The results speak for themselves. The Class of 2011 ranks among the top classes in Roger’s Cup, an annual campaign started in 2017 that playfully pits classes against one another in a participation competition. The winning class is rewarded with access to a special VIP tent at Back to Babson. “The most important thing I got out of Babson was the network of people I met,” Liszka says. “Being the reunion year, because everyone was quarantined, thinking about going to Back to Babson has been something very exciting.” Even while she is working to engage her class, Liszka also has made sure she stays involved. While on campus, she was a member of Babson Players, so she has donated to the organization through the years since graduation. Those funds were critical in helping the group put on a remote show following the transition to remote learning in March 2020. (Read more about Babson Players in Beaver Tales, Page 32.) “Thinking these kids got to use that money, that was such a special thing to me,” Liszka says. “I’m able to help people have the same kind of experiences. It allows me to connect with the kids that go there now.” It’s that connection between alumni and students that continues to drive the College’s increased participation rate—and enhance the prestige of their Babson education and degrees. 

Babson College’s Advancement team looks forward to connecting in person again with alumni, parents, students, and friends. Summer Receptions provide a unique opportunity to socialize and network with the Babson community in cities throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

For a full list, visit

babson.edu/SummerReceptions or contact

awali1@babson.edu for more information.

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UNDERGRADUATE 1988

Karen Collier ’88 moved to Smithﬁeld, Virginia, in March 2019 to open a bakery called The Cake House. “Because we’re near Norfolk, there is a lot of military here, and this year, we have collaborated with the Military Spouse Society. They run a cookie drive every year, and collect and distribute cookies to ﬁrst responders, soldiers, and hospital staff during the holiday season. This year, their target is 40,000 cookies. I really wanted to make a big impact, so The Cake House is donating 5,000 cookies.”

1989

Sean Wheeler ’89 began a fellowship at Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute. He will spend up to two years at Stanford working to support social impact innovators, and act as an angel investor to a variety of startups. Carl Meyer ’80 has been named to the board of directors of Dale Medical Products in Franklin, Massachusetts. He also has been named to the board of directors of the nonprofit Hire Heroes USA. The event he created, 100 Holes for Our Heroes, benefits Hire Heroes USA and has raised more than $1 million over the past 13 years, helping more than 600 veterans gain employment and generating more than $30 million in annual income for them and their families. This summer, Meyer will attempt to play 114 holes of golf, in recognition of the event’s 14th year.

Deborah De Santis ’85 (right), a Babson College trustee, married her partner of 25 years, Elizabeth Murray. De Santis and Murray were joined by their two children, Anuar and Ari De Santis, for a small ceremony at their home in Metuchen, New Jersey.

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1998

Mark Giovino ’98 writes that he has enjoyed a wild ride as CEO and founding partner at Allionce Group. After running global sponsorships for soccer team AS Roma, Giovino launched his marketing agency in 2016 to help connect brand marketers to parents with young children who visit U.S. zoos and aquariums. Giovino has his own focus group at home with two young children and a third on the way.

1999

Nicole Couder ’99 currently is the public affairs manager for SUEZ, a company based in Brussels working with the European Commission and Parliament. Couder is helping to bring change for a sustainable transition in the European Union. She feels incredibly rewarded by her work at SUEZ and is proud to see change.

2000

Derick Jaindl ’00 has been appointed as the chief ﬁnancial ofﬁcer for MobileHelp in Boca Raton, Florida. After Babson, Jaindl completed his MBA and master’s degree in accounting. He currently is pursuing his CPA designation.

Matthew J. Kidd ’89 is the founder and director of his own firm in Boston, The Law Office of Matthew J. Kidd. The practice handles employment, personal injury, and criminal defense matters. In March 2021, Expertise.com selected the firm as one of the top 20 employment law firms in Boston for 2021. Close to 250 law firms were reviewed for the recognition.

Patrice X. Thiry ’93, P’25 released his first book on the 17-year journey of his startup, ProwebCE, which he founded in Paris in 2000 and sold in 2017.

Tim Ryan ’00, Crisis Assistance Ministry’s chief financial officer, was named a CFO of the Year by the Charlotte Business Journal. This signature awards program recognizes financial executives who provide insights to help guide companies through challenges and help leadership teams make crucial decisions.

2006

Jenn Bell ’06 married Matt Del Bonta in Vero Beach, Florida, on January 25, 2020. More than 15 Babson alumni attended the wedding, which ended up being the last vacation and social event for the couple before the pandemic.

Yan Katz ’00 has been named a Leaders Club qualifier by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Leaders Club is one of the highest honors annually awarded by Guardian to financial professionals who demonstrate outstanding service and dedication to their clients.

2013

Founded by Aakaanksh Pothukutchi ’13, startup Dash Beyond was acquired by an Irish multinational, Alison, that offers free educational and skills training courses to close to 20 million users. Dash Beyond won the B.E.T.A. Challenge in 2020.

2018 Katharine Grover ’01 was appointed to the board of Doc Wayne Youth Services, a Boston nonprofit that fuses sport and therapy to heal and strengthen at-risk youth. Grover is a director in the Northeast Health Industries Assurance practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, working with higher education, healthcare, and other nonprofit organizations. “I hope my professional background combined with my love for sports can help support Doc Wayne’s mission and make a difference in the lives of the children it supports,” Grover said.

Laure Bello ’18 founded a startup called Linawin with her uncle in Paris this past year. Linawin focuses on making tutoring more accessible and affordable to students in the Philippines. She started the company after quitting her job at a commercial real estate firm in New York, a proud decision, she says.

2019 Oksana Westerbeke ’02 shares an uplifting story. “In addition to COVID, 2020 included recovery post two cancer surgeries, 19 rounds of radiation therapy, shingles due to weakened immune system, and osteopenia due to cancer drugs side effects. Still, it did not stop me from escaping to South Dakota to live my life and enjoy Badlands, Devil’s Tower, and Black Hills. Can’t wait to see more of the world once all restrictions are lifted. With more than four years of cancer treatment remaining, I am happy and in great spirits!”

Julia Dean ’19 was recognized for co-founding the GTB Mentorship Program during lockdowns enforced because of COVID-19. She launched the organization after ending Fulbright early and connected more than 75 mentees to more than 50 mentors in a dozen-plus industries.

2007

Sarah Girouard ’07 and Eric Girouard ’08 were featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal for their hard work on their small businesses, Early Apres and Brunt Workwear. Their businesses are generating about $25,000 to $40,000 a year, and the couple are incredibly proud of their entrepreneurial endeavors.

2008

Ryan Holbrook ’08 wrote and illustrated a children’s book titled Liam the Loon.

2010 University of Michigan Professor Kyle Whyte ’01 was named to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. According to the University of Michigan, Whyte will provide advice and recommendations to the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality and the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council on how to address current and historic environmental injustices.

Co-founded by Alex Melen ’06, SmartSites was featured in the Inc. 5000 for the fourth consecutive time as one of the fastestgrowing advertising agencies in the U.S., as well as Adweek’s list of fastest-growing agencies in the world. The company has in the past offered discounts for all Babson students, graduates, friends, and family.

Changebridge Capital, founded by Ross Klein ’10, launched two actively managed ETFs on November 13: Changebridge Sustainable Equity (CBSE) and Changebridge Long/Short (CBLS), the firs of its kind actively managed long/short ETF.

2011

Nicole Crowley ’11 married Jake Foy in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, on December 12, 2020. The celebration included attendees from Babson with Kelsie Marr ’11 as the maid of honor.

2012

May Sresthaporn ’12 married Thonmai Limapichat ’13 on January 18, 2020, at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, Thailand. Their wedding included Babson alumni from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Korea.

Alexander Moazed ’10 married Lindsey Moazed on July 31, 2020.

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Alexander Deeb ’14 won third place in the Impact Ventures Accelerator with his company, ClassHook. ClassHook aims to bring a solution to help teachers increase student engagement by using scenes from popular TV shows and movies.

Elizabeth Sheerin ’10 married Justin Taubman in summer 2020. “We had just family and a few close friends but had some fun with it with matching masks,” Sheerin writes. “Despite all the COVID curveballs, we had the absolute perfect day!” Kelsey Dulac ’12 writes, “Curtis Dulac ’12 and I met at Babson in 2012. We were married in 2016 and welcomed our son, Van Robert Dulac, on March 6, 2020. We were fortunate he was born a few days before the pandemic hit. Ever since, he has been the best distraction and the brightest light in a crazy world!”

Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni Jr. ’14 and Gabriella Henriquez ’18 were married in a civil ceremony on April 17, 2021, in Miami, Florida, and are planning a more formal ceremony for January 2022 in Mexico.

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

Arushi Chawla ’17 and Revant Khullar ’17 were married on October 29, 2020, in New Delhi, India, at a wedding attended by 100 people. “We met for the first time in New Delhi following our admission to Babson in 2013 by connecting through Facebook,” Khullar writes. “The two of us gradually became best friends before falling in love after moving back to India.”

GRADUATE

John G. Peters MBA’78 writes, “To help prevent arrest-related deaths, my training firm developed two programs for law enforcement officers: ‘Recognizing and Managing Abnormal Breathing,’ and ‘Spit Restraint Device’ user-level and instructor-level programs. Webinars have also been offered on these two important and timely subjects at no cost so everyone can attend regardless of budget.”

Bernard Lee MBA’99 joined forces with FamilyAid Boston for the fifth consecutive year to provide holiday gifts for 35 local families experiencing homelessness. Lee is one of New England’s top professional poker players and an active poker media personality. For 10 consecutive holiday seasons, Lee has supported children in need by donating all proceeds of The Full House Charity Program to childfocused charitable organizations across New England. Each family received customized gifts for adults and children; 55 children participated.

and educational system. There is very little information on community colleges, and my Babson MBA helped me to be entrepreneurial and develop some research here!”

1995

Allegro CEO Francois Nuyts MBA’95 writes, “Allegro has completed its initial public offering, the second-largest in Europe this year, and is now trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange!”

2003 Alicia Castillo Holley MBA’96 launched the Wealthing VC Club to co-invest in post-seed rounds. Members meet once a month to discuss one vetted deal and make individual investment decisions, learning about high-quality deals funded by venture capitalists.

Bessie Kokalis MBA’03, vice president of global internal communications for Philip Morris International (PMI), now serves on its women’s inspiration network steering committee. The employee resource group provides a community for PMI’s women employees and their allies worldwide, creating opportunities to grow awareness and get inspired through events, networking, and mentoring.

1987

2006

Walter Dillingham MBA’87 wrote an article on community colleges that was covered by the American Association of Community Colleges in its latest national magazine. “This is my eighth nonproﬁt white paper as part of my nonproﬁt practice in New York City,” he writes. “Community colleges are a very important part of our economy

Ryan Raveis MBA’06 and Chris Raveis, co-presidents of William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance, have been named the 31st most powerful and inﬂuential real estate leaders on the Swanepoel Power 200 List. The prestigious ranking is considered a deﬁnitive list of leaders and executives in the residential real estate brokerage industry.

John Towle MBA’00 has been appointed chief client officer for Hearts & Wallets, a financial services research and benchmarking firm, to support the firm’s growing client base and demand for its advice benchmarking, thought leadership reports, and interactive software. Towle brings more than 30 years of experience in financial services to his role at Hearts & Wallets, with a focus on product marketing, marketing communications, and distribution marketing.

2018

Stephen J. Hunnewell MBA’18 was interviewed in an episode of the Civil Affairs Association’s podcast and mentioned the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. The episode, “Digital Civil Reconnaissance,” discusses the emerging technologies and tradecraft his ﬁrm offers with respect to reaching vulnerable populations across the globe.

2019

Jacob Fohtung MBA’19, MSEL’20 has been interviewing entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and experts in their respective ﬁelds in emerging and frontier markets (including Babson alumni) on his podcast, Doers Within Emerging Markets. “(We discuss) exciting stories, especially in Africa, that are worth sharing, including a book club and weekly Africa series.”

2020

Kevin Monteiro MBA’20 has been appointed as the executive director of the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS). The MDS includes more than 5,000 member dentists and is a statewide constituent of the American Dental Association. Monteiro has been working with the MDS since 2013 and previously served as the managing director of strategy and external affairs.

ALUMNI NEWS is in demand! To accommodate news and photos from as many alumni as possible, please limit entries and photo captions to 50 words or less. Babson Magazine has two requirements for Alumni News photos: The submitting alum must be in the picture, and the image must be at least 4 x 6 inches at 300 dpi— no digital alterations, please. We can’t promise that all submitted photos will run, but we’ll include as many as possible. Please submit all updates for News, Notes, and Nods at babson.edu/nods.

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE

NEWSNOTESANDNODS

INMEMORIAM

Vilms Consulting CEO Michelle Vilms MBA’01 was named a 2020 100 Top ProAdvisor by Insightful Accountant. Vilms Consulting is a Boston-based virtual firm offering accounting, advisory, and training services to small- and medium-size businesses.

Matthew Kasberg MBA’11 received the prestigious AFCEA International Meritorious Service Award during a worldwide virtual broadcast in conjunction with AFCEA’s TechNet Cyber Symposium. The award was presented “in recognition of his outstanding dedication, record of remarkable contributions, and exceptional achievement” to the Lexington-Concord (Massachusetts) Chapter. Kasberg currently is chief operating officer for Odyssey Systems Consulting Group.

Elaine Landry-Pion, of Acton, Massachusetts, died on May 20. She was an associate professor at Babson for 28 years (1988–2016) and is credited with establishing the Management Division’s teaching competency in negotiation.

Joseph Gordon Mitchell Jr. ’47, of Kensington, Maryland, Sept. 6 Leland Robert Jessen ’49, of Meridian, Idaho, Sept. 9 William C. Arnot ’50, of Rapid City, South Dakota, Nov. 16 George Leslie Ayer II ’50, of Asharoken, New York, March 3 Byron Hale Delavan ’50, of Canandaigua, New York, Sept. 29 Arthur D. Durgin Jr. ’51, of Spokane Valley, Washington, Aug. 22 Philip D. Jennison ’51, of San Francisco, California, Oct. 19 Willard Thorndike Wight ’51, of Camden, Maine, Oct. 6 Robert Bruce Houghton ’52, of Tampa, Florida, Oct. 6 Ralph Sherburne Perkins Jr. ’52, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Nov. 24 Robert M. Crowell ’53, of Absecon, New Jersey, Oct. 21 James Bettner Hughes Jr. ’53, of Jacksonville, Florida, Nov. 10 Paul W. Meyer ’53, P’80, of Whiteﬁsh Bay, Wisconsin, Jan. 21 David H. Poverman ’53, of Sea Girt, New Jersey, Dec. 15 Dominic Robert Romano ’53, G’08, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nov. 9

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

Bruce F. Slocum ’54, of Dallas, Pennsylvania, April 5 Richard R. Blumencranz ’55, of Sarasota, Florida, June 1 Herbert F. Hofer ’55, of Lake St. Louis, Missouri, March 14 Gerald Temple LaMarque ’56, of Solomons, Maryland, Jan. 12 Michael J. Ross ’56, of Great Neck, New York, Feb. 1 Lt. Col. Edward C. Drinkwater Jr. MBA’56, of Bellingham, Massachusetts, Dec. 4 William Gerard Fitzsimmons Jr. MBA’56, of Boca Raton, Florida, Oct. 25 Joseph Robert Piazza ’57, of Lynnﬁeld, Massachusetts, Jan. 19 Leon J. Kowalski ’58, of Colchester, Vermont, Jan. 1 Terrence Bauer Windle ’58, of Worcester, Massachusetts, Jan. 31 Robert Mugar Yacubian ’58, of Boca Raton, Florida, Feb. 22 Robert D. Randall CPA ’58, P’78 ’86, of Milton, Massachusetts, March 27 Vincent Rosario Candiano ’59, of Atco, New Jersey, Oct. 26 Paul S. Gass ’59, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, Feb. 16 John P. Nixon Jr. ’59, P’89, of Brewster, Massachusetts, Jan. 18 Warren Bernard Sheinkopf ’59, of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, May 1 Martin Irwin Veiner ’59, MBA’60, of Ocala, Florida, Dec. 26 Richard M. Boyle MBA’59, of Jacksonville, Florida, Sept. 14

Jen Sorenson MBA’15 was named vice president at Highwire PR, a modern communications agency specializing in technology, healthcare, consumer public relations, and digital offerings.

Ernest Joseph Bensler Jr. ’60, MBA’61, of Jupiter, Florida, Aug. 19 Charles Clifford Hall ’60, of New Haven, Connecticut, April 8 George Anthony Viehmann Jr. ’60, of Cape Porpoise, Maine, May 22 Robert Herbert Woods ’60, of Forsyth, Montana, Dec. 10 Oswaldo J. Cisneros ’61, H’19, P’25, G’22, of Miami, Florida, Nov. 8 William E. Chipman ’61, of Scarborough, Maine, Feb. 8 Walter Crafts Jr. ’61, of Lewes, Delaware, Dec. 17 Stephen David Cutler MBA’61, of Brookline, Massachusetts, Nov. 24 Peter Rocco D’Angelo MBA’61, of Needham, Massachusetts, Jan. 6 Robert J. Aresty ’62, of Princeton, New Jersey, March 21 John Winter Gartner Jr. ’62, of Cranbury, New Jersey, Feb. 14 Lt. Gen. Harold F. Hardin Jr. MBA’62, of Coalville, Utah, March 2 Robert Eugene Knapp MBA’62, of Putnam, Connecticut, Oct. 6 Albert R. Goodwin ’63, of Swansea, Massachusetts, Feb. 24 Joseph Crowley Keys ’63, of Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, Nov. 2 John T. McCarty ’63, of Chatham, New Jersey, Aug. 6 Sidney John Ward Jr. ’63, of Jay, New York, Aug. 24 Robert E. Aspell ’65, of Townsend, Massachusetts, July 9 Gregory Montgomery Davidson ’65, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, May 7

Francis Plummer Jenkins Jr. ’65, of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, Oct. 3 John J. Macredie ’65, of Crossville, Tennessee, Nov. 10 James R. Steel Jr. ’65, of Pensacola, Florida, Jan. 28 Cornelius T. Duffy MBA’65, of Weymouth, Massachusetts, Sept. 15 Edward Paul Lemack MBA’65, of Allentown, New Jersey, Jan. 9 Peter Frederick Mletschnig ’66, of Eagle River, Wisconsin, Sept. 11 Paul C. Listro MBA’66, of Providence, Rhode Island, Sept. 30 Richard Arlin Montgomery ’67, of Randolph, Vermont, Sept. 2 Richard Gregory Nelson ’67, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Jan. 22 Everardo Goyanes MBA’67, of Austin, Texas, March 20 Stephen G. Harper MBA’67, of Plymouth, Michigan, March 10 Jonathan Heath Love ’68, of Savannah, Georgia, Sept. 19 Irving F. Orrell Jr. MBA’68, of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, Sept. 5 Retired Brig. Gen. Maxie O. Redic Jr. MBA’68, of Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 29 Richard J. Johnson MBA’69, P’89, of Waltham, Massachusetts, Sept. 5 Robert Scott Krieger ’70, MBA’71, of New York, New York, Oct. 9 Frederic C. Quittell ’70, of Norwalk, Connecticut, Aug. 28 David Nims Streeter MBA’70, of Quechee, Vermont, March 25

Braeden Ruud MS’16 is the co-founder and CEO of Raised Right, a human-grade pet food company that makes home-cooked-style, whole-food recipes that are stored frozen and served fresh for dogs and cats. Raised Right recently launched its Shake-A-Flakes, a line of single-ingredient meal toppers that conveniently can be shaken on top of pet food to help keep things exciting at mealtime.

Frederick Michael Achille ’71, of Sarasota, Florida, Dec. 29 Dennis P. daRosa ’71, of Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, Aug. 20 Randall Stuart Fried ’71, of Earlton, New York, April 15 Peter A. Gootman ’71, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, Jan. 2 Barry Stephen Levine ’71, of Jacksonville, Florida, Nov. 10 Dana S. Swanson ’71, of Hampton, New Hampshire, June 2 Thomas Michael Feeley MBA’71, of Andover, Massachusetts, Feb. 5 Errol George Roy MBA’71, of Sun City, Arizona, Sept. 30 David Dean Cowan ’72, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sept. 30 Matthew Douglas Nicholas ’72, of Unionville, Connecticut, Oct. 7 Dennis Peter Burgess MBA’72, of Lake Mary, Florida, March 29 Leo Wilfred LeClaire MBA’72, of Medﬁeld, Massachusetts, Oct. 17 Thomas Benjamin Newman Jr. MBA’72, of Bradenton, Florida, Oct. 4 Richard Philip Williamson Jr. MBA’72, of Yarmouth, Massachusetts, Jan. 12 Bruce Michael Becker ’73, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, March 8 Nathaniel Cameron Bradley ’73, of Gouldsboro, Maine, Feb. 17 Kent W. Comstock ’73, of Kailua, Hawaii, Sept. 3 Retired Lt. Col. Danny Darwin Curtis MBA’73, of Hills, Iowa, Oct. 24 Gregory Bruce Gerrish ’74, of Worcester, Massachusetts, Sept. 29 Kenneth Barry Green ’74, of Needham, Massachusetts, Nov. 14 Tawndra Merrill Haynes ’74, of Ponce Inlet, Florida, April 8

Christine Marie Murphy ’74, of Boston, Massachusetts, Nov. 14 William P. Giordano MBA’74, of Marshﬁeld, Massachusetts, Oct. 29 John F. Harrington MBA’74, of Peabody, Massachusetts, Jan. 22 William Frederick Pabst III ’75, of Phoenix, Arizona, Oct. 14 Kevin R. Wolfenden ’75, of Rutland, Vermont, March 31 Raymond G. Gabler MBA’75, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, July 26 Retired Lt. Col. Edward H. Grazier MBA’75, of Mesa, Arizona, March 6 Retired Col. Raymond Livingston Stearns MBA’75, of Gainesville, Virginia, Jan. 21 Edward S. Cummings III ’76, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, Dec. 14 Henry Tuckerman Michie ’76, P’05, of West Boylston, Massachusetts, Oct. 18 William Merrigan Cannon MBA’76, of Stowe, Vermont, Aug. 11 James J. Reba MBA’76, of Dighton, Massachusetts, Jan. 22 Gary Lamont Burke ’77, of Bowie, Maryland, Nov. 19 Kenneth F. DiRaffael MBA’77, of St. Augustine, Florida, Feb. 15 John Kevin Burns ’78, of Millis, Massachusetts, Dec. 25 Jefferson Smith Caverly ’78, of Thousand Oaks, California, Dec. 9 Thomas Adam Gladstone ’78, of Greenwich, Connecticut, July 18 James Wing Yong ’78, of Dedham, Massachusetts, Oct. 4 Thomas Joseph Ellam MBA’78, of Worcester, Massachusetts, Sept. 23 Brendon Francis Shea MBA’78, of Rockville, Maryland, Oct. 8 Jerold A. Shoer MBA’78, of Rockland, Massachusetts, Dec. 12

Gustavo Mayen MBA’17 recently was nominated as a top 100 criminal trial attorney by the National Trial Lawyers.

Patricia B. Stevens MBA’78, of Franklin, Indiana, Dec. 25 Robinson Reese Willis MBA’78, of Sausalito, California, Feb. 8 Kathryn Ann Flory ’79, of Acton, Massachusetts, Dec. 23 Eduardo E. Perez-Paris ’79, of Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 2 Robert Charles Hogan MBA’79, of Melbourne, Florida, May 19 Joanne Reid Runyon MBA’79, of Portland, Maine, April 4 Joseph D. Sheedy Jr. MBA’79, of Lowell, Massachusetts, Dec. 12 Norman Bernard White MBA’79, of Leesburg, Florida, Dec. 23 Ann Ruth Steinberg Oulton ’80, of Milton, Massachusetts, June 21 Sharon Ann Clark MBA’80, of West Concord, Massachusetts, Jan. 9 Gregory Joseph Hill MBA’80, of Lowell, Massachusetts, March 1 Christopher Charles Mungovan MBA’80, of Beverly, Massachusetts, March 16 David Aloysius Ryan ’81, of East Walpole, Massachusetts, Oct. 28 David Lawrence Bramley MBA’81, of Providence, Rhode Island, Sept. 2 Thomas Lee Ruegg MBA’81, of Columbus, North Carolina, Oct. 15 James H. DerMinasian ’82, of Jacksonville, Florida, Dec. 20 Alice Marie Guiney MBA’84, of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, Sept. 27 Stephen Anthony Tahmosh MBA’84, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nov. 7 John Michael Gaffney ’85, of Barrington, Rhode Island, Dec. 22 Walter Roland Levesque MBA’85, of Bloomington, Minnesota, Jan. 17 John G. Mulvihill MBA’85, of Medﬁeld, Massachusetts, March 6

Allan E. Smith MBA’85, P’97, of Halifax, Massachusetts, April 13 Bradley M. Jones ’87, of Cumming, Georgia, Dec. 22 David Goodwyn Elmore MBA’87, of Cape Coral, Florida, Sept. 23 Don R. Michael MBA’87, of Stow, Massachusetts, Sept. 27 Julianna H. Coutu MBA’88, of Murrieta, California, Dec. 31 Sandi J. Stewart MBA’88, of Scarborough, Maine, Dec. 9 Ellen E. Greene ’90, of Newton, Massachusetts, Nov. 24 Christopher Emerson Prinn ’92, of Yarmouth, Maine, Jan. 26 Mary Jane Walsh-Ellis MBA’93, of Brookline, Massachusetts, Feb. 23 Douglas W. Hick ’95, of Cheshire, Connecticut, March 11 David W. Gearin MBA’97, of Stoughton, Massachusetts, Nov. 22 Joseph Auguste King ’98, of Colebrook, New Hampshire, March 21 Matthew D. Carroll ’01, of Reading, Massachusetts, April 8 Edward L. Hays MBA’01, of Milton, Massachusetts, Feb. 12 Douglas Bardwell Salmon MBA’02, of Worcester, Massachusetts, March 23 Marcos Flegmann ’12, of Cuajimalpa, Mexico, Dec. 21 Christina Allison Marzilli ’12, of Leighton, Pennsylvania, Oct. 9 Davin Richard Garcia ’16, of Essex Junction, Vermont, Oct. 31 Karen Djuhadi MS’20, of Kudus, Indonesia, April 8 Eleanor Gross, of Boston, Massachusetts, March 31 Timothy P. Ryan, of Marshﬁeld, Massachusetts, Dec. 17

SUMMER 2021 / BABSON MAGAZINE

BEAVERTALES

THE SHOW ALWAYS GOES ON WITH THE …

Babson Players

A look back at the people, events, and moments that shaped Babson College.

lenn Gaudet ’89 has many memories of performing with the Babson Players in the 1980s. He remembers the people and the cast parties and the peculiarities of putting on shows at Knight Auditorium, which had no curtain or backstage. Then there was the time the pillars fell. It happened during A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The stage was ﬁlled with large Styrofoam pillars, and during a performance, one toppled and knocked down the others like dominoes. The show, however, didn’t stop. “We were literally jumping over these pillars,” Gaudet says. “We kept going with it.” Generations of actors have performed with the Babson Players, the student-run theater group founded in 1948 as the “Dramatic Club” and rebranded with its current moniker in 1957. “It has become one of the beloved institutions at Babson,” Gaudet says. For many students through the years, the Players have represented a like-minded tribe of creative people looking for an outlet to express themselves. “There is something about theater folk,” Melony Isaac ’05 says. “We ﬁnd each other.” Finding each other could be a godsend. “This group of kind, hilarious, enthusiastic free spirits embraced me and made me feel so seen,” Jacqueline Chambers ’10 says. “The happiest memories I have at Babson are my times with the Players.” Such happiness, though, came with a lot of work. The Players might hold rehearsals several times a week, not to

BABSON MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2021

mention the effort spent memorizing lines or helping with costumes or set construction. Then came tech week, the hectic last days before a play’s opening when the Players rehearsed every day late into the night. “Sleep took a back seat, especially during tech week, which was always nuts,” Dan Henderson ’92 says. Once the rehearsals were over, the thrill of performance waited. “There’s nothing quite like that feeling you have moments before stepping on stage,” Chambers says. “Standing in the dark behind the curtain, all in costume, the anticipation of being in front of an audience—opening night is a magical experience.” Some former Players are still chasing that magic. Every summer, Players alumni put on a show just

The Babson Players have taken the stage for more than 70 years, producing shows such as Singing in the Rain in 2017 (above) and South Paciﬁc in 1962 (left).

like in their college days. Normally held outside Glavin Family Chapel, the production this year has moved online for the second consecutive summer due to the pandemic, a switch that has allowed alumni from around the country to participate. Professor Richard Mandel may be retired, but he still helps produce the summer show. He served as faculty advisor to the Players for more than 15 years, and he regularly appeared in cameo roles in their productions. “Working directly with all those talented and committed students,” he says, “was truly a gift.” — John Crawford

TOP PHOTO: PAIGE BROWN / B&W PHOTO: THE BABSONIAN

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Learn how Babson can help you develop entrepreneurial leaders who blend creative open-minded thinking, innovative problem solving, and a can-do mentality.

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Let’s Defend the Dam! September 8–9, 2021 Join us for Make Your Mark, our annual giving event that supports campus programs, scholarships, and more. Learn more at babson.edu/DefendTheDam

Defend the Dam Babson’s Annual Day of Giving

BACK TO BABSON 2021 OCTOBER 1–3 Reconnect with classmates, make new connections, and toast to your reunion at Back to Babson, our annual alumni celebration. Watch for details at babson.edu/BackToBabson