Higher education’s role in society has transformed signi cantly over the course of centuries. New technologies, a shifting climate, and burgeoning economies have long necessitated that our industry be prepared to answer the call of a dynamic world. That willingness to explore and support society’s evolving needs and preparing learners for leadership roles is what excites me most about Babson College.
The importance of faculty research to higher education’s value proposition is intimate. Faculty intellectual capital creates understandings that enable learners to con dently act. Empowering learners with perspectives and tools to synthesize data and make decisions is especially necessary for business and entrepreneurship education.
Babson College has been proudly at the forefront of entrepreneurship education and thought leadership for more than a century. Our faculty and their research have played an important role in elevating Babson’s position as the agship for educating the next
generation of entrepreneurial leaders. Their work outside the classroom directly informs their approach within it. That academic rigor ensures our students are prepared to enter a complex world and immediately add value.
Faculty research is therefore core to our mission. Academic institutions contribute signi cant thought leadership across a broad spectrum of elds and industries. Our community of faculty leaders includes many admirable examples.
The scope of the research of Babson faculty is wide and impressive, as is its impact. In this issue of Babson Magazine, we examine examples of the research—from assessing supply chain ef ciency to provide crucial medical and humanitarian aid where it’s needed the most, to examining data to inform our approach to managing a warming world. It’s an illustration of the important work of Babson’s faculty that enriches our campus and our world.
The extensive impact of our community of learners and leaders continues to advance our mission to empower entrepreneurial leaders everywhere. And, their vital academic contributions continue to elevate Babson’s leadership role throughout higher education.
Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD
FEATURES
10 All in the Family Commencement displays the unique bonds of family.
16 The Role of Research
The wide range and impact of faculty research.
24 ‘Global Footprint’ Babson Academy expands ET&A™ around the world.
DEPARTMENTS
2 Babson and Beyond
The latest news and updates from campus.
9 People of Babson
Leslie Chiu on the intersection of arts and business.
28 Athletics
Historic national championship tops a stellar spring.
30 Advancement Spotlight
Global Scholars reflect on the 10th anniversary.
34 News, Notes, and Nods Undergraduate, Graduate, In Memoriam
40 Entrepreneurial Leadership in Action
Patrick Scanlon MSEL’23 eyes impact for others. 28 9
BABSON MAGAZINE STAFF / Vol. 91, No. 2
EDITOR Eric Beato
PUBLISHER Kerry Salerno, chief marketing officer
COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY Danielle Perry
CREATIVE MANAGEMENT Cheryl Robock
CREATIVE ART DIRECTION Cathy Cahill
SENIOR JOURNALISTS Hillary Chabot, John Crawford
CONTRIBUTORS Kara Baskin, Scott Dietz, James Kiley, Bryan Lipiner, Francis Ma, Erin O’Donnell, Thecla Ree, Mali Reimer, Wendy Schoenfeld
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Nic Czarnecki
MULTIMEDIA TEAM Christopher Brown, Paul DeWolf, Maggie McGinnis, Adam Pearlman
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: Illustration by Sam Peet
Babson Magazine (USPS 898-140) is published by Babson College, 231 Forest Street, Babson Park, MA 02457-0310, three times a year, in the spring, summer, and winter.
Copyright 2024 by Babson College. Editorial office: Babson Park, MA 02457-0310. Send address corrections to advancement_services@babson.edu, or call +781-239-4044.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BABSON AND BE Y OND
A First Look at the HELV: ‘MASSIVE INNOVATION SPACE’
The Babson College community was buzzing over the first sights— and bites—of the Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village (HELV).
During a special community hour event in April, students, staff, faculty, and friends enjoyed a sneak peek of the HELV, the first-of-itskind living and learning community dedicated to entrepreneurial leadership. The visionary village incorporates innovative new spaces and opportunities to learn, explore, connect, and collaborate. The HELV also will house the largest residence hall on campus and be the new home of Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME).
David Mei ’25 and other students were hanging out in the HELV’s Village Coffee House, which provided pastries, iced oat milk maple latte, and rosemary-infused Arnold Palmer iced tea lemonade. “It’s great to see the space in person,” Mei said. “Everybody’s been really excited to see what they’ve
been building. Now being in it, it looks amazing.”
Meanwhile, Avery Butt ’26 already was making use of the interactive Global Outreach Studio, studying for her accounting class. “I was excited to check it out and see what the new space is going to look like,” she said. “I love it. This is a great space. We don’t have anything like this on campus.”
Visitors also explored the HELV’s three state-of-the-art classrooms, co-curricular lounge with study rooms, collaborative and breakout spaces, and outdoor patios. “This is a massive innovation space,” Zach Breitbard ’26 said.
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 significant investments in the College’s strategy will establish Babson as the convening place for entrepreneurial leaders, from all around the globe.
PHOTO: NIC CZARNECKI
‘PASSIONATE LEADER’: DR. ARIEL C. ARMONY
Named Provost and Executive Vice President
Dr. Ariel C. Armony was named Babson’s new provost and executive vice president, joining the College from the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as vice chancellor for global affairs and director of the University Center for International Studies.
In his role, Armony has been responsible for forging new international partnerships and deepening the university’s reach and impact. “His experience positions him well to lead Babson’s global approach to educating the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders,” said Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD. “He has been a passionate leader and advocate for faculty research, innovative pedagogy, and diversity across academia throughout his career.”
As vice chancellor, Armony played an integral role in advancing the university’s global learning initiatives, research, partnerships, and community engagement. His strategic efforts have consistently been focused through a lens of international advocacy and globalization. Under his leadership, the University of Pittsburgh’s six international and global centers were designated as
National Resource Centers by the U.S. Department of Education, positioning the institution among the nation’s leaders in international and global studies.
Armony’s academic research has centered on democratization, civil society, and human rights topics around the world, work that has been influential in sparking debates centered on the relationship between democracy and society. As an immigrant from Argentina, he frequently has drawn upon his personal and professional experience as a Latino leader in academia and beyond.
His broad interdisciplinary experience and extensive scholarship around the world have positioned Armony as a leader in the complex relations between China and Latin America. He has gained notable recognition following the publication of his most recent book, Emerging Global Cities: Origin, Structure, and Significance, which details the rapid and unprecedented rise of Miami, Dubai, and Singapore as new global powerhouses. Armony has been published on such topics at length in acclaimed university presses including those at Cambridge, Stanford, and the University of California.
“Armony joins our community with a long-standing appreciation for Babson’s approach to entrepreneurship education,” Spinelli said. “In his personal life and throughout his extensive career in academia, he has encountered many Babson alumni. From undergraduate degree holders to MBAs, each Babson graduate left an impression. I know that he is eager to bring his global and entrepreneurial mindset to Babson to contribute to the ways we shape the leaders of tomorrow.”
READY, SET, GO: Faculty and Staff Run Grows
Thirty-five people participated in the 10K Faculty and Staff Run to Support Students in May, the largest turnout in the event’s five-year history. “I am thrilled by the way this event is bringing Babson community members together, one mile at a time,” said Rob Major, the event’s co-founder and co-organizer. The run now has raised more than $16,000 to support the Melissa Shaak Student Emergency Fund.
Dr. Ariel C. Armony, new provost and executive vice president
READY FOR LAUNCH: C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for
Babson College announced that C. Dean Metropoulos ’67, MBA’68 has made a transformational gift to launch the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship. This marks a significant step forward in Babson’s strategic initiatives to advance and elevate the pivotal role of technology in entrepreneurial education.
The groundbreaking institute, which will open in the fall, will bolster Babson’s leadership role in technology and artificial intelligence. The new institute will support and expand curricular and cocurricular programs that amplify the importance of technological innovation in the entrepreneurial process. Thought leadership initiatives will explore the critical need for guardrails when navigating the benefits and risks of emerging technologies and AI and their adoption in industry, medicine, and the environment.
“I am very proud to be part of Babson’s exciting new initiatives in this incredible frontier of technology and AI,” Metropoulos said. “The past century has ushered in unprecedented scientific discoveries and innovation impacting
Technology and Entrepreneurship
humanity and our planet. It is very clear that these technologies are accelerating at a speed never before experienced. This tide clearly offers many opportunities that provide positive solutions to humanity in every aspect of life, from education, business, medicine, environment, and just day-to-day living.”
The generous gift reflects Metropoulos’ long-standing commitment to Babson. He previously served as a trustee of the College and in 2017 was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs® Metropoulos and his sons, Evan and
Daren, have specialized in the revival and reimagination of hundreds of historic, iconic, and global brands and businesses in the food and beverage, consumer products, and other diversified sectors.
“Babson’s ability to embrace new technologies and rapidly integrate them into our academic and experiential endeavors will be critical to our continued success,” Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD said. “It is inspiring to have such an innovative alumnus like C. Dean Metropoulos support our work and advance our leadership in this space.”
GLOBAL LEADER: No. 1 MBA in Entrepreneurship for 31 Years
For decades, Babson has pioneered, championed, and evolved the field of entrepreneurship education. Its long-standing leadership in innovation has proven entrepreneurship to be an essential skill in demand throughout business and higher education.
That leadership in innovating entrepreneurship education has been validated once again, as Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business was recognized as the Best MBA in Entrepreneurship, earning the No. 1 ranking from U.S. News & World
Report for the 31st consecutive year.
“This ranking is a continued assertion of Babson’s place as the global leader in business and entrepreneurship education,” President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD said. “To maintain such a high standard for more than three decades is commendable and underscores our community’s continued commitment to entrepreneurship.
“When these rankings originated, many questioned if entrepreneurship could be taught and
instead believed that the entrepreneurial mindset was a characteristic held by some, but not attainable by all,” Spinelli added. “As many debated, Babson College acted. We have long asserted that not only can entrepreneurship be taught, but it must be taught.”
U.S. News & World Report also ranked Babson tied for No. 22 in its Best International MBA Programs rankings, validating the growing global reach of Babson’s MBA programs.
Reflecting his long-standing commitment to Babson, C. Dean Metropoulos ’67, MBA’68 has made a transformational gift to launch the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship.
BABSON PRIDE: Ethan Ide ’26 Unites Community at Parade
Ethan Ide ’26, president of Babson Pride, had walked only a few rainbow-flag-bedecked blocks during the Boston Pride parade in June when he started to notice a change in some of his Babson colleagues and fellow marchers.
“It was the same thing that happened to me when I walked in my first Pride parade,” Ide said. “I could see people’s eyes widening as the parade went on. When you first show up, you don’t know what to expect, but once you start marching and everyone is cheering and clapping for you, it really does something to you. It instills a sense of pride that the whole community stands on.”
A group of Babson public safety officers, including Babson’s community resource dog, Roger, sporting a rainbow handkerchief around his neck, also contributed to the lively atmosphere.
Dozens of Babson’s LGBTQ+ community, joined by allies, family, and friends, lined up on Boylston Street near the Boston Public Library in the early morning hours to show their support. And, Ide had a special reason to encourage a show of force this year.
“As the president, I wanted to do something big for Babson Pride’s 40th
anniversary,” Ide said of Babson’s undergraduate LGBTQ+ student group. Babson Pride has more planned for the milestone, but the Boston parade was a great kickoff, Ide said. “For us to be in the parade on our 40th anniversary as a huge group … it meant a lot.”
Reflecting on the experience, Ide shared, “I was super happy. This was the first time in my time at Babson that I saw the entire community come together. We had undergraduate students, grad students, faculty, staff, alumni, family, and friends all participating.”
A BABSON ECLIPSE Celebration
The glasses went fast. At 2:30 p.m., right as the solar eclipse began on April 8, students outside Babson’s Weissman Foundry began handing out protective eyeglasses. They had 700 pairs. Not even 30 minutes later, they were all gone.
Also going fast were a bunch of eclipse-themed snacks: moon pies, Sun Chips, and SunnyD orange drink. A spirited crowd, made up of dozens upon dozens of students, staff, and faculty, gathered at the Foundry, spilling out onto the sidewalk. Roger, Babson’s community resource dog, was even there, sporting eclipse glasses.
The crowd took Griffin Zink ’24 by surprise. “We didn’t think it would be this big,” he said. “A lot of people are excited.”
The sky was clear, the weather just about perfect,
as Zink manned a makeshift info desk at the Foundry with Evie Barton ’24. Both were part of a class called Eclipses on Earth, which spent the spring semester exploring eclipses. The students in the class also taught about the basics of eclipses at local schools.
“Seeing our public safety officers getting involved, using their sirens, and high-fiving people was amazing,” Ide said. “It showed how invested they were in supporting us.”
The march lasted about two hours, covering a 1.7-mile route that concluded at Boston Common, where a festival awaited. The excitement was palpable, with Babson alumni and allies cheering from the sidelines and even joining spontaneously.
“One rising sophomore saw us from the sidelines, ran across, and joined the march. It was such a heartwarming moment,” Ide said. — Hillary Chabot
Nearby stood Charles Winrich, the associate teaching professor of physics, who taught the Eclipses on Earth course, which basically has been building toward this moment. “It’s nice the universe cooperated with the academic calendar,” he said.
Winrich had set up a telescope equipped with a filter, so people could take a peek as the moon crept in front of the sun. He remembered the last solar eclipse
that Babson experienced in 2017, which didn’t have as large a turnout on campus. The eclipse occurred during the summer and saw the moon covering only about 70% of the sun. This time, the sun was 93% covered.
“I’m happy so many people came,” Winrich said. “It is one of those times when science is at the top of the news.”
— John Crawford
Babson Pride led the community’s turnout at the Boston Pride Parade to mark its 40th anniversary.
DEANS’ REFLECTIONS:
Q&As with Ken Matsuno and Lawrence P. Ward
»KEN MATSUNO
Ken Matsuno, as The Murata Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, and Lawrence P. Ward, as vice president and dean of campus life, helped navigate Babson through a dramatic and prosperous period, making a consequential impact on faculty, students, and the stature of the College. At the end of the academic year, the two deans transitioned into new chapters. A longtime marketing professor, Matsuno completed his service in the role and returns to the faculty following a sabbatical. And, after a decade at Babson, Ward became the president of the University of Hartford. Here, they reflect on their tenures and their futures:
What stands out to you during your time as Dean of the College?
“The resilience, collaboration, and focus we demonstrated during the pandemic were truly remarkable. We didn’t just care about the students; we also supported each other as colleagues. It was a powerful reminder of Babson’s fundamental strength, especially in times of crisis. It’s something we should be proud of and remember, not just for the challenging times but also to ensure we are equally strong during the good times.”
What were some of your biggest accomplishments as dean?
“One significant initiative was the faculty training program created during the pandemic. Nan Langowitz, our Center for Engaged Learning and Teaching’s first faculty director, led the development of the program. Instead of relying on an external service provider, our faculty members volunteered to become instructors, creating a comprehensive online teaching training program for ourselves. Remarkably, 95% of our faculty participated. This high level of engagement is almost unheard of, even in more traditional or top-down settings. … Another major achievement was the establishment of the Professors of Practice and customizable workload models for faculty. These were ideas that had been discussed for over 20 years but never realized. By involving faculty leaders and ensuring comprehensive support, we were able to create these pathways for professional development for non-tenure-track faculty.”
As you prepare for your sabbatical, what are your plans and goals?
“I have three main goals. First, as a scholar, I want to revise and resubmit a paper I’ve been working on for journal publication. Second, I plan to continue my work as a reviewer for business school accreditation, visiting schools in France, Colombia, and Japan. Finally, on a personal level, I’m looking forward to improving my tennis skills and, hopefully, ranking.”
»LAWRENCE P. WARD
What are you most proud of in your time at Babson?
“I think probably the relationships with my staff and the quality of those relationships and their growth and development. … And then there’s the quality of our students and the student experience. When our students look back at Babson and say, ‘I was really well educated and I had a great experience,’ I’m really proud of that.”
How do you feel about becoming a university president during a challenging time for higher education?
“I go into it viewing it as a daunting but important challenge. … I don’t want to just be a college president. I fully intend to be a successful one. To be successful, it’s going to require all my skills and experience and capabilities, each one of my superpowers. It’s going to require me to stretch and grow in important ways. I’ll have to be at my best. And that’s what makes me the most excited.”
How have your experiences at Babson prepared you to become a university president?
“The experiences that I’ve had at Babson, from my first interactions and moments on campus through this past Commencement, have prepared me for the University of Hartford. Full stop. I would not have had this opportunity were it not for the experiences I’ve had and the support that I’ve had—people taking an interest in me, not the least of which is our Board of Trustees here at Babson. So, as a result, I view this very much as a ‘we’ moment and not just a ‘me’ moment. I hope that the College feels positive about sending me off to the University of Hartford. Because that’s the way I feel. It’s a moment that I think the whole community can feel good about.”
ORBIE AWARD: CIO Patty Patria Earns Prestigious Honor for Tech Leadership
Led by Chief Information Officer Patty Patria, Babson’s Information Technology Services Department (ITSD) has made a major impact on campus and become a technology leader in higher education over the past two years. Patria was honored for her leadership and ITSD’s transformative work, earning a prestigious 2024 ORBIE Award from BostonCIO.
Patria earned the Nonprofit & Public Sector ORBIE for government, education, and nonprofit organizations. She was presented the award at a ceremony at the Westin Copley Place, alongside winners in six other categories, including tech leaders from John Hancock, Travelers, and L.L. Bean.
“I’m shocked and honored. There are so many amazing CIOs in this room. This is such an incredible award and pleasure,” Patria said in her acceptance speech, thanking her team at Babson. “I have the best team in higher ed.”
Under Patria’s leadership, ITSD also was named a CIO 100 Award winner earlier this year for its impressive advancements the past two years, including upgrading aging infrastructure, reducing institutional risk, developing an IT strategic road map, and
implementing major classroom upgrades, helping to build a comprehensive AI strategy, among many other accomplishments.
“Receiving this year’s Boston ORBIE was a great honor for me personally, but more importantly, it was a testament to the transformational work my team has achieved in the last two years, and I can’t thank them enough,” Patria said.
Patria, who joined Babson in August 2022, also was a ORBIE finalist last year in the Corporate category. The annual ORBIE Awards program honors chief information officers and chief information security officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.
GEM CHAIR: Jeffrey P. Shay ’87, MBA’91
Babson College Entrepreneurship Professor Jeffrey P. Shay ’87, MBA’91 was appointed chair of the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association (GERA), marking the first time a member from Babson has held this esteemed position since the organization’s inception.
Shay’s journey with GERA, the organization that oversees the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), traces back to the roots of the project itself. Professor Emeritus William D. Bygrave, one of the project’s founders and a mentor of Shay’s, suggested the professor weigh in as a national entrepreneurship expert shortly after Shay earned his doctorate from Cornell University in 1999.
Reflecting on his journey, Shay expressed his gratitude to
contribute, stating, “It was quite an honor when Bill reached out to me as a freshly minted PhD to join the project.”
Shay later served as a member of the GEM Board of Directors and co-lead of GEM United States with Babson Entrepreneurship Division Chair Donna Kelley P’24. GEM began in 1999 as a joint research project between Babson College and London Business School and has since grown to become an ongoing source of detailed information on entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. The consortium publishes the GEM Global Report annually and a range of national and special topic reports, such as the United States Report and the Women’s Entrepreneurship Report. — Hillary Chabot
NEWMAC Men’s Presidents Cup
For the second year in a row, Babson College captured the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Men’s Presidents Cup. Powered by three conference championships, one regular-season title, and top-four finishes in eight sports, Babson’s men’s teams earned the NEWMAC’s prestigious all-sports award presented to the top overall men’s and women’s programs in the conference.
B.E.T.A. Challenge Winners
All three grand prize-winning ventures of the 2024 B.E.T.A. (Babson Entrepreneurial Thought & Action®) Challenge also won special awards. Graduate track winner Aleksandr Malashchenko MBA’24 of ReviMo also won the Technology Innovation Award sponsored by Gautam Gupta ’07. Undergraduate track winner Chloe Samaha ’25 of BOND also won the Stephen H. Kramer ’92 and Michael London ’92 Award. And, alumni track winner Vaidehi Tembhekar MBA’21 of Jahazii also won the High Impact Woman Founder Award, sponsored by the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership.
Babson Dining Wins Award
Babson College Dining was honored with a prestigious Loyal E. Horton Dining Award by the National Association of College and University Food Services. Babson was recognized with a Silver Medal Award for excellence in the Catering Special Event of the Year category for its Celebrate & ELevate event last October.
Supplier Diversity Award
Babson was honored again for its excellence and leadership in supplier diversity, receiving the Institution of Higher Learning of the Year award from the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council. Jerry Epps, director of vendor diversity, accepted the award, which specifically recognizes the College’s commitment to helping close the racial wealth gap by contracting with minority business enterprises.
Babson CIO Patty Patria (left) received the ORBIE, honoring her leadership of Babson’s Information Technology Services Department.
Small Talk with LESLIE CHIU
Babson is best known for molding entrepreneurs and business leaders, but Leslie Chiu believes that integrating arts within a business environment creates a symbiotic relationship that enriches both fields. Chiu recently was promoted to associate dean of campus life, overseeing BabsonARTS, which she led as director since 2019. She has enjoyed an extensive career in entertainment, including stage manager for Blue Man Group in Boston and production manager for the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, as well as teaching theater, stage management, and production management.
What did your role as BabsonARTS director entail?
“The role involves a lot of community engagement and management, including programming, events, and integrating arts into the business-focused environment at Babson. We want students to see the arts as a valuable component of their education, not just as extracurricular activities. I also encourage internships and shadowing opportunities, offering a safe, lowstakes environment for students to explore the business side of the arts. Babson may not be an art school, but the arts play a vital role in our community. They offer a different perspective and a way to explore the world creatively. This fusion of arts and business is unique and enriching, preparing students for the multifaceted challenges of the modern world.”
What advice would you give to students interested in the arts?
“I tell them to drive their interests, which is very entrepreneurial. Babson offers a wealth of resources, from funding for projects to connections with industry professionals. For example, we’ve started an ARTScapades program, subsidizing tickets so students can see performances in Boston for just $10. There are numerous opportunities if they’re willing to take the initiative.”
How
do you see the intersection of business and the arts?
— Hillary
Chabot
“It’s a natural t at Babson. Many students come with an artistic interest but think they can’t make a living out of it. We help them see the business potential in their creative endeavors. We provide resources and mentorship to help students merge their passions with viable business models. The future of BabsonARTS is about deepening the integration of arts within Babson’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. We’re planning residencies with multimedia artists to involve students from various departments. This interdisciplinary approach helps students see the broader applications of their skills. My goal is to continue fostering an environment where creativity and business thrive together.”
All in the Family
By Hillary Chabot and John Crawford
From the speakers at the podium to the graduates and guests in the audience, Babson’s 2024 Commencement was a time for families and the strong bonds that connect them.
Commencement is always a family affair, and especially so this year, as for the rst time in Babson’s history, a father and daughter, Eric Johnson ’72, H’24, P’08 and Erin Tolefree H’24, gave a joint Commencement address at the graduate ceremony.
In honor of all the familial pride and love at this year’s Commencement, which aptly took place during Mother’s Day weekend, we look at just a few of the many family connections at the ceremonies. Here are those stories:
Mamma Rita and Her Daughters
With the undergraduate Commencement ceremony set to start in less than an hour, Rita Hansen P’24 ’27 stands surrounded by an ongoing rush of caps, gowns, and excitement. By her side is one daughter. She is waiting for the other.
Rita is the administrative coordinator for student life at Babson and is known as “Mamma Rita” by the students she works with. When she rst came to Babson, her daughters were 5 and 3, and Rita’s main concern was child care. She sought a job with regular hours. “I needed a job from 8:30 to 4:30,” Rita says. “I thought I would be here two years.”
Instead, she never left. Rita fell in love with the school, changing the course of her life and that of her daughters, who both ended up attending Babson. Nearly 18 years after starting at the College, she and one of those daughters, Mia Hansen ’27, stand in the Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex (LGRAC) on Commencement day. Mia is dressed in her softball uniform, and in mere minutes, needs to rush off to catch a bus. She and her fellow Beavers are traveling to MIT to battle for the NEWMAC title. “Our team has come a long way,” she says.
As one daughter leaves, the other, Riley Hansen ’24, comes hustling along College Drive in her cap and gown. It’s her graduation day, and the trip to a campus crowded with visitors was not easy this morning. “It was a bit rough,” she says. “There were ups and downs.”
Riley and Mia have been coming to campus practically their entire lives, attending events and even having sleepovers in Woodland Hills with a friend of Rita’s who worked and lived in Babson Park. “I grew up on campus,” Riley says. “I have developed a strong relationship to this place.”
For Rita, having her daughters so close during their college years means she has a front row seat to their growth and journey to adulthood. “It’s been interesting to watch them,” Rita says. “They have found their niches. They are nding their path. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Two Graduations and a Birthday
Madison Spence ’24 is standing in line with her classmates, waiting for the start of the traditional undergraduate Commencement march, when the importance of the ceremony—and the whole weekend— hits her.
“It’s kind of surreal that my graduation is nally here,” says Madison, who also is celebrating her 24th birthday. “I’m ending my four years, but it’s also my birthday. So, it’s kind of like, a lot.”
Madison will watch her mother, Arlene Cummings MBA’24, P’24, take the same walk in the afternoon. The whole family, including Myles Spence, who attended Babson for a time, are on hand to celebrate a weekend packed with graduations, a birthday, and Mother’s Day. Like her daughter, Arlene earned her undergraduate degree when she was 24.
“It’s all aligning nicely, and coming to a good end,” Madison says. “I feel really happy about today, and I feel happy about what I’ve done here at Babson and the relationships I’ve been able to build.”
Last year at this time, Arlene had no idea she would be graduating, or even attending Babson. Madison learned that her mother had been accepted to Babson’s One-Year MBA program when Arlene showed up on campus holding her Babson OneCard.
“I’m just really excited for her. She can nally pursue her dreams after raising the kids, and here we are graduating together,” Madison says, adding that she is grateful so many family members came to show their support. “It really does take a village.”
Arlene agreed. She even had to move a few times, making the rigorous One-Year MBA program even tougher. “It wasn’t easy,” Arlene says. “But, I’d do it all over again because of the support, collaboration, and lifelong friendships I’ve made at Babson have just been awesome.”
The Maru Sisters
To some people at Babson, they are known simply as “The Maru Sisters.” On the afternoon of Commencement day, those sisters—Shreya Maru MSBA’23 (right) and Aishwarya Maru MBA’24—wait in LGRAC, ready to make the march to the tent.
Shreya graduated in December, but for Commencement, she makes sure to wear her cap and gown and participate in the ceremony with her sister. The two, after all, have come a long way to be here. They grew up in Nepal. When Aishwarya was working on her grad school applications, Shreya helped her, and, in the process, noticed a program at Babson that was a good t for herself. “Attending the same school in the U.S. was unexpected,” Shreya says. “It was a happy surprise to get accepted together.”
At Babson, the sisters have had each other’s backs, serving as cheerleaders and supporters for one another. If one was having a tough time in a class, the other was there to bolster and hold them up. “Aishwarya was my rock,” Shreya says. “Her unwavering belief in me kept me going.”
They explored Boston together, and they lived together, which brought small disagreements from time to time about what to eat for dinner and who was going to cook. But to have her sister with her, so many miles from their native Nepal, was a blessing, Aishwarya says. “It was really important to have my family close to me,” she says. “When things got a bit challenging, Shreya reminded me of why we have come so far and the sacri ces our parents have made to see us succeed.”
Their family back in Nepal was also happy knowing the sisters were with each other. “They knew that even though we are very far from them, at least we are together, which helped them sleep properly,” Aishwarya says.
A Niece, an Aunt, and a Mother’s Ring
Barbara Pinto MSEL’24 is scanning the frantic activity in LGRAC as family, friends, and other graduate students embrace, touch up their makeup, and adjust their gowns in the frenzied moments before the class photo.
But Barbara’s mind is in the past, describing her rst visit to Babson College. Her mother, who died of cancer after a 16-year battle, was still alive. Her aunt, Babson College facilities employee Elenir Ribeiro, gave Barbara’s family a full tour of the bucolic New England campus, so different from where she is from in Brazil.
“I was visiting the United States for the rst time. I didn’t speak any English, and I had no intention of studying business at the time,” says Barbara. “I remember we were standing near the Babson Globe, and my mom told me I would study here one day.”
Barbara dismissed the comment as a joke at the time. Today, she is once again on Babson’s campus with her aunt, about to collect her master’s degree. Her mother was right.
“The reason why I came to Babson is because of my mother’s cancer,” Barbara says. Her venture, NestSaúde, is an integrated digital healthcare platform meant to simplify and improve the healthcare system in Brazil.
Meanwhile, Elenir still works at Babson. She has been here for more than 30 years because, she says, it’s a great place to work. At Babson, Elenir says, she feels like she belongs to a family.
“Today is all about family for me,” Barbara says as she hugs her aunt. Barbara is wearing her mother’s ring, a gift from when her mother graduated university. “I wanted to have something of hers with me as I graduated, because everything I do in entrepreneurship is because of her.”
Wise Words
The family connections extended to the esteemed Commencement speakers at the ceremonies this year. Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98 delivered a deeply personal and moving address at the undergraduate ceremony. And, Eric Johnson ’72, H’24, P’08 and his daughter, Erin Tolefree H’24, made history with the College’s rst joint address at the graduate ceremony.
It’s with others that we expand to our greatest potential, and the best of humanity shines when we work together.
— Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98
Today,
Babson graduates another class of students into the world, which means the world becomes a better place than it was yesterday.
— Erin Tolefree
H’24
We can leave Babson College, but Babson College will never leave us.
— Eric Johnson ’72, H’24, P’08
The Role of Research: To Learn, to Solve, to Inspire
By John Crawford
With the support of the College and its community, Babson professors pursue a sizable amount of research in a wide range of fields. Their work influences, inspires, and makes an impact around the globe and in the classroom.
Taking a peek into the unknown is the job of professors. With their research, they ask the big, knotty questions, the questions at the limits of human understanding for which answers are not easily found.
“It is challenging,” says Joanna Carey, associate professor of environmental science and the Debi and Andy Butler Term Chair. “Basically, our job is to figure out knowledge that nobody knows yet.”
Babson College may not be a large research institution, but its professors still produce a sizable amount of research in a wide range of fields, from medicine and the environment, to history and culture, to technology and innovation, to business and entrepreneurship. In this article, five Babson professors discuss their diverse work, giving a greater appreciation of the breadth and significance of research at the College.
Their research, along with that of their colleagues, flourishes in a supportive environment. The College helps fund research endeavors and trips
to academic conferences, while giving professors the freedom to pursue their scholarly interests.
Alumni donors, meanwhile, have funded numerous term chairs, which allow professors to spend more time on their research, and professors at the tight-knit school frequently collaborate across disciplines. “We challenge each other to solve problems in different ways,” says Dessislava Pachamanova, professor of analytics and computational finance and the Zwerling Family Endowed Term Chair.
The end result is research that influences and inspires, that makes an impact around the globe, that helps us understand the world and our place in it.
Professors’ research also makes its way into the classroom. “The research they’re doing outside of the classroom informs and strengthens their approach within it,” says Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD.
“That value proposition enhances our academic rigor and ensures Babson remains at the forefront of emerging trends in entrepreneurship and beyond.”
Joanna Carey
I Have Always Been Fascinated by Nature.
Imagine a stream trickling down a mountain, as it makes its way to a river, which widens as it reaches the sea. That water is majestic and immense, and it carries with it many things on its journey. “Every time I see a river, I think, ‘That’s a lot of material being moved,’ ” says Joanna Carey, associate professor of environmental science and the Debi and Andy Butler Term Chair.
One of those things in the water is silicon, the second most abundant element in Earth’s crust and a frequent subject of Carey’s research. Silicon moves from the crust, into plants, into rivers, and nally, into the ocean.
Following that path and examining watery places such as rivers, marshes, and estuaries, Carey’s research demonstrates how human activity is causing drastic changes in the amount of silicon as it cycles through the world. Those changes have a story to tell about land use, about the food chain, about carbon dioxide levels, and about our planet as it warms.
Consider the microscopic but mighty diatoms, for
instance, an abundant alga that requires silicon to grow. What will the changing levels of silicon mean for these organisms responsible for more than 20% of the oxygen produced every year on Earth?
“They are really important,” Carey says. “Their importance on a global scale can’t be overestimated.”
For the last few years, Carey has led a team that created and examined the largest data set in the world on river silicon chemistry with funding from the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. She’ll soon be looking at data from all seven continents for a project funded by the United States Geological Survey.
To be a scientist now, trying to bring a clearer understanding of climate change’s formidable and far-reaching impact, is to perform critical work.
“It is very fundamental science,” Carey says. “There is an urgency in what we are doing.”
Much is at stake, including the future of the students she teaches in the classroom. “This is an issue they will deal with their whole lives,” Carey says.
Research Has Always Felt Natural to Me.
Technology evolves fast. For those in the workplace, that speed can feel overwhelming. “There is a lot of risk of people falling behind,” says Ruben Mancha, associate professor of information systems.
Those workers falling behind are a major concern of Mancha’s research. He looks at how organizations can adopt technology and transform how they operate in a responsible way, by considering the many human implications of the changes they’re implementing. “What is different about my framing is that responsibility,” he says. “It’s focused on the human side. It’s a people- rst approach.”
New tech, such as an arti cial intelligence tool like ChatGPT, actually can have a positive effect on employees’ workdays, taking on tedious tasks and freeing them to focus on more essential matters.
This bene t only works, though, if workers are con dent using these tools. The line between those who are tech literate and those who are not is a stark one. “Those who can work with the technology will use it,” Mancha says. “Those who can’t will be replaced.”
In his research, Mancha examines two ways that organizations can not only guide employees through technological changes but also empower them. One way is by introducing them
to low-code development platforms, which offer a much easier way to code, thus enabling many more employees to become developers. The second way is to launch a sustained and effective program for upskilling, creating a workforce that is competent and con dent with tech.
Such measures do more than train an employee in the latest and greatest. They also change a workforce’s mindset. Give employees a new program they know how to use, and suddenly they have greater power to transform and innovate. “It changes how people see themselves and how they use technology,” Mancha says. “It’s about bringing the innovation culture to the enterprise.”
Mancha hopes decision makers in business will take his research to heart, and he’s excited to share it with students in the classroom. Before becoming a professor, he worked as a lab scientist in biotech. Research is something that comes naturally to him. “It is my way of thinking,” he says.
Ruben Mancha
I Like to Solve Problems.
Unfortunately, the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross is seemingly never-ending. The essential organization operates in war zones—in Ukraine, in the Gaza Strip, and in con ict areas far removed from the world’s spotlight. “There are res everywhere,” says Dessislava Pachamanova, professor of analytics and computational nance and the Zwerling Family Endowed Term Chair.
The work is not only relentless, but it is also costly and logistically challenging. Because of the alarming number of con icts around the world in recent years, the organization faced a substantial funding shortfall. As a result, a team composed of Pachamanova, other researchers, and supply chain coordinators within the organization sought to determine how to best allocate medical supplies for where they need to go.
This was a tricky thing to gure out. Ship too many supplies, and costly medications may sit unused and expire. Ship too little, and people may not receive the critical, lifesaving supplies they need. For more than a
year, Pachamanova and the group looked at the issue.
Ultimately, they developed an inventory management decision support system that was rolled out across a dozen medical distribution centers in Africa, the Middle East, and Ukraine in 2023. By reducing the inventory levels of medical supplies by nearly a quarter with virtually no negative effect on service, the system saved the Red Cross a signi cant amount of money while facilitating a collaborative planning process across the organization. “The Red Cross considers it a great success,” Pachamanova says.
This is exactly the type of result she is seeking with her research. “I am looking for impact. That is the main thing that drives me,” says Pachamanova, who has applied her expertise in optimization, analytics, machine learning, and simulation to elds as diverse as nance, logistics, and health care.
Pachamanova wants to incorporate her experience working with the Red Cross in a new Babson class she is designing. “I want to introduce students to this kind of experience,” she says, “where you go in, you understand the big problem, but identifying how to start a solution is very hard, and you won’t know where you’ll end up.”
Dessislava Pachamanova
I Like Asking Questions and Looking for Answers.
AcompanySinan Erzurumlu
is not an island. Its actions are not secluded. Rather, they ripple outward. A company’s supply chain, its partners, its manufacturing, its customers—all of these relationships, all of these connections, operate within one intertwined system that has an impact on communities and the environment.
The research of Sinan Erzurumlu, professor of innovation and operations management, concerns itself with these systems in which organizations operate. Lying at the intersection of business, society, and the environment, his work focuses on how companies can make decisions that are both sustainable and innovative.
When looking at a company’s actions in his research, Erzurumlu typically asks a direct question: Who does this bene t? “It could bene t a community. It could bene t the planet,” he says. “That perspective drives me a lot.”
The goal is to build a more sustainable future, but talking and researching about sustainability, such an immense, complex, and daunting challenge, is not easy. “I think sustainability is a human mindset problem,” Erzurumlu says. “It’s not just
reducing carbon emissions. It’s about changing that mindset. We need to make that transition to a sustainable future.
Convincing people to do that is a hard job.”
Large organizations also can’t simply transition into sustainable businesses overnight. Making integral changes is like trying to turn a cargo ship. “It’s a process,” Erzurumlu says. “They can’t make the turn immediately.”
In one recent research article he co-authored, Erzurumlu looked at the systems-thinking approach that three companies—retailers of household products, fashion, and beverages, respectively—took to sustainability. The companies, among other measures, sought to limit the water they used in their operations, reduce the use of hazardous chemicals, and collect waste to recycle and remake into new products.
He hopes other companies can learn from their efforts. He also hopes such research will give his students realworld insights about sustainability. “I think teaching is as important as being a researcher,” he says. “I see the classroom as an outlet for my research. Teaching about my research is an extension of my scholarly identity.”
Research Is a Great Opportunity to Better Understand Hard Problems.
Wiljeana Glover
Hospitals are full of caring, smart people striving to deliver the best treatment possible. Helping them with that mission is what Wiljeana Glover tries to achieve in her research.
To conduct her research, Glover likes to leave her desk and work on site, embedded with those on the front lines of health care. “When I can, I am physically going into hospitals, observing, getting to know clinicians,” says the Stephen C. and Carmella R. Kletjian Foundation Distinguished Professor of Global Healthcare Entrepreneurship.
“That is fun for me and helps me understand how they do the work they do.”
Glover often works with hospitals and clinics to understand how they identify and implement improvements, whether a new procedure or innovation. The goal is to make sure that these improvements support patients equitably. Equity in care, for people of color, for women, can remain elusive.
Clinicians typically see her as a partner. “In some cases, they see me as part of their innovation or improvement team,” Glover says. “They appreciate the insights
they are receiving along the way.”
In a recent research article she co-authored, Glover looked at quality improvement efforts at medical centers and how those organizations can make a sustained commitment to addressing equity. Data measurement, team composition, and the need for ongoing actions were all examined. “How do we not think of equity as a one off?” Glover says. “How do we build in equitable practice? How does it become part of the way we do things?”
Glover also serves as the founding faculty director of Babson’s Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In addition to studying equity, the center’s affiliated faculty conducts research on healthcare startups, the impact of artificial intelligence and analytics, and entrepreneurial training for clinicians and scientists.
Glover praises the spirit of collaboration she sees in her fellow faculty members, who share ideas with one another and work together on research. “It is one of my favorite things about doing research at Babson,” she says. “It really is a part of the secret sauce of research here.”
‘A Small College with a Global Footprint’
By Kara Baskin
Babson Academy expands Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® to new regions around the world with unique programs for high school students and teachers, university educators, and undergraduate and graduate students.
The Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators (SEE Romania) united faculty from 15 institutions for an intensive 3.5-day course on teaching entrepreneurship.
Babson College is renowned for infusing leadership with action. Now, the trademark brand of resilient, adaptable entrepreneurship is taking root globally with the Babson Academy for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurial Learning.
The Babson Academy’s portfolio of programming provides access, connection, and inspiration in all areas related to Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® (ET&A™) for higher-ed educators, university administrators, non-Babson university students, high school educators, and high school students.
“We give educators around the world access to how Babson does entrepreneurship education,” Babson Academy Academic Director Heidi Neck says. “We connect to and convene like-minded institutions with a mission to develop and scale entrepreneurship education ecosystems. And we all work together to inspire our most entrepreneurial students to effect positive change on the world through entrepreneurship.”
Last year, the Academy engaged with about 500 educators in 50 countries, with more on the way.
“This is mission-based: Babson wants to take our methodology for teaching entrepreneurship, as the premier leader in entrepreneurship education, worldwide,” Neck says. “We’re a small college with a global footprint that is changing the world through innovative, creative, and extremely experiential entrepreneurship education.”
Taking Action
Babson Academy launched in 2019 and scaled boldly, in true entrepreneurial fashion. To date, the Academy has reached more than 10,000 students and educators in 89 countries. Most recently, the Academy expanded with collaborations in the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as Romania. The effort has introduced thousands of students and entrepreneurship educators from around the world to the Babson mindset, part of the ET&A methodology, in an effort to develop a new style of entrepreneurial leader.
No matter what the setting, the Academy re ects the four universal pillars that de ne ET&A: Start with what you have, not with what you need. Don’t try to be the best at what you do—be the only. Thirdly, don’t come to Babson to nd yourself; come to Babson to create yourself.
But the fourth is the most essential, Neck says.
“Action trumps everything,” says Neck, also the Jeffry A. Timmons Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Babson. “We act in order to learn. It’s all about testing, iterating, and experimenting.”
This methodology is galvanizing learners across the globe to see that entrepreneurship is possible, whatever the odds.
“We always have an excuse to not take action: ‘I don’t have the money; I don’t have the resources.’ But Entrepreneurial Thought & Action teaches that you always have something to start with,” Neck says. “An object in motion stays in motion so take one step forward, then another, and then another.”
Babson Academy’s foundational virtual program engages educators in the Middle East and North Africa.
Empowering Educators
Babson Academy is its very own example. A youth-education-oriented program recently launched in Saudi Arabia, with support from the Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. Babson Academy’s Youth Impact Lab trains educators in the K–12 space around the world. The Entrepreneurship Program for Innovators and Changemakers (EPIC) curriculum highlights social entrepreneurship.
Here, Babson trains teachers to
enable students to address real-world, local problems in small teams, ranging from education access to poverty solutions. This year, confronted with a lack of visas, Babson pivoted with a virtual course, enrolling educators. A new cohort will begin in fall 2024, this time in person. Approximately seven more schools, with ve teachers from each, will attend.
Teachers already have reported signi cant bene ts, says Beth Goldstein, the Youth Impact Lab’s senior director of academic strategy.
“We’re seeing changes for teachers not only in their con dence, which we call self-ef cacy in teaching entrepreneurship, but also in their identity as entrepreneurs,” she says. “Our de nition of entrepreneurship isn’t ‘I’m going to start a business.’ It’s much more expansive: ‘How do I approach problem-solving?’ Teachers are the quintessential entrepreneurs.”
In particular, teachers report that they have shifted from lecturing to student-centric learning, focusing on ideation, solution identi cation, and
problem solving.
“What really excites me is that students are learning that they can be changemakers, and teachers are embracing this notion of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial identity, which is incredibly empowering for them because it broadens the scope of how they teach,” Goldstein says. “Their teaching practice becomes much more experiential. They’re more comfortable getting feedback, realizing that the entrepreneurial journey includes failure, and being comfortable taking different risks. That’s entrepreneurial thinking at its nest.”
Prestige and Responsibility
“It’s no secret that for the last 31 years, Babson has been ranked the numberone school in entrepreneurship. This brings both prestige but also responsibility,” says Amir Reza P’28, dean of Babson Academy and Global Education. “We know that entrepreneurial leadership is a way of solving some of the world’s most
With programming on Babson’s campus, a three-year regional project with the Romanian-American Foundation will reach 250 faculty and senior administrators.
complex problems. Access, inspiration, and connection are at the heart of our mission.”
In 2023, Babson Academy also expanded its global presence in the Middle East and North Africa region with a Global Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators (Global SEE) and an MBSC Summer at Babson Program for more than 100 master’s degree students. This expansion represents a commitment to growth through funding from the Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. The connection started through virtual programming for maximum accessibility. Educators were given scholarships to attend entrepreneurial mindset programs led by Babson faculty.
Today, 43 universities are part of the Babson Collaborative for Entrepreneurship Education in 31 countries, offering ongoing access to pedagogical best practices and thought leadership from Babson and peer institutions. The growth has an exponential impact, Reza says.
“On the one hand, faculty become better engaged and understand who Babson is and perhaps participate in future programs,” Reza says. “Even more exciting is that each of these faculty members are then in front of at least 100 learners a year going forward. They’re bringing the entrepreneurial mindset that Babson has cultivated into their classrooms and generating future entrepreneur leaders.”
Reza observed the program’s in uence in action on a recent trip to the American University of the Middle East in Kuwait. Here, dozens of undergraduate and graduate students participated in the Babson Collaborative Global Student
Challenge, where participants ideate business concepts to address U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. The challenge launched in 2018 with 300 students; now, more than 2,600 students from 18 countries participate. Winners compete at the undergraduate and master’s level against Babson Collaborative institutions worldwide.
“I saw the pride that they carry and the responsibility that they see in themselves as future entrepreneurs and problem solvers, not to just make money but also to develop positive impact—and how proud they were that they had a connection with Babson College, even without setting foot on campus,” Reza says.
Creating Opportunities
Meanwhile, Babson Academy continues to build on a relationship with the Romanian-American Foundation in Bucharest in a three-year regional project that will reach 250 faculty and senior administrators. In 2023, the Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators (SEE Romania) united faculty from 15 institutions for an
intensive 3.5-day course on teaching entrepreneurship. And, a three-day Success in Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (SEED) program united 39 administrators from seven Romanian universities.
“A strategic priority for Babson is partnership, and this is such an amazing example,” says Nan Covert, Babson Academy senior director of university relations and business development. “Romania has a very traditional university system. That’s important, but you also need players with the entrepreneurship mindset and context who have been empowered by us to be true entrepreneurial leaders, in order to drive the universities forward and continue to create change within the country.”
And no matter where in the world Babson travels, one message is consistent.
“With Babson Academy, the themes of Babson entrepreneurship education are being imparted around the world,” Neck says. “Babson continues to rede ne what entrepreneurship is: The ability to identify or create new opportunities under conditions of uncertainty—with the courage to act on them.”
Babson Academy brings students together to collaborate at American University of the Middle East in Kuwait.
SUCCESS
Sweet Season of TENNIS
Women’s tennis players Olivia Soffer ’25 and Matia Cristiani ’26 became the first female national champions in Babson history, as the duo captured the NCAA Division III doubles title in late May at the Dwight Davis Memorial Tennis Center in St. Louis.
It is the seventh national title in school history, as the tandem joins men’s tennis player David Weisman ’98 and teams from men’s soccer (1975, 1979, and 1980), men’s ice hockey (1984), and men’s basketball (2017) as Babson’s national champions.
Seeded fourth in the tournament, Soffer and Cristiani outlasted the top seed from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 6-1, 6-7 (1-7), 6-4
in the championship match. The duo had redemption on their minds, as they were making their second consecutive appearance in the doubles national championship match.
“It gave us more willingness to win,” Cristiani says. “I think we worked harder this year.”
Going back to last year’s title match, Soffer and Cristiani have reached the doubles final in four straight major tournaments. They claimed the program’s first title at the ITA New England Championships in September and dropped the ITA Cup title match in October.
Soffer and Cristiani finished the season with an incredible doubles record of 32-2, the best in program history.
Read more about the national champions:
Olivia Soffer ’25
Matia Cristiani ’26
All-Americans, league titles, and a groundbreaking national championship. From the courts to the track to the fields, it was a historic spring of accomplishments, accolades, and firsts for Babson’s spring sports teams. Here’s a look at the highlights.
BASEBALL
After facing elimination from the NEWMAC tournament, the baseball team stormed back to win three straight games en route to capturing its first league championship since 2018. On Selection Sunday, Babson learned it would host the first NCAA regional tournament in its history. The Beavers finished with a 30-13 record, including a stellar 21-3 mark at Govoni Field. Babson’s 30 wins were the third most in program history.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Track & field sent a pair of male athletes to the NCAA championships for the inaugural time, with each earning All-America honors at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in South Carolina. Eric Bottern ’24 (near right), who was named as one of the Dr. Norm Govoni Scholar-Athletes of the Year at the Athletics Department’s annual senior banquet, finished eighth in the country in the shot put. He was making his second consecutive appearance at nationals after placing 12th last spring. Selected as Babson’s Male Athlete of the Year, Anthony Rodriguez ’24 (far right) placed 12th nationally in the 10,000-meter run. Rodriguez was named NEWMAC Track Athlete of the Year for the second straight spring, and Bottern was voted NEWMAC Field Co-Athlete of the Year.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S LACROSSE
For the first time in school history, both the nationally ranked men’s and women’s lacrosse teams advanced to the NCAA tournament round of 16 in the same season. Each squad earned an opening-round bye before emerging victorious in the next round, as the men defeated Denison and the women knocked off Stevens. The women posted an overall mark of 17-3, while the men finished with a 16-4 record, both single-season school records for wins. The men went unbeaten in league play for the second year in a row while capturing its second straight NEWMAC regular-season and tournament crowns. The women were also perfect in conference play before claiming their second consecutive league tournament title.
ADV ANCEMENT SPOTLIGHT
IN THEIR WORDS
Ten years ago, the rst Global Scholars arrived on Babson’s campus with grand aspirations to learn at the world’s best entrepreneurship school, to grow as students and citizens, and to achieve on campus and beyond.
Every year since 2014, the Global Scholars Program has awarded need-based, four-year, full-tuition scholarships to a small, highly talented group of international students from countries around the world.
The Global Scholars was the vision of Kerry Murphy Healey H’24, Babson’s 13th president. “Babson’s Global Scholars will bring new perspectives and ideas to Babson that we, in turn,
will share with the world,” she said in announcing the program.
As the Global Scholars Program marks its 10-year anniversary, current and recent Global Scholars reflect on the importance and enduring impact of the transformational experience.
The Global Scholars Program continues not only to transform Babson’s campus and the lives of the scholars but also to impact the world. More than ve dozen Global Scholars have graduated from Babson, empowered and emboldened as entrepreneurial leaders to effect change and solve problems locally and globally, helping to ful ll Babson’s mission.
“Roger Babson’s vision was for Babson College to have a global
impact. Our alumni represent 130 countries and 50 states. We are an international community. Over the past decade, Global Scholars continue our commitment to a global education.” Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD says. “The diversity of thought and perspectives throughout our campus, exempli ed by the Global Scholars Program, enhances and improves the capacity of all of our students and alumni to create economic and social value in communities around the world.”
“Being a Global Scholar at Babson College was a profoundly transformative experience for me, primarily in two signi cant ways. Firstly, it alleviated my concerns about affording higher education and enabled me to concentrate fully on my academic and personal growth. As an international student from Rwanda, the opportunity to access a world-class education at Babson College was merely a distant aspiration that materialized through the Global Scholars Program. Secondly, being a Global Scholar pushed me to embrace a global citizenship mindset. Not only did I have to adapt to a new life outside my home country, but I also learned invaluable lessons from diverse perspectives and global minds.”
Emmanuel Nsanganwa ’24 / Rwanda
Here, a group of recent alumni and current Global Scholars describe what the program and its impact mean for them:
“For me, being a Global Scholar has been a life-changing opportunity that goes far beyond academic enrichment. Over the past decade, this program has provided unparalleled opportunities for young entrepreneurs from a variety of backgrounds and countries who have helped enrich the Babson community with their ideas and experiences. Being a Global Scholar has granted me access to some of the highestquality education in the world and an entrepreneurial environment that fosters cultural exchange, intellectual growth, and personal development. The financial assistance that the program offered has played an important role in enabling me to fully embrace these opportunities and push beyond my boundaries.”
SUPPORT THE GLOBAL SCHOLARS
Your support and advocacy can make a meaningful difference in the lives of aspiring scholars around the world.
“Being a Global Scholar was a defining feature of my Babson experience. First, the Babson Scholar cohort has been my tight-knit family consisting of inspiring individuals that continually inspire me even post-graduation. It provided a space for me to share goals and ambitions with individuals whose life experiences and aspirations resembled my own and enabled us to easily stand on each other’s shoulders.”
“It is hard to put into words the enormous impact that Babson and the Global Scholars Program has had on my life. It has turned around the way I look at the world and has opened my eyes to the endless opportunities after Babson. One speci c aspect that I cherish is having the chance to explore clubs and societies outside the classroom. This is where the true network lies and how we get to understand our skill set. My time at Babson has been just four years, but the mark that it has left is lifelong. Proud to be a Globie!”
Paloma Ovelar ’27 / Paraguay
Daniel Deng Chol ’23 / South Sudan
Martina Garabedian ’22 / Bulgaria
Support Global Scholars
“Babson College is a fantastic place, not only for career advancement opportunities but also for learning essential skills and forming meaningful connections. For students like me who are used to a close-knit, family-like community, being a Global Scholar has lled that gap during my time here. We are more than just a group of students who share a similar scholarship or background.”
Anilkumar Thevar ’27 / India
“Being a Global Scholar means having an unwavering support network on campus. Other Global Scholars have consistently offered invaluable advice, connected me with other peers, and held me accountable. They’ve made Babson feel like my home away from home. I am equally dedicated to empowering fellow Global Scholars, just as past scholars supported me, to thrive during their time here.”
Kimheat Chheav ’26 / Cambodia
NEWS NOTES AND NODS
UNDERGRADUATE
1962
Jeff Doherty ’62 has moved to Fleet Landing in Atlantic Beach, Florida, where he is having “many positive reflections about my days at Babson College!”
George Dunnington ’60 (right) and Aram Hintlian ’74, MBA’75 reunited over lunch in Bonita Springs, Florida, after 40 years apart. “We had great fun talking about the past, especially when he worked for me as assistant business manager,” Dunnington said, a reference to when both men worked at Williston Northampton boarding school in Easthampton, Massachusetts. “We renewed a great friendship.”
Ronald G. Weiner ’66, H’22, chairman and president of Perelson Weiner LLP, Certified Public Accountants, was named on Forbes’ 2024 America’s Top 200 CPAs list. Weiner, who has long been active in the Babson community, is a Babson trustee emeritus and currently serves as chairman of Babson Global. Weiner’s firm is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, their families, and businesses as well as international companies doing business in the United States. Perelson Weiner LLP is a member of the Center for Public Company Audit Firms and the Private Company Practice Section of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Richard J. Snyder ’60, H’94, P’93 ’01, Of Counsel with Duane Morris LLP, recently received the 2024 Doctor of Design Leadership Honoris Causa award from the Boston Architectural College (BAC). Snyder, a former chair of the Board of Trustees at Babson and current member of Babson’s Global Advisory Board, has served on the BAC Board of Trustees since 2008. Snyder has been “a stalwart advocate for the college’s mission of providing an accessible and excellent design education to students from all backgrounds,” said BAC President Dr. Mahesh Daas.
1979
David Briden ’79, MBA’82 retired after 31 years as chief information officer at Exeter Health Resources in Exeter, New Hampshire. He and his wife, Robin, now live in Alburgh, Vermont.
1983
Jack Day ’83: See 1984, below.
1984
Stephen Popper ’84 and his nonprofit Meals of Hope have packed more than 100 million meals in Southwest Florida. Popper founded Meals of Hope in 2007 with a mission to alleviate hunger, and Jack Day ’83 joined the nonprofit in 2022. Meals of Hope operates 15 food pantries, serving more than 4,000 families a week. The nonprofit is the largest food pantry provider in Florida and has opened two baby food pantries, with only three baby food pantries in existence in the nation.
1993
Stephanie (Dick) Radman ’93 recently launched Mayflower Home Organizing, a new venture helping create organized, stress-free living spaces. Radman can create Instagram-worthy closets, help empty and organize the garage, or assist with an estate clean-out. Radman is also available to travel across the country for work.
2004
EJ Kim ’04 launched a startup, NNABI, to address perimenopause, which can affect women as young as 35. The venture offers two botanical supplements meant to address the needs of women between the ages of 30 and 50. Many women who are still getting their periods might also be starting perimenopause. The venture, launched in February, already has won the NEXTY award for supplement Trailblazer.
2006
Alina (Koyfman) Sokolowsky ’06 recently published a book celebrating the cuisine of Ukraine. All sales of the book, B is for Borscht, will go to UNICEF’s #CookforUkraine campaign. Sokolowsky was born in Ukraine and came to America as a refugee in 1990. She grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, and has worked in brand strategy while living in New York City for the past 15 years since graduation.
2012
Fernando Saddi ’12 recently merged his startup, Easy Carros, a mobility startup leader in the car rental space, with Brazil’s Kovi, which offers an all-inclusive car subscription for those who can’t afford to own their own car. Saddi has since joined
Sheilagh Hamill McNeil ’86 joined seven of her friends from Babson for a reunion in April in Cancun, Mexico, to celebrate their 42 years of friendship and the fact that they are all turning 60 this year. Pictured from left:
Nikky Phinyawatana ’00 recently published Thai Food and Travel with Chef Nikky: Easy Thai Recipes to Feed Your Soul. Phinyawatana lives in Dallas, Texas, and is the founder of Asian Mint restaurants. “With the expansion of my restaurants and sauce line, I’m now excited to share my story and recipes in my cookbook,” Phinyawatana said.
Budacorp, a $100 million revenue company with 1,600 employees that has the backing of some of the region’s leading venture capitalists in Brazil.
2014
Jennifer King ’14 was promoted to equity member at the law firm of Valerio Dominello & Hillman, LLC. Her practice focuses on labor, employment, and education. King has represented clients in state and federal courts and various agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice.
Whitney Robbins Griffin ’05 was appointed chief financial and operating officer at the Boston Arts Academy, Boston’s only nonprofit public high school for the visual and performing arts. Robbins Griffin will work with the foundation’s president and the board on financial management and strategy, human resources, and compliance.
John Hudspeth ’08 was recently named to Financial Planning’s Top 40 Brokers Under 40 list. Hudspeth, who serves as senior vice president at his Florida firm, The Hudspeth Group, also was named in Forbes’ 2024 Best in State Wealth Management Teams.
McNeil, Kaylee Murphy ’86, Maryellen Papelian ’86, Lisa Haskins ’86, Gerri Nathan Russo ’86, Carolyn Fox Mula ’86, Marianne Citro Flayhan ’86, and Linda Lackey ’86
Cheyenne Dean ’15 and Christian Fleming ’15 were married April 20 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in a ceremony officiated by Elizabeth Swanson P’19, the Joyce H'22 and Andy Mandell '61 Endowed Professor. The couple, who met at Babson as Posse Scholars, were celebrated by their families and their Babson/ Posse families. “Your love story is enmeshed with your many family circles, so that love is family is safety is love is family,” Swanson said during the ceremony.
Nicole (Crowley) Foy ’11 welcomed her twin daughters, Ellie (left) and Ainsley, into the world on Leap Day. The delivery came only months before the opening of her new venture, Silver Sea Apparel, launched in the summer of 2024. Silver Sea Apparel offers women’s activewear made of clean, toxin-free clothing for those worried about what is on their skin, without sacrificing comfort or sustainability. The clothing line, made in the United States, focuses on comfort and proper support in addition to providing highquality products.
DON’ T MISS OUT on the latest news from Babson’s community of entrepreneurial leaders. Subscribe today to our weekly newsletter!
GOT NEWS?
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. Submit your latest news to the Alumni News Editor at babson.edu/nods
GRADUATE
1975
Aram Hintlian ’74, MBA’75: See Undergraduate, Page 34.
1982
David Briden ’79, MBA’82: See Undergraduate, 1979.
1999
Connie Askin MBA’99 recently was named the Small Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year in the Worcester Business Journal for her role as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts and MetroWest. Askin, who became CEO three years ago, has overseen major changes at the nonprofit, including a physical move to Chestnut Street in Worcester. The nonprofit has 15 employees and generates roughly $1.2 million in annual revenue, according to recent filings with the Internal Revenue Service.
2003
Havell Rodrigues MBA’03 recently finished the first close of his impact fund, New Majority Capital (NMC), an impact investing firm that provides training and non-extractive capital for underrepresented entrepreneurs to acquire and scale small businesses through entrepreneurship through acquisition. The first close of NMC Fund I means the company can continue its mission to close persistent wealth gaps in the United States. “This milestone is a testament to the opportunity to build wealth through small business asset ownership,” said Rodrigues, CEO and managing partner of New Majority Capital.
increasing
a weekend of
May 11
exploring, and
the
you are
(Photo: Stiven Sanchez Photography)
Niari Keverian MBA’12 and Richard Aurelio Jr. were married
at the Marriott Stellaris Resort & Casino in Aruba on Palm Beach. Surrounded by dozens of Babson alumni, Keverian and Aurelio enjoyed
snorkeling,
celebrating. At
welcome party, Keverian joked to guests that she was “so happy
able to attend Babson Connect Aruba.” Alumni in attendance included Annie Asrari MBA’11, Matthew Paisner MBA’12, Alfonso Hernandez MBA’12, Kamaal Jarrett MBA’12, Nadia Kalkanci ’04, MBA’11, Elizabeth Lee MBA’12, Karim El-Gamal MBA’11, Hadi El Heneidi MBA’12, Caroline Swingly MBA’12, and Kerem Kalkanci MBA’11
Jeni Wheeler MBA’05 showed off her Babson pride during a recent safari trip in Kenya. Wheeler co-founded and directs the Family Table Collaborative in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, an organization devoted to
nutritional security. The organization has served more than 170,000 meals and is run with the help of more than 500 volunteers.
Rishi Tandulwadkar MSEL’17, founder of ALIV, recently won first prize for the Best Entrepreneur Pitch at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance (YEA) summit held in Brazil. The G20 YEA is a global network that brings together young entrepreneurs from G20 countries. Tandulwadkar, representing India at the summit, was one of 500 delegates competing from around the world. ALIV offers state-of-the-art treatments and therapies for regenerative wellness, focusing on the natural healing process.
IN MEMORIAM
George Calvin Yates ’47, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Aug. 8, 2021
Samira Lawande MBA’13 recently joined the board of directors at the Discovery Museum in Acton, Massachusetts. Lawande, who serves as a senior advisor at Global Health Labs, also lives in Acton. Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum that blends science, nature, and play, aimed at helping families to explore and learn together.
Marvin Zuck Myer ’49, of Whitehall, New York, Aug. 7, 2022
Robert W. Craig ’50, of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, April 22
Ernest Elmer Witschi Jr. ’51, of Hudson, Florida, April 21
Alan H. Springer ’54, of La Jolla, California, May 13
Albert Mihran Papazian ’55, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, Feb. 14
John Goodale Hutchens ’56, of Phelps, New York, Aug. 8, 2021
Robert Taylor Stainton MBA’56, of Los Altos, California, April 8
James A. Bourne ’57, of Buffalo, New York, March 15
Peter Bacon Keene ’57, of Homosassa, Florida, Jan. 9, 2023
Sven E. Tilly ’57, of Summerfield, Florida, Feb. 6
Louis G. Sardina ’58, G’13 ’21 ’23, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, March 28
Gerald R. Swirsky ’59, of Sudbury, Massachusetts, Jan. 23
Emerson Donald White ’59, of Placida, Florida, Oct. 29, 2023
John Caleb Forman Clarke ’61, of East Hampton, New York, May 4
G. Richard Duffy ’61, of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, May 12
Philip Marcus ’61, of Apex, North Carolina, March 31
Benjamin J. Rosof ’62, of Jamaica, New York, March 19
James Lord Bishop III ’63, of Palmer, Massachusetts, May 11
Nathaniel Preston Breed Jr. ’63, of Washington, D.C., April 27
Terry Blake Cronin ’63, of Skidaway Island, Georgia, Jan. 27
Frank A. Stanush III ’63, of San Antonio, Texas, May 10
Roger Clark Welch ’63, of Duxbury, Massachusetts, May 17
James Samuels MBA’65, of Westport, Connecticut, Feb. 28
Robert B. Baldwin ’66, of Wichita, Kansas, May 14
James Joseph Boutilier ’66, of Knoxville, Tennessee, Jan. 31
William Kelly Young ’66, of Hollister, Missouri, Jan. 14
Harry W. Hall Jr. ’68, of South Glastonbury, Connecticut, Oct. 26, 2023
James Francis Martin Jr. MBA’68, of Holliston, Massachusetts, April 4
Retired Lt. Gen. Fred Hissong Jr. MBA’69, of Findlay, Ohio, May 14
Retired Col. George Thatcher
Shepard MBA’69, of Huntsville, Alabama, March 1
Charles David Whitman MBA’70, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Feb. 26
Jeffrey S. Brown ’71, of New York, New York, Feb. 16
Frederick L. Wood ’71, of Wawa, Pennsylvania, April 23
Robert F. Gerbrands MBA’71, of Bedford, Massachusetts, Feb. 8
Daniel Z. Gould MBA’71, of Boynton Beach, Florida, March 4
Connor Harbison MBA’22, who opened Atlas Urban Farms in 2021, won the Mass Technology Leadership Council’s Startup of the Year award in February. The award recognizes the region’s tech companies, leaders, and technologies that have made a significant impact during the past year. Harbison, who created Atlas Urban Farms to help chefs grow the fresh herbs and greens they need in house, won the graduate track of the B.E.T.A. (Babson Entrepreneurial Thought & Action®) Challenge in 2022.
Retired Col. Maury Leslie Jones MBA’71, of Huntsville, Alabama, March 26
Edward P. Facchetti ’72, of East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, April 19
Jonathan Richard Gordon ’72, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, Feb. 13
Leo Francis Swift MBA’72, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, Feb. 13
Lawrence Edgar Tuck MBA’72, of Venice, Florida, Feb. 2
Russell Walter Boothroyd ’73, of Exeter, Rhode Island, April 7
Linda E. F. Lach ’73, MBA’74, of Kauai, Hawaii, Jan. 1
Thomas William Drummy MBA’73, P’14 ’19, of Duxbury, Massachusetts, April 16
James Michael O’Connor MBA’73, of Needham, Massachusetts, Jan. 29
Retired Major Ronald Joseph Comeau MBA’75, of Seminole, Florida, Feb. 18
Dennis Ivan MBA’75, of Oakton, Virginia, Aug. 21, 2022
Robert J. Pallone ’76, of Norfolk, Connecticut, April 12
Robert Rupp ’76, MBA’88, of Canyon Lake, Texas, Feb. 1
Ronald F. McKinnon MBA’76, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Jan. 16
Arthur James Worsh MBA’76, of Lincoln, Massachusetts, Nov. 22, 2023
Benjamin John Chapman MBA’77, of Claremont, New Hampshire, May 9
David James Little MBA’77, of Tucson, Arizona, May 17
Charles Gerard Richmond MBA’77, of Fort Myers, Florida, March 1
Hays Jeffrey Dawson ’78, of Verona, Pennsylvania, Nov. 26, 2023
Col. Warren F. Hodge MBA’78, of Eldridge, Iowa, March 29
Stephen Michael Donovick ’80, of Houston, Texas, Jan. 21
Carlyn Frances Craig M’80, of Washington, D.C., April 18
Steven P. Hodgson MBA’81, of Reston, Virginia, March 15
Gregory E. George ’82, of North Conway, New Hampshire, Feb. 13
David Rodger Bradley ’83, of Blackstone, Massachusetts, March 26
Virginia A. Platt ’85, of Naples, Florida, April 22
Cynthia A. Eaton MBA’85, of Stowe, Vermont, March 6
Carolyn A. Hunter ’88, of North Grafton, Massachusetts, May 11
Burton J. Synnott MBA’89, of Reading, Massachusetts, March 24
Terry Ann Cohen MBA’91, of Greenwich, Connecticut, May 22
Paul Weitz MBA’93, P’12, of Falmouth, Massachusetts, March 3
Keith Bernard Colter MBA’98, of Pasadena, California, April 8
Angela N. Tufts ’99, of Ashland, Massachusetts, Dec. 31, 2021
Dr. Tala Khudairi MBA’22, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, Feb. 4
Ding Mayen Kuai Mayen ’27, of Juba, South Sudan, March 22
Taking Action to Help Others Find Their Path
For Patrick Scanlon MSEL’23, putting entrepreneurial ideas into action came early.
As a senior at North Reading (Massachusetts) High School, he revived the school’s Future Business Leaders of America club. “I took initiative because I saw an opportunity to bring people together. Through taking leadership, nding a faculty sponsor, and working as a team, we brought the club back to life,” Scanlon says. The group is still thriving today.
As an undergraduate at UMass Amherst, he designed his own major in innovation and entrepreneurship, navigating a path that blended business classes with interdisciplinary courses.
“I’ve always been a visionary, seeing opportunities where others might not,” he recalls. When the pandemic temporarily shuttered local businesses, Scanlon became a certi ed personal trainer and launched his coaching business, Scanlon Fitness and SelfLeadership. “It was a pivotal moment. I started my own client base, built a brand, and within two years, generated $60,000 in revenue.”
Scanlon’s story is also about personal triumph. Diagnosed with dyslexia and an auditory processing disorder, Scanlon overcame those obstacles in his early education through action, reaching out to teachers or tutors to ensure his learning progressed.
“I’ve always kind of had that thought and action, and I wouldn’t have even gone to Babson in the rst place if it wasn’t for having that drive and
A look at entrepreneurial leaders shaped by their Babson College experience.
PATRICK SCANLON MSEL’23 SEIZES UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE AN IMPACT
motivation to take self-leadership and action in the direction that I wanted to go,” Scanlon says.
Once he landed at Babson, Scanlon found a community that resonated with his entrepreneurial ethos.
“Leading includes being vulnerable, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and surrounding yourself with people who challenge you,” Scanlon explains.
His tness business exempli ed these principles, as he continuously sought mentors and resources to improve and grow.
His experiences seamlessly integrated into his work at Inclusive Fitness, a startup created by Babson alumni Greg and Kristina Austin, both MBA’01, that focuses on providing neuroadaptive tness solutions. Scanlon had consulted for the couple
while completing his degree and was hired shortly after graduation. Although Scanlon recently left the job, his experience in growth strategy and fundraising as a strategic projects manager gave him a solid foundation as he turns his focus to business strategy and consulting.
“I want to help startups grow and achieve their full potential,” Scanlon says. “It’s about making an impact and helping others nd their path.”
Looking ahead, Scanlon seeks to inspire others, particularly those with disabilities, to embrace self-leadership and pursue their full potential.
“This is just the beginning,” Scanlon says. “If you have belief in yourself and take action, you will get something in return, whether it’s a lesson learned or a success story.” — Hillary Chabot
Patrick Scanlon MSEL’23 is using his experience in growth strategy and fundraising to help new startups thrive and inspire others to pursue their full potential.
