Thursday, September 10, 2026
Join us for exciting events at the Babson College Wellesley campus as we celebrate Roger Babson!
Founder’s Day
A fall tradition since 1947, Founder’s Day honors Roger Babson, founder and first president of the College.
It’s a day for the Babson community to celebrate achievements, both individual and collective, and for students, faculty, staff and alumni to strengthen bonds, build connections and to welcome our newest members through shared activities throughout the day.
Why Apples?
Apples are a tribute to Roger Babson’s longstanding admiration of Sir Isaac Newton. In fact, Roger Babson collected materials and artifacts related to Isaac Newton, which formed the Grace K. Babson Collection of Newtonia. This collection of “Newtonia” is the largest in the United States and is a landmark collection at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marion, California.
Learn more about The Collection That Connects Babson and Isaac Newton »
| Time | For | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 9–10 a.m. | Faculty & Staff | Community Welcome Breakfast – Knight Auditorium In honor of Founder’s Day, Babson College Faculty and Staff are invited to join in welcoming our new community members. Remember to wear your name tag! |
| 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | The Babson Community | Founder’s Day Apple-themed Lunch – Trim Dining Hall Join us for an apple-themed feast in honor of Roger Babson’s fascination with Sir Isaac Newton and our Newton Apple Trees. Lunch for students not on a meal plan and graduate students will be covered by the Founder’s Day Planning Committee. Faculty and Staff are invited to join as a pay-your-own or using their block plan. |
| 4:15–6 p.m. | Grad & Ugrad Students | Founder’s Fest – Park Manor Quad Rain location: Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex Undergraduate and Graduate students are all invited to come celebrate our founder, Roger Babson and show your Babson community spirit by enjoying carnival games, cool giveaways, and a variety of delicious foods including apple treats. Bring your friends and make new ones! Come early so you can visit the photo magnet booth, get an airbrush tattoo, and play a range of challenges from an obstacle course to trivia games to earn tickets to enter a range of raffle prizes. Raffle tickets must be submitted by 5:15 p.m. so come early to earn as many as you can since there is no limit to the number of tickets you can enter! Faculty and Staff are also invited to join in the fun (only students are eligible for prizes and giveaways) and we’d love to have you volunteer to help with this super fun event to kick-off the fall! For more information on volunteering contact Leslie Chiu. |
| 8–10 p.m. | The Babson Community | Beaver Bowl Trivia – Park Manor West, Schlesinger Innovation Center 118 An opportunity for the entire Babson Community—Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni—to compete for exciting prizes while testing their knowledge of Babson trivia and more! Show off your trivia chops or just come watch and enjoy the competition and snacks! |
Sir Isaac Newton Apple Tree Grove
The grove of eight Flower of Kent apple trees was planted on campus in 2005, relocated in 2013, and now adorns the north lawn of Tomasso Hall. Propagated from a fourth-generation scion purchased from the Pennsylvania Historical Commission in 1953, the original tree (left) was a gift to Roger Babson from his wife, Grace, as a tribute to his longstanding admiration of Sir Isaac Newton.
The grove of eight Flower of Kent apple trees was planted on campus in 2005, relocated in 2013, and now adorns the north lawn of Tomasso Hall. Propagated from a fourth-generation scion purchased from the Pennsylvania Historical Commission in 1953, the original tree (left) was a gift to Roger Babson from his wife, Grace, as a tribute to his longstanding admiration of Sir Isaac Newton.