Contact Us

A Community Message from the Office of Multicultural and Identity Programs

Dear Babson Students:

The past week has been a difficult one for many of us. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other Black people within this country have stirred our communities to a point of unrest across the globe. The riots and protests that have resulted are a reminder to us that our work towards a more just and inclusive world is far from over.

Being part of the Babson community means having a deep and willing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This means understanding and addressing the real and unending struggles that historically underrepresented communities face across our world and, particularly, our very own community. The issues impacting Black people and other communities of color are important for us to better understand in order to uphold our commitment to being an actively anti-racist institution. We are committed to ensuring that every community member—students, staff, faculty, and administration—gains the awareness, skills, knowledge, and attitude in order to lead with purpose and courage towards a better future for all people.

One of the goals of Multicultural and Identity Programs is to provide all students with resources to support their learning, growth, and development around issues related to people’s identity and cultural perspectives. To this end, we have created an anti-racism educational resource guide for you to review to deepen your own awareness of recent events. This guide is meant to serve as a starting place, and we encourage you to continue your own self-education to gain a better understanding of the issues happening within our community and around the world, and how you can commit to action.

Babson is also working to create opportunities for continued engagement to offer spaces of healing, learning, reflection, and action planning to move our institution further. The College will communicate those opportunities as they become available and accessible. We also encourage you to reach out to someone for support with our community. Regardless of distance, Babson is available to you whenever you need us, wherever you are. Counseling is available for Babson students by contacting Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 781-239-6200 or counselingservices@babson.edu.

When racism, bigotry, bias, and all forms of oppression impact any member of our community, it is imperative that we all do our part to ensure that as one Babson community, we uphold our commitment to help every student belong. To our Black students and other communities impacted by these devastating events, please know that you have support. We as one Babson community see you. We recognize you. We stand with you. Black Lives Matter.

Sincerely,

Patrick Hale
Former Director, Multicultural and Identity Programs

Michael Lara
Former Assistant Director, LGBTQ+ and Identity Programs

Please note that in our message on Monday, June 1, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery’s name was misspelled. We have updated the correct spelling of his name in the re-shared message above. We apologize for any confusion or distress caused by our error.

Dear Babson Community:

Our nation is in the midst of a historic moment, confronting our systemic and institutional racial realties. On Sunday, I joined President Spinelli and other Babson leaders in the acknowledgement and mourning of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery and those unnamed. We extend condolences to their families, to those impacted in the Babson community, and to the world at large.

This time of anger, grief and rage is accompanied by opportunity. My hope is that we have reached a true turning point, where we can turn the tide of racism and its violent outcomes, and begin a new era of equity and inclusion.

There are many conversations underway across our campus, both as a direct result of current events and as part of our ongoing efforts to address diversity, equity and inclusion at Babson. Our students, staff, faculty and alumni have been working diligently to address these issues, and the work continues. There is much more to be done. We ask you to join us, standing together and working side-by-side as One Babson. I want to share some of the work that is underway, and the ways you can engage to support these efforts:

Diversity and Inclusion Council

Building on initiatives already underway, the Diversity and Inclusion Council will host a series of conversations for understanding and create new opportunities for the community to get involved in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. You will receive invitations to participate in many of these meetings, discussions and events. The College’s Race Conversations Employee Resource Group will host a special virtual meeting this Friday at noon. Later this month, the Diversity and Inclusion Council will host our All Council Summer Virtual Summit, open to all faculty and staff. Read more about the work of the Diversity and Inclusion Council, and upcoming opportunities to get involved.

Office of Multicultural and Identity Programs

On Monday, Babson’s Office of Multicultural and Identity Programs published an anti-racism educational resource guide that has been developed to help the Babson community review and deepen our awareness of recent events. This guide is meant to serve as a starting place, and we encourage you to continue your own self-education to gain a better understanding of the issues happening within our community and around the world, and how you can commit to action.

This summer, Multicultural and Identity Programs is also launching three working groups – Black Students, First Generation Students, and LGBTQ Students – to map and enhance the student experience from admission through alumni engagement. Recognizing the importance of intersectionality in student’s identity these three areas of focus will be the first of many. If you are interested in engaging in this work, please email Multicultural & Identity Programs.

Student Experience Initiatives

Student Life, Babson Athletics, and other teams across campus are engaged in enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion at Babson. Here are a few examples of upcoming events and initiatives, with additional details to be shared in the days and weeks ahead:

• Student Life is currently working to identify virtual courses focused on allyship, active anti-racism, and white privilege that students can sign-up for with all costs covered by the Professional Accelerator Fund.
• Babson Athletics is planning a forum to facilitate a conversation about race among student athletes.
• Diversity and inclusion education covered in First Year Seminar is being intentionally mapped into the first year academic curriculum.
• Our Undergraduate Center for Career Development is working on programs focused on black and other underrepresented minority students and their career readiness in the current climate.
• Sydney Swain MBA’20, former president of the Babson Black MBA Club, is organizing a Babson Black Student Summit for Undergraduate students, led by their Graduate student peers.

Babson is also working to create opportunities for continued engagement to offer spaces of healing, learning, reflection, and action planning to move our institution further. The College will communicate those opportunities as they become available and accessible.

Counseling and Support Services

The horrific acts of violence and hatred toward black individuals and communities, coupled with the uncertainty and anxiety of the COVID-19 pandemic, have created uniquely challenging circumstances for many members of our community. I encourage you to reach out for support should you need it. Counseling is available for Babson students by contacting Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 781-239-6200 or counselingservices@babson.edu. Resources for Faculty and Staff are available through Human Resources at 781-239-4128, and 24/7 counseling services are available through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at 800-648-9557.

Babson’s diversity and inclusion work is guided by a strategic vision that states our commitment to create “a diverse, multicultural, and inclusive community of highly talented students, faculty, and staff characterized by respect, understanding, and appreciation of the uniqueness and value of all people.” We know there is more work to be done to fully realize this vision. Through our strategic plan, we have reaffirmed our commitment to pursuing inclusive excellence at Babson, with clear priorities and metrics to hold ourselves accountable to real progress.

As President Spinelli and I have agreed, we will share more frequent updates on progress and opportunities on this important topic. In the meantime, please continue to encourage and support your classmates and colleagues who are actively engaged in expanding and enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion at Babson. Please continue to listen, learn, and act to support the black community. What hurts some of us, hurts all of us. As a community, as One Babson, we can come together to create and lead change.

Sincerely,

Sadie Burton-Goss
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer