Community Messages

Dear Babson Community,

There are historic moments in the life of a community that are cause for pause and reflection.

Today, we have surpassed the $600 million mark in our Babson ELevates comprehensive fundraising campaign.

Babson is an assertively aspirational community. We educate entrepreneurial leaders who impact communities everywhere by creating social and economic value. Our alumni, governance members, students, faculty, staff, and friends continue to endorse our mission in many ways, including their generous philanthropy.

This campaign was first launched with an initial goal of $300 million, which was met and raised to $500 million, and again to $750 million last fall. In a world filled with angst and trepidation, Babson is a beacon of great education, intellectual growth, and remains the birthplace of tomorrow’s entrepreneurial leaders.

I am thankful for each of you, as it takes the fullness of a community to achieve such success. I am particularly grateful for our Advancement team led by Governor Craig R. Benson Endowed Executive Vice President for Advancement Edward Chiu and Vice Chair of the Board and Trustee Craig Benson ’77, H’03. Their leadership plays an extraordinary role in our success.

With sincere thanks,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,

This week, Babson is honored to welcome entrepreneurs from around the world to campus for the 2024 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers Conference.

Each year the GCEC Conference brings entrepreneurship centers from leading colleges and universities together to collaborate on emerging challenges and share best practices—both areas of Babson expertise. I am proud that our community is serving as this year’s conference host.

The conference will be held on campus from Thursday to Saturday this week and will feature a number of presentations and discussions led by Babson faculty and thought leaders. As you go about your days this week, you may notice an increase in foot traffic across campus from our GCEC guests. I know that our community will extend warm welcomes and show kindness to all as guests venture to and from sessions.

Babson has long been the global leader in entrepreneurship education and thought leadership. Hosting gatherings like the GCEC Conference is an example of the important role that we play in inspiring entrepreneurs from around the world to lead with innovation and impact.

I look forward to seeing how this conference will shine a spotlight on the exceptional work our students, faculty, and staff do each day to enhance the entrepreneurial mindset.

My best,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,

Each year, Veterans Day provides us with the important opportunity to reflect and share gratitude for those who have served our nation.

Babson is proud to count more than 50 veterans among our student population. Initiatives like the Babson Veterans Club connects more than 200 student and alumni veterans, providing each with networking opportunities and support systems as they advance their own entrepreneurial mindsets.

I know that many in our community have family members and friends who have served. Like you, I’m grateful for their service, commitment, and sacrifice.

My family has experienced that commitment firsthand. My sister served in the Air Force and is now a Veterans Administration nurse. My father-in-law served in the Marines and my father served in the Army. My father spent 51 consecutive months in the South Pacific and fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal during the Second World War. I appreciated his service when I was growing up, and I appreciate it even more today.

Veterans have long played a vital role at Babson. Throughout the early 1940s, the College closed and was turned over to the Navy Supply Corps School to provide important spaces and resources to train more than 2,000 reserve officers on campus. After the war, many veterans looked to Babson to begin the next chapters of their lives and pursue fulfilling careers. That cohort brought with them a lifetime of experiences and skillsets that brought important perspective to the college experience for our entire community.

I am grateful that veterans continue to enrich our campus. To all those who have served, I offer a sincere thank you on behalf of the entire Babson community.

With gratitude,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,

I’ve been obsessing about the importance of higher education in the upcoming presidential election.

This quadrennial exercise in democracy punctuates an important role of our industry. Our responsibilities are amplified in times of angst or uncertainty.

I believe we must foster the intersection of thoughtfulness, passion, and respect to achieve a civil society. Indeed, ideas are received more openly when the debaters seek to understand the possibilities of alternative positions—especially when they are contrary to their own beliefs.

The Babson community has developed rules of conduct that nurture intense discussion and foster respect, increasing the chances for civil progress. I know everyone will respect College policies.

My meetings with students regarding even the most contentious issues have been underpinned by what I see as an earnest need to solve problems. They know that active listening is a prerequisite for just solutions. It is a testimony to our faculty that a Babson education inspires the best in our community.

I know the tensions will be high next Tuesday and maybe for several more days thereafter. This is a test of our individual and communal character. I believe we will set an example for others to follow.

My best,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,

As a community of entrepreneurial leaders, we know that the ability to embrace new technological innovations and rapidly integrate them into the ways we learn, teach, and work is critical to our success. That is why we have placed a strategic focus on elevating technology as we continue to ascend as global leaders in entrepreneurship education and beyond.

This semester has already brought significant validation of our approach to infusing technological innovation into the entrepreneurial journey. As we consider how these advancements will benefit our individual and collective growth, I felt it important to pause and reflect on all that we’ve accomplished thus far.

Introducing Babson’s Foundations of AI Badge

This semester, we proudly launched the Foundations of AI Badge, a new credential awarded to students who demonstrate a thorough understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with AI and the entrepreneurial mindset.

AI has the potential to impact global business and society deeper and faster than any business or social movement in history. The ability to iterate and experiment using generative AI can open doors for entrepreneurs to more rapidly impact society and move revolutionary ideas forward.

Babson students have proven to be leaders in integrating AI into their entrepreneurial journeys. This resource—and the College’s broader embrace of AI—will ensure our students are future-ready and nimble in their approach to new technologies. The badge can be earned at students’ own pace to ensure flexibility when balancing rigorous academic schedules.

I look forward to hearing how our undergraduates, graduates, and lifelong learners will take advantage of this complimentary credential as proof of their leadership in this space. Advancing our understanding and application of AI in the entrepreneurial process allows us to learn in new ways and develop innovative ventures and ideas at a rapid pace.

I’m encouraged by the more than 150 students who have taken advantage of this opportunity thus far and hope all students will broaden their understanding of AI with this excellent resource.

Students can learn more and enroll here.

Unveiling the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship

Babson unveiled a defining asset in our approach to innovation with the official opening of the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship. This landmark institute elevates the groundwork that our community has developed in the realm of technological innovation and AI.

This institute is already opening new doors for our students to embrace the confluence of technology and entrepreneurship—our new Foundations of AI Badge is offered to all students thanks to the Metropoulos Institute’s financial support.

Advancing Thought Leadership and AI Best Practices with the Generator

The AI Generator continues to drive innovation by supporting faculty and students in their journeys through entrepreneurship and AI. This interdisciplinary lab is impacting our community in significant ways thanks to the leadership of our faculty across academic disciplines and the drive of our students to explore methods for adopting and enhancing AI’s usage on campus. The Generator, which now lives within the Metropoulos Institute, is a significant example of our community’s ability to quickly embrace emerging technologies and explore ways we can deepen their use as global leaders in entrepreneurship.

Our ability to adopt new practices and explore emerging technologies is a contributing factor to our success. It’s a reason why we are The Wall Street Journal’s No. 2 best college in the United States and have been the No.1 school for undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship for multiple decades.

I encourage all members of our community to embrace these tools and opportunities to deepen our understanding of new technologies and approaches to generative AI. Doing so will rapidly accelerate our capacity to change the world and move society and business forward.

My best,

Steve

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pride that we share that Babson College has been selected as a “Great College to Work For” in 2024.

As evidenced by the recent market validation of a Babson education by The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report, our aspirational community continues to achieve new levels of excellence in teaching and learning. Our dedicated faculty and staff play a significant role in Babson’s ascension as a global leader in higher education, and this new Great Colleges achievement is a testament to your hard work and commitment to your colleagues.

This recognition is a direct result of your Babson experiences. Last spring, faculty and staff were surveyed to assess Babson’s teaching and working environment. Those results were independently assessed by the Great College survey administrators and benchmarked against peer colleges and universities around the country.

The culture that our faculty and staff have created and upheld makes Babson special. We are grateful for all that you do for our community of learners and leaders and hope that you take pride in this new designation.

As we reflect, we have much to be grateful for and much to celebrate.

With our gratitude, 

Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD
President

Donna Bonaparte
Vice President, Human Resources

Dear Babson Community,

We began this academic year by celebrating a historic moment for Babson College. Our recognition as the No. 2 college in the country by The Wall Street Journal signals to the world that our community of learners, educators, and thought leaders has ascended to a new leadership position in higher education.

Building on this momentum, I am proud to share that Babson has again retained our spot as the No. 1 undergraduate school for entrepreneurship on U.S. News & World Report annual rankings.

Babson College pioneered the earliest approach to entrepreneurship education. Our continued placement atop these rankings is a testament to our ability to elevate our practice and thought leadership into the sphere of entrepreneurial leadership. That approach broadens our reach, allowing us to create entrepreneurial leaders of all kinds across a lifetime and prepare them to succeed in any industry or profession. Our bold vision for entrepreneurial leadership is a result of this community’s relentless commitment to growth, improvement, and excellence.

This unprecedented streak of continuous excellence in entrepreneurship is even more significant given the competitive market of today’s higher education landscape. For decades, many refuted the belief that entrepreneurship was a discipline that could be taught. The entrepreneurial spirit was seen as a mindset that some had, and others could not attain.

We at Babson never believed that to be true, and the substantial impact that our more than 45,000 alumni have on the world affirms what we’ve long known—that entrepreneurship not only can be taught, but it must be taught to move society forward.

I remarked last year that our Wall Street Journal recognition as the 10th best college in the country was only the beginning for Babson’s ascension. I challenged our students, faculty, staff, and governance members to remain aspirational and imagine what the next level of greatness would hold for us. These latest recognitions are proof that you not only answered that call—you exceeded it.

Thank you for contributing to a remarkable milestone for Babson College. Together, we will show the world what is possible when entrepreneurs lead the way.

With gratitude,

Steve

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Tomorrow, our community will gather in celebration of one of my favorite campus traditions—Back to Babson.

This gathering is one of the most exciting times on campus. The energy of our alumni, students, families, and friends coming together is palpable. I hope that you are able to join us for as much of the weekend as possible to share in the joy and togetherness of our full community.

A full schedule of events can be found here. I encourage you to explore these opportunities to connect with our alumni, students, and their families. You play an important role in making Babson special, and I know that our guests will appreciate the chance to connect.

My best,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,

Last fall, Babson was named the 10th best college in the country by The Wall Street Journal. We celebrated that historic achievement by committing to being perpetually aspirational—a hallmark trait of an entrepreneurial leader.

Today, the world bears witness to the strength and power of this community’s ability to meet the moment and answer that call to action: Babson College has ascended to the rank of second best college in the country by The Wall Street Journal.

We have long asserted our place as the global leader for entrepreneurship education as evidenced by our decades-long recognition as the No. 1 school for entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report. To once again earn recognition as a top college in the country speaks to our status as a leader beyond entrepreneurship.

This remarkable milestone holds great significance for Babson. More so, it holds great significance for entrepreneurship—a discipline once thought to be too niche to dedicate significant academic focus or resources.

Our status as the second best college in the country is a signal to the world that the study of entrepreneurship has transcended business education. To be an entrepreneur is to be an innovative changemaker in any field or industry. It’s to be a champion for progress where our world needs it most. To be an entrepreneur is to be a leader who takes charge in the face of adversity without fear of uncertainty.

This ranking places Babson College in exceptional company. Whereas Princeton, Stanford, and Yale have long been symbols of excellence in higher education, Babson now joins this prestigious cohort. This recognition is an important signal that entrepreneurship has grown to be recognized as a core competency across academia and beyond—something we have known all along. Babson’s status as the second best college signals the world needs entrepreneurial leaders now more than ever.

Babson reaches this historic moment on your shoulders. This recognition is made possible by our students and their thirst for finding solutions to tomorrow’s greatest challenges. It’s possible because of our faculty of practitioners and thought leaders who are at the center of academic rigor and exploration. It’s thanks to our exceptional staff who keep our campus operational and ensure our community is supported. It’s thanks to the leadership of our governance members and their ongoing commitment to our future. And it’s because of our scores of successful alumni who have shown the world firsthand what can be accomplished with a Babson degree.

We are here because of you.

Together, we are poised to expand our reach and ensure that Babson continues to make bold impacts in entrepreneurship and beyond for generations to come.

We will undoubtedly share moments to celebrate this achievement for our community in the coming weeks. For now, please know how proud of—and appreciative for—you I am.

With gratitude,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,

Today, we embark on the beginning of our next chapters at Babson College. We do so on a foundation of historic accomplishments.

Last year was full of milestone moments and memorable achievements. We were named the 10th best college in the country and No. 1 for career preparation by The Wall Street Journal and retained our decades-long place as U.S. News & World Report’s No. 1 undergraduate and MBA entrepreneurship programs in the country. Our new graduates achieved record outcomes for employment and starting salaries. And, our faculty and staff continued to be recognized around the world for their thought leadership and innovative pedagogy.

These valuable recognitions hold great significance. They signal that Babson—and our students, faculty, staff, and alumni—has ascended to a new leadership position across higher education and across the globe.

Accepting that mantle of responsibility can be daunting for high achievers. New beginnings are designed to feel immense and uncertain. But, in that space of uncertainty is where entrepreneurial leaders thrive. The distant horizon is where we innovate best. It’s where we can imagine new ways of creating and doing that can move society forward. That is the hallmark of successful entrepreneurship—and of this community.

As you begin the new academic year, whether this is your first as a member of our community or you are adding to your Babson legacy, I challenge you to start page one of your new chapters with great aspirations. Today represents the unwrapping of a canvas that is ripe with potential for audacity and innovation. Envision big things, then iterate continuously. Try new approaches and fail along the way. That’s what learning, teaching, and working on a college campus is all about. Because at Babson, there will always be someone to lift you up and provide the spark to move forward.

Remember, too, that we will have differences of opinions, beliefs, and approaches to complex societal issues along the way. Those differences play an important role in the entrepreneurial process, helping us understand and appreciate different perspectives. Through our contrasts, we must commit to always respecting our peers and colleagues. That is what allows us to thrive as One Babson.

I look forward to building on our successes. I am invigorated by how you will solve problems, create value, and make Babson proud.

My best,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,  

Earlier this week, I shared news that Dr. Ariel C. Armony will join our community as Provost and Executive Vice President this fall. I am pleased to build on that momentum and announce two new leadership appointments that will support and enhance the ways we teach and learn.  
 
Dr. Donna Stoddard has been named Dean of Faculty, and Caitlin Capozzi has been named Vice President for Learner Success and Dean of Campus Life. Donna and Caitlin have been instrumental leaders in higher education for decades and together bring more than 40 years of Babson experience to these important leadership roles. 
  
Dr. Donna Stoddard has held numerous important roles throughout the ranks of faculty at Babson over a nearly 30-year span, most recently as Associate Dean of Faculty and Chair of the Operations & Information Management Division. Her research exploring how companies leverage enterprise systems to improve communication and collaboration has added significant value and thought leadership to Babson’s curricular offerings and research initiatives.   
 
Throughout her Babson career, Donna has taught undergraduate, graduate, and executive education courses related to management information systems, entrepreneurship, and business strategy. She has served as the faculty mentor to Babson’s cohort of Posse students, an experience she credits as one of her most rewarding while at the College. Prior to arriving at Babson, Donna served as a faculty member at Harvard Business School, where she taught in the MBA and executive education programs. Her research and case studies have been widely published and currently focus on block chain, technology entrepreneurship, electronic commerce, managing the IT infrastructure, and IT business innovation. 
 
I am thankful for the work of the Dean of Faculty Search Committee and their commitment to identifying an internal leader to take the helm of this important leadership role. Their time and efforts ensured a thorough evaluation of the experience required to successfully support Babson’s faculty and thought leaders.   
 
Caitlin Capozzi has been a leader in Learner Success and Campus Life at Babson for 13 years. She most recently served as the Dean of Students, where she played an integral role in ensuring Babson’s rich student engagement offerings are aligned and meaningful. Her support of important student life groups, including Student and Family Engagement, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Residence Education, Housing and Dining Operations, Orientation, Community Standards, Multicultural and Identity Programs, and BabsonARTS, has equipped her well to lead Babson’s many student experience initiatives. 
 
Caitlin’s collaborative approach to informing and supporting students will ensure that Babson’s learners continue to have access to enriching cocurricular experiences. As Dean of Students, she has overseen the College’s on-call system managing student-related emergencies and served as a Deputy Title IX Coordinator, experiences that underscore her commitment to campus safety and student wellness. 
 
Donna and Caitlin will report to our new leader of Academic Affairs Ariel Armony, and their respective offices will fall under the scope of the Office of the Provost. All three will serve as members of my President’s Council. I look forward to the ways these senior leaders will support our students and faculty as our community of entrepreneurial leaders aspires for a new level of excellence. Together, I am confident that Ariel, Donna, and Caitlin will enhance the Babson experience for years to come. 
 
Please join me in congratulating Donna and Caitlin on their new appointments. 
 
My best,

Steve

Dear Babson Community,

As we look to build upon a milestone year for Babson ahead of the fall semester, I am proud to share that Dr. Ariel C. Armony will join our community as Provost and Executive Vice President.  

Ariel comes to Babson from the University of Pittsburgh, where he currently serves as Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs and Director of the University Center for International Studies. In this capacity, Ariel has been responsible for forging new international partnerships and deepening the University’s reach and impact—experience that positions him well to lead Babson’s global approach to educating the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. He has been a passionate leader and advocate for faculty research, innovative pedagogy, and diversity across academia throughout his career.  

As Vice Chancellor, Ariel 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.

Ariel’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 of 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 Ariel 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. Ariel has been published on such topics at length in acclaimed university presses including those at Cambridge, Stanford, and the University of California.

Prior to assuming his role of Vice Chancellor, Ariel advanced through positions at Pittsburgh including Vice Provost for Global Affairs and Senior Director for International Programs. He previously led the University of Miami’s Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas and has been a Fulbright scholar, Rockefeller Foundation scholar, and residential fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. 

Babson’s influence and success as a global leader in higher education and entrepreneurship are certain to be amplified with Ariel at the helm of the College’s academic innovation. His ability to connect global thought leaders in conjunction with a commitment to student success will impact all facets of the ways we teach and learn. 

Ariel joins our community with a longstanding appreciation for Babson’s approach to entrepreneurship education. 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.  

The national search for the next leader of Academic Affairs was conducted with rigor. Careful consideration was given to assessing the caliber of leader required to build on Babson’s proven Entrepreneurial Thought & Action paradigm. I am grateful for the extensive work of the Provost Search Committee, comprised of faculty and administrators, who committed substantial time to this important process. Their commitment to these efforts yielded an inclusive search process, which engaged our full community through multiple input sessions to ensure their work was informed by a broad base of campus stakeholders. I am also thankful for the guidance of the renowned firm Isaacson Miller, who facilitated our extensive search. The committee’s work yielded many exceptional candidates for this role, and I am certain that Ariel is the leader of this impressive group.

The leadership role that Ariel will hold is a direct result of Babson’s community-driven organizational redesign process. Supported by faculty feedback collected through the COACHE survey and the findings of EY-Parthenon’s organizational assessment, community input was integral to our efforts to bring Ariel to Babson.  

Ariel is an avid hiker, a hobby that led him to cross Thorong La in the Himalayas, one of the highest mountain passes in the world. He has lived in four continents, written for television, and directed theater. He is married to Mirna Kolbowski, who has extensive financial experience in banking, higher education, and the non-profit sector. Together, they have two sons, Ian and Alan, who live in New York City. As a family, they enjoy grilling and watching soccer—especially when Lionel Messi plays.

Ariel will assume this important position by the middle of the fall semester. I will share additional updates related to academic and student leadership at Babson soon. In the interim, please join me in welcoming Ariel to the Babson community of entrepreneurial leaders.  

My best,

Steve