24 Photos from 2024: A Year in Review

It was a very good year. An unprecedented year.

In 2024, Babson College reached new heights, highlighted by The Wall Street Journal ranking that proclaimed Babson the No. 2 Best College in the United States.

The high-profile, lofty ranking was only part of the College’s story in 2024.

Babson opened the Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village, dedicated the new C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship, marked the 10th anniversary of the Master of Science in Management in Entrepreneurial Leadership (MSEL) program, and launched its new Doctor of Business Administration Program (DBA).

Amid the comings and goings, the College hosted the likes of Frank & Eileen CEO and founder (and Babson Trustee) Audrey McLoghlin, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, AI expert Rumman Chowdhury, and world renowned opera soprano Karen Slack on campus, among a multitude of alumni and entrepreneurial leaders.

A Babson MBA alumnus scored on “Shark Tank,” and the College honored two legendary coaches in Judy Blinstrub and Jon Anderson ’75, P’04 ’08 ’13 ’13.

And, women’s tennis players Matia Cristiani ’26 and Olivia Soffer ’25 teamed up to win the NCAA Division 3 national championship in doubles—Babson’s first women student-athletes to win a national title.

Along the way, Babson photographer Nic Czarnecki captured moments—big and small—across campus. Here are 24 of his favorite photos from 2024, along with links to some of our favorite stories of the year.

The Year Ahead

Students ring in the start of the semester Jan. 16 with greetings for arriving students. It was the start of an incredible year of success and achievements for the College and its students, faculty, and alumni.

• 2024: A Year of Collaboration and Innovation at the Blank School
• The Forefront of Entrepreneurial Leadership: Q&A with Blank School CEO Donna Levin

MLK Legacy Day

Wes Woodson ’20 returned to Babson to deliver a moving and inspirational message Feb. 15 as the keynote speaker at Babson’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Day event.

• Wes Woodson ’20 Forges a Career to Help Humanity
• At MLK Legacy Day, an Empowering Call for the Harmony of Self-Care and Success

Circle of Scholars

A group of scholarship recipients—clockwise, from left: Madison Grogan ’24, Nate Herring ’24, Luz Torres-Huerta ’24, Colby Martel ’24, Dominique Miles MBA’24, and Mpho Montsho ’24—pose for a photo March 1 for a Babson Magazine story about the impact of scholarships.

• The Ripple Effect of Scholarships

As the Globe Turns

The Babson World Globe spins amid a glorious twilight sky March 14 in a time-lapse photo. Babson’s impact around the world was exemplified in countless ways during the year, including the return of Babson Connect Worldwide in Singapore.

• Learning, Networking, and Connecting in Singapore

Solar Eclipse

All glasses-covered eyes turned to the skies April 8, as the Babson community was captivated by the solar eclipse, the first experienced on campus since 2017.

• A Babson Eclipse Celebration: Moon Pies, Sun Chips, and Roger the Dog

Study Room

A student finds a quiet place to work April 22 in a study room at Park Manor West. Babson’s unique curriculum continues to draw accolades, and new research showed the impact of the College’s signature Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME) course.

• A New Landmark Study Examines the Impact of the Babson FME

Commencement

Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98, the owner and chairman of the Blank Family of Businesses, returned to campus to deliver the Commencement address at the undergraduate ceremony May 11. At the graduate ceremony, Trustee Eric Johnson ’72, H’24, P’08 and his daughter, Erin Tolefree H’24, leaders of the Baldwin Richardson Foods Company, made history with the College’s first joint Commencement address.

• Commencement Speakers to Class of 2024: Values Are Your Guiding Principles

Amid a rain of confetti, new Babson graduates celebrate their hard-earned degrees at the close of the graduate Commencement ceremony May 11.

• Family Ties at Babson’s 2024 Commencement

Meet Gracie

Gracie, a Goldador, roams the campus June 4 after joining the Babson College Public Safety Department as a community resource dog, teaming up with Roger, the golden retriever who has served since 2021.

• Babson College Welcomes New Community Resource Dog, Gracie

Babson Pride

Dozens of Babson’s LGBTQ+ community, joined by allies, family, and friends, turned out in force to participate in the Boston Pride Parade on June 8, marking the 40th anniversary of Babson Pride.

• Babson Pride’s Ethan Ide ’26 Unites Campus and Community at Boston Pride Parade

Move-in Day

Upperclass students greet first-year students at the front gate as they arrive on campus for move-in day Aug. 22.

• With a Team of Helping Hands, Babson’s Class of 2028 Moves In
• Building New Memories: Students and Families Share Their First Day at Babson

Welcome, Class of 2028

The Class of 2028 marks the start of their Babson journey with a group “Big B” photo Aug. 23 on the Park Manor Quad.

• The Entrepreneurial Spirit Runs Through the Class of 2028

New Provost Arrives

Dr. Ariel C. Armony meets Roger (left) and Gracie during a campus visit Aug. 28. Armony joined the Babson community as provost and executive vice president from the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as vice chancellor for global affairs and director of the University Center for International Studies.

• Babson Announces Dr. Ariel C. Armony as New Provost and Executive Vice President
• Videos: New Provost’s ‘Emphasis on Personal Connections’. Plus, New Provost on Innovation and Change and Developing Entrepreneurial Leaders.

First Night in Olin

Graduate students congregate Aug. 28 at Olin Hall, beginning their journey at the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business during the traditional First Night at Olin. Earlier in the year, Babson ranked No. 1 for Best MBA in Entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report for the 31st consecutive year. 

• Continuing to Lead: No. 1 MBA in Entrepreneurship for 31 Years

Founder’s Day

Biz E. Beaver celebrates Founder’s Day with students on Sept. 5, just days before Babson was named the No. 1 undergraduate school for entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report for the 28th consecutive time.

• The Good News Continues: Babson Ranks No. 1 for Entrepreneurship Again

The No. 2 Best College in America

The Babson community celebrated its newest ranking accomplishment Sept. 10 after being ranked the No. 2 Best College in the United States by The Wall Street Journal.

• Babson College Climbs to No. 2 in Wall Street Journal’s Rankings of the Best Colleges in the U.S.

President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD signs a commemorative banner proclaiming the historic designation at the Sept. 10 campus celebration of the No. 2 ranking.

• Babson Pride: Alumni Celebrate College’s Historic No. 2 Ranking

Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village

The new Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village (HELV)—a transformative and innovative living-and-learning space—opens its door with a celebratory community event Sept. 12. The new village, including state-of-the-art classrooms, collaborative spaces such as the Global Outreach Studio, and the Village Coffee House, is the largest residence hall on campus and the new home to FME classes.

• Babson’s New HELV Is Now Open for Business
• Investing in the Power of Education at the HELV
• HELV’s Cutting-Edge Classrooms Usher in a New Era of Education

Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship

C. Dean Metropoulos ’67, MBA’68 (second from right) cuts the ribbon Sept. 27 at the dedication of the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship, alongside (from left) Board of Trustees Chair Jeffery Perry ’87, P’23; President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD; Associate Professor Erik Noyes, director of The Generator, Babson’s AI lab; and Muya Guoji ’25, Babson Artificial Intelligence Club president. (Photo: Laurie Swope)

• Empowering the Future at the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship 

Competitive Spirit

Babson students are collaborative and competitive, and have plenty of opportunities to test their mettle throughout the year, from signature events such as the B.E.T.A. Challenge to the 14th annual Babson Trading Center (above) on Oct. 30 at the Cutler Center.

• Carlos Roberto Dias Neto MSF’25 Wins 14th Annual Babson Trading Competition
• B.E.T.A. Challenge Winners Rack Up Double the Awards

Caroline Huo ’24, Kunru Li ’24, Sofia Caffer ’26, and Lea Altshoul ’24 pose for a photo with their winning check Nov. 13 as the runner-up team at the inaugural Health Pitch, organized by the Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Hoffman Family Undergraduate Center for Career Development, and the Healthcare and Biotech Club, with support from the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship and the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship.

• Health Innovation Takes Center Stage at Babson’s First Health Pitch

GCEC at Babson

Donna Levin (above), CEO of The Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership, speaks Nov. 15 at the opening of the 28th annual conference of the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC), which returned to Babson for the first time since 2003.

• The GCEC Conference Brings Entrepreneurship Educators to Babson

Heidi Neck, the Jeffry A. Timmons Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies, delivers a captivating keynote address Nov. 16 at the GCEC conference, which brought a record of more than 700 entrepreneurship educators, thought leaders, and entrepreneurship center directors to campus for the prestigious event.

• Lateral Thinking and Awe Walks: Heidi Neck Shares Recipe for Entrepreneurial Growth at GCEC

Let It Snow

The first snowfall of the year decorated the Babson campus Dec. 5, introducing a new visitor just in time for finals and the holiday season.

• Unscripted Moment: Snow Day

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Tagged Alumni, Campus, Faculty, Undergraduate, Graduate, Entrepreneurship Education, Student Life

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