As a Presidency Ends, a Time to Reflect

As with any graduation, Babson’s Commencement ceremonies in May made for a day full of endings, of old chapters closing and new ones beginning. That was certainly true for the students and their families in attendance. But, on the stage, Kerry Healey, Babson’s 13th president and the first woman to hold the post, also was coming to the end of a chapter in her own personal story.

Set to step down as Babson’s leader at the end of June, she was attending her last Commencement as president. Standing at the podium, she told the graduates to be bold. “Embrace risk,” she said. “Trust your gut. Ignore your critics. Your entrepreneurial mindset, skill set, and spirit will guide you.”

She also told graduates that they are now part of the larger Babson community, which can offer support and guidance as they go through life. “It’s a community characterized by respect and inclusivity, by creativity, resilience, innovation, and leadership,” she said. “The Babson community can go with you wherever you go.”

Thanks and Gratitude

For the last six years, Kerry Healey has served as the leader of that community. She leaves behind an impressive list of accomplishments: launching the Institute for Family Entrepreneurship, increasing diversity on campus, establishing the Global Scholars Program, ramping up alumni giving, and transforming the look of campus through an extensive building program.

One of those building projects, the creation of a park along College Drive, was recently named in her honor. The park houses the relocated Babson World Globe, and people stopping to take pictures with the iconic piece of Babson history already are becoming a common sight on campus.

Later during Commencement, Marla Capozzi MBA’96, chair of Babson’s Board of Trustees, took time to express gratitude for Healey’s many achievements. “Thank you, President Healey, for your global vision and your belief in the transformative power of entrepreneurship,” she said. “That has enabled Babson to enter our second century as the continued No. 1 leader in entrepreneurial education.”

Read more about Healey and her time as Babson’s leader in the article “A President Looks Back.” The article, which appeared in the spring 2019 issue of the Babson Magazine, reveals what Healey will miss most about the College, as well as her thoughts on her successor, Stephen Spinelli, Jr. MBA ‘92, PhD, who is set to become president on July 1.

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Tagged Babson Magazine, Women's Leadership, Advice

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