Composite of 10 photos from the 10 stories
Year in Review: Favorite Stories of 2025 Another year, another No. 2 ranking, another national championship. Amid all the accolades this year, here are 10 of our favorite stories of 2025.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
December 26, 2025

Posted in Community

two people hold hands
The Web of Humanity: How a Babson Alumnus’ Foundation Transforms Lives Around the World Joe Hoffman ’75 founded the KNL Foundation to help the disadvantaged. As an entrepreneurial leader, he brings together those with “open hearts” to make a difference.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
December 19, 2025

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership

Student presenting with a group in front of a class
Babson Undergraduates Deliver Real-World Solutions for Senior Living Community Babson students in the Sustainable Operations and Innovation class presented sustainability solutions for local senior living community North Hill as part of a months-long consulting project collaboration.
By
Melissa Savignano
Writer
Melissa Savignano
Melissa Savignano, a content marketing manager at Babson College, has worked in higher education for almost a decade, where she tells authentic, compelling campus and community stories. Before Babson, she managed communications for Boston University’s largest college, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She previously worked in client relations, helping brands of various sizes launch content marketing strategies and storytelling initiatives. When not at work, you will find her in the city of Boston, probably at the movie theater.
December 18, 2025

Posted in Community

Jamie Siminoff gestures while speaking during the recording of the podcast
WATCH: Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21 Discusses the Ups and Downs of His Ring Journey In the fourth episode of Season 2 of “From Problems to Possibilities,” watch the full interview with Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21, the founder of Ring, about facing rejection and self-doubt and then a moment of self-reflection.
By
December 17, 2025

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Outcomes

Side-by-side headshots of Aaron Walton and Alex Smith
The Babson Effect: Alumni Bonds That Launch Careers—and Bring Them Full Circle When Aaron Walton ’83—whose first career break came from a Babson alumnus—hired Alex Smith ’08 as his personal business manager in 2024, it was another classic example of Babson’s top-ranked alumni network in action.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
December 16, 2025

Posted in Community, Outcomes

Male college student meets with campus counselor
Here’s How Colleges Can Better Support Students’ Well-Being to Improve Their Success College students are reporting lower rates of depressive symptoms and anxiety for the third year in a row, but the mental health crisis is far from over, writes Babson College’s Ryan Travia for The Conversation.
By
December 10, 2025

Posted in Insights

Chicken sandwich
The Rise of Chicken, the Decline of Pizza Hut, and Other Franchising Trends Ab Igram MBA’96, of Babson’s Tariq Farid Franchise Institute, surveys the state of franchising. From the familiar names to the up-and-coming ventures, he talks chicken, sandwiches, and, uh, pet waste scooping.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
December 9, 2025

Posted in Insights

The Retailing Management course with Jaylen Brown and Joel Kamm MBA’12 outside their pop-up event.
Hands-On, All-In: Babson’s Retailing Management Students Create Unforgettable Pop-Up Experience The Retailing Management class, composed of mostly fourth-year students, brought experiential learning to life, executing a campus pop-up event with Jaylen Brown’s 741 Performance brand, culminating in all they’ve learned at Babson.
By
Melissa Savignano
Writer
Melissa Savignano
Melissa Savignano, a content marketing manager at Babson College, has worked in higher education for almost a decade, where she tells authentic, compelling campus and community stories. Before Babson, she managed communications for Boston University’s largest college, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She previously worked in client relations, helping brands of various sizes launch content marketing strategies and storytelling initiatives. When not at work, you will find her in the city of Boston, probably at the movie theater.
December 8, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Babson college students in an improvisational comedy club.
From Stage to Startup: This Improv Group Prepares Babson Students for Boardroom Success  Students Against Gravity, Babson’s long-running improvisational comedy group, blends creativity and business insight, teaching students how to adapt, collaborate, and communicate under pressure.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
December 4, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Ahmed Ahmed poses for a portrait photo
Five Things to Know About Ahmed Ahmed, One of Poets & Quants’ Best Undergraduate Professors Ahmed Ahmed, who was named to Poets & Quants’ list of 50 Best Undergraduate Business Professors of 2025, shares some fun facts, including his childhood ambitions and his passion for underdog soccer teams.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
December 3, 2025

Posted in Community, Outcomes