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.
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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

Jaylen Brown and Biz E. Beaver pose for a photo in front of a tent on campus
Big Man on Campus: Basketball Star Jaylen Brown Visits Babson As part of a Retailing Management class project, NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown made an appearance at a pop-up store on campus, posing for pictures and signing autographs.
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

An Amazon returns drop-off desk at a Kohl's store
Retailers Are Quietly Changing Their Return Policies—Here’s Why You Should Be on the Lookout As the holiday shopping season heats up, so do returns. They might seem simple and easy, but retailers are changing their policies. Here’s what you need to know this shopping season, writes Professor Lauren Beitelspacher for The Conversation.
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November 27, 2025

Posted in Insights

A portrait shot of Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21
The Biggest Miss in “Shark Tank” History: Ring Founder Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21 Looks Back At a fireside chat, Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21 spoke of his “Shark Tank” appearance, which didn’t end in a deal but gave his fledgling company critical exposure. Without it, he says, “Ring would not exist.”
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.
November 24, 2025

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership

Real estate developer and babson professors discuss inclusive excellence in business.
Just Start: How to Turn Inclusive Excellence into Entrepreneurial Activity At Babson’s Inclusive Excellence Summit, real estate developer Richard Taylor demonstrates how inclusion becomes a competitive advantage while impacting the community.
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.
November 20, 2025

Posted in Community

Donna Levin sits on stage with four other leaders from Babson
Exploring the Evolution of the Blank School: A Conversation with CEO Donna Levin  In a new Q&A, Donna Levin, CEO of the Blank School, reflects on how it evolved from a “startup within a college” into a campus-wide engine for ideas, collaboration, and purpose-driven leadership.
By
November 20, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership