From Chopsticks to Robots: Discover the Surprises of Babson’s HELV

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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.

| August 27, 2024

A blond-wood ceiling and fireplace give the Village Coffee House a cozy vibe at the new HELV. (Photo: Nic Czarnecki/Babson College)

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Around every freshly painted corner, tucked behind newly installed windows, and percolating in the dark-roast coffee served at Babson’s newly constructed Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village (HELV), there are surprises and stories just waiting to be unveiled.

A blonde-wood workstation in the hallway, for example, is a marvel of design and sustainability, made out of 39,000 disposable chopsticks that were diverted from landfills to be made into furniture from ChopValue. The global company seeks to reuse some of the 1.5 billion disposable chopsticks used around the world per week.

“People always ask about the table, and they’re impressed when they hear it’s made of recycled chopsticks,” said D.R. Widder MBA’99, the vice president of innovation at Babson College. The Boston-based Vietnamese food chain Bon Me is one of the many companies that donate their disposable chopsticks to the company.

This workstation at the HELV is made of 29,000 recycled chopsticks. (Photo: Nic Czarnecki/Babson College)

That’s just one example of the innovations at the HELV, a first-of-its-kind living and learning community dedicated to entrepreneurial leadership. The visionary village–made possible by the generosity of the Herring Family, a founding gift from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and other donors–incorporates innovative new spaces and opportunities to learn, engage, and collaborate.

The building also features three new classrooms equipped with the latest technology to enhance the learning experience. Mechanized lecterns allow faculty to switch between desk and standing configurations, while expansive windows bring the beauty of Babson’s campus into the classrooms. These windows also hide sliding panels that reveal massive whiteboards, offering a versatile space for interactive learning.

Featuring the largest residence hall on campus and the new home of Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME), the HELV has many other standout features that Babson staff, students, and faculty will have a chance to explore.

ELVis Has Entered the Building

A wall of windows brings the outdoors in to the HELV's Village Coffee House. (PHOTO: Nic Czarnecki) — Enjoy some Bean & Bean coffee while sitting by this wall of windows at the HELV’s Village Coffee House. (Photo: Nic Czarnecki/Babson College)

Visitors to the HELV might run into ELVis, a telepresence robot that allows remote participants to interact in physical spaces.

The 4-foot telescoping mobile robot can zip quietly around the halls with an iPad screen at the top that features the face of whoever is operating the robot.

“If someone wants to tour the new building or attend an event from another country, they can teleport into ELVis and physically make their way around the building,” Widder said.

Village Coffee House: A Taste of Sustainability

The Village Coffee House, in addition to serving up focaccia sandwiches, crisp salads, and house-made baked goods, is serving up Bean & Bean coffee. The New York City brand is run by a mother-daughter team—Rachel and Jiyoon Han, both Q Arabica Graders—known for their ethically sourced beans and their support of sustainable farming practices that also empower female-owned and/or operated coffee farms and mills.

Global Outreach Studio: Bridging the Gap Between Virtual and Physical Worlds

The HELV’s interactive Global Outreach Studio is designed to create an engaging, accessible environment that bridges the gap between in-person and virtual experiences, while encouraging participation from around the world.

The Global Outreach Studio at the HELV offers a range of ways to make virtual events more personal. (Photo: Nic Czarnecki/Babson College)

Inspired by the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library, the studio allows for both physical and virtual participation by offering multiple large screens that can display virtual participants at nearly life-size, making them feel almost as present as those attending in person.

“It’s meant to host a more fluid mix of events, with the ability to stream events globally with ease or feature guests from around the world,” Widder said. It also features a fireplace for true “fireside chats” and is outfitted for podcast recordings.

Babson’s new Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village has a world of innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurial spirit. Whether you’re a student, faculty member, or visitor, the HELV offers a dynamic environment designed to inspire and engage.

Posted in Community

Tagged Campus, Faculty, Graduate, Student Life, Undergraduate, Sustainability