Babson’s Blank Center Wins Prestigious GCEC Award

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Closeup photo of the Nasdaq Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence Award

The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College recently won the Nasdaq Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Award at the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) Conference in Las Vegas.

The award represents the highest honor that a university entrepreneurship center can receive. The Nasdaq award honors the entrepreneurship centers that have made and will continue to make enormous contributions in advancing entrepreneurship as the force in economic growth throughout the world.

Babson’s Blank Center also won the prestigious award in 2002, becoming one of just a handful of entrepreneurship centers to earn the GCEC honor multiple times in the 23-year history of the award. The competition this year was particularly strong with a record-breaking number of nominations (128).

“We’re honored to receive this special recognition,” said Smaiyra Million, Blank Center executive director. “Since its founding, the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship has been at the leading edge of entrepreneurship education and the advancement of entrepreneurship. To receive this award again 20 years later, validates the continuing work of our center’s staff, faculty, and students, to keep Babson innovating and advancing the field of entrepreneurship.”

This was the second year that the award was given in two categories, based on enrollment. Babson’s Blank Center won the small-school category (fewer than 5,000 students), and Iowa State University’s Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship was honored in the 5,000-plus students category.

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