On Centennial Founder’s Day, a Celebration for Babson

Writer

Kait Smith Lanthier

Kait Smith Lanthier is the Director, Content Strategy at Babson College and the Managing Editor of Babson Thought & Action. Her writing has appeared in print and online in a variety of outlets including USA Today, Yahoo Shine, YourTango, CosmoGirl, and First for Women magazine. Smith earned her undergraduate degree in journalism and graduate degree in integrated marketing, both from Marist College.

| September 4, 2019

Listen

On September 3, 1919, a group of 27 students gathered in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, at the home of Roger and Grace Babson. That gathering was the very first class offered by the Babson Institute.

Today, 100 years later, we celebrate that pivotal moment, which put Babson College on the path to changing how the world does business, and putting the power of entrepreneurship in the most hands, and places, as possible.

Founder’s Day, which dates to 1947, recognizes Roger W. Babson, founder and first president of Babson College, and honors his passion for entrepreneurship, education, and philanthropy.

The impact of Babson—both the founder and the College itself—can best be seen through the eyes of students and alumni. Like Leslie Parra ’19, a recent graduate and Posse scholar.

“I’ve been able to truly find myself at Babson,” says Parra. “If I were to describe the community here at Babson, the one word I can think of is supportive in the most all-encompassing way.”

This spring, Parra and classmate Adam Kershner ’19 were named among the best and brightest business majors by Poets & Quants. Both scholarship recipients—Kershner was a Presidential scholar—the College’s longstanding tradition of philanthropy helped make their education possible.

An education, Kershner says, with endless possibilities.

“The Babson experience is so unique,” he says. “The biggest enlightenment I’ve had from studying business at Babson is all of the different things you can do with a business degree. … We’re all interested in business, but we’re not all the same person.”

The 2019 Centennial Founder’s Day, on Thursday, September 5, pays tribute to the impact the college has had and will have in its next century. It’s also a celebration tradition both new and old—a nod to the College’s storied past and promising future. Among the day’s events: the ribbon cutting for the new Babson Recreation and Athletics Complex (BRAC), and Make Your Mark, a single extraordinary day of giving that has become a worldwide celebration of the College community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1XSQbsrC6o&feature=youtu.be

Posted in Community

Tagged Centennial, Campus

Latest Stories

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

Tagged Alumni, Campus, Entrepreneurship, Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Entrepreneurship of All Kinds

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

Tagged Alumni, Faculty, Campus, Student Life

Posted in Community