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.
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