George Recck ’82, MBA’84 has been a landmark on the Babson campus for more than 40 years. He’s held almost every role you can hold at Babson. Undergraduate student. Graduate student. Staff member. Today, he’s a member of the faculty. No matter which way you spin it, Recck is a Babson staple.
Why so much Babson? For Recck it’s about his journey, his connections with students, and his excitement for Babson’s second century.
From Student, to Staff, to Faculty
A recommendation from his high school guidance counselor ultimately led Recck to Babson as an undergraduate student. He didn’t even visit the campus before applying. He got in and began to engrain himself in the Babson community.
After returning home to a full house of siblings after his first year, he came back ready to stay at Babson the next summer. So he got a job in the computer center and was quickly offered a full-time job. Recck finished his last two years balancing life as a full-time student and as an employee. Not a story you hear every day.
After Commencement, he immediately began Babson’s MBA program. He was able to finish his graduate degree in two years. It amounts to a whirlwind of Babson education in a short period of time. Recalls Recck, “Six years, two degrees, no waiting.”
All this while remaining an employee in the computer center. Then came the fateful day: he was asked to cover a class. He subbed in to teach linear systems. And there it began—at the age of 24, Recck started his time as a faculty member.
The Recck Connection
Recck is known for many things on the Babson campus, but his most notable trademark is the relationships he fosters with his students. His Rolodex is filled with students he remains in touch with. Those connections span from the classes of 1985 to 2018. And he’s got a story for every single one of them.
He’ll catch a baseball game with an alumnus. He has often been invited to stay with their families in their homes. He even advises past students on their businesses, from large corporations to smaller startups—Recck is a go-to advisor for many of the most successful alumni coming out of Babson. There’s a common thread that Recck believes ties all of his student connections together—the Babson DNA.
“There is an affinity of the Babson DNA; a lot of us who come here share that DNA around business and Entrepreneurial Thought & Action®,” says Recck. “You can sit down and have a five-hour conversation about someone’s business and not feel like five minutes has passed.”
Babson’s Second Century
A 40-year tenure means Recck has seen the College undergo a host of changes. With the Centennial here, he’s optimistic about the future. Babson is very well positioned to go in a number of directions, he says. And he is confident that the leadership of the College can take us there.
“The new faculty that have been hired in the last five to 10 years are unbelievable,” says Recck. “They have incredibly impressive résumés and research. And they’re great teachers.”
He sees lots of potential in Babson leveraging its strong return on investment ranking and reinforcing that Babson students are the future business leaders of the world. Says Recck, “We are beginning to be truly recognized for that fact: our graduates are ready to work.”
Considering another Babson degree? The Second-Century Alumni Grant is for you.
Posted in Campus & Community
