Illustration: Joao Fazenda
One person at Babson who inspired me was Shatiek Gatlin ’16. He saw my potential before I did. He was the president of the Black Student Union, and he asked me to be the vice president of marketing. He also tutored me. We usually met in Reynolds to do work, and he helped me with some of my most stressful classes. Most importantly, he was a friend and mentor. He got me through some tough life situations. He let me cry on his shoulder when times were unbearable, and then he wiped my tears and pushed me back out into this scary world. He gave me the confidence and tools to realize that I am enough, and that I am destined for greatness.—Caitlyn Pobee ’18
At Babson, you’ll be inspired on most days, whether by professors or classmates. But occasionally during stressful times, when finals are approaching or a presentation is due, inspiration can be hard to find.
For the past two years, though, I’ve been inspired without fail by the Olin Cafe staff. Sometimes it’s Jenny or Carmen, sometimes it’s Alejandro. I’m at the cafe every day, sometimes more than once, and they always have a smile, a word of encouragement, and easy banter that lets you know they care. The world is a brighter, happier place thanks to them.—Saachi Singh, MBA’18
Multiple people inspired me at Babson, but if I have to choose one, I would pick Dwight Gertz, senior lecturer in management. He was my professor for my BCAP consulting project and my decisions class. His thoughtfulness and perspective helped me to think differently.
One thing in particular I will never forget about him: his ability to see the world and view global business as something simple and achievable. He inspired me to set bigger and more ambitious goals for my career. At Babson I launched Waku, a food and beverage company sharing healthy traditions from the Andes Mountains in Ecuador. It was conceived as a global brand since its first day, and professor Gertz inspired me to pursue that goal with even more confidence.—Juan Giraldo, MBA’18
My coach, Julie Ryan, along with all of my field hockey teammates, especially my four fellow seniors, have cheered me on since my first day at Babson. Being part of the team pushed me to work harder and inspired me to set higher goals for myself both on and off the field.
My senior teammates and I have grown together over our four years here, and I can’t thank them enough for motivating and supporting me every step of the way. This team has made my college career into an experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.—Jessica Kelley ’18