President Spinelli Reflects on Rankings, Leadership, and Planning for Babson’s Future

President Spinelli with students at orientation
Listen

Today, U.S. News & World Report named Babson the No. 1 undergraduate school for entrepreneurship for the 23rd consecutive time. This recognition highlights our continued leadership in entrepreneurship education and honors the achievements and successes of the entire Babson community. As we mark our Centennial, Babson College has much to celebrate and much to be proud of.

With recognition comes responsibility.

The world and workplace are rapidly evolving, and higher education, along with nearly every other sector, is being disrupted. As the best school for entrepreneurship, Babson is uniquely positioned—even obligated—to shift the paradigm and lead the change that today’s environment demands.

We will do this by heeding our advice and drawing on the skills and competencies that we teach and live every day: seek opportunity; collaborate; embrace uncertainty; think deeply; act decisively. We will use an entrepreneurial approach to tackle the challenges facing higher education and extend our leadership in the field.

Babson is actively planning and preparing to do just that. In May, we launched a comprehensive effort to develop a shared strategic plan for Babson to thrive in a changing environment. Since then, the Babson community has provided more than 2,600 inputs—sharing ideas in person and virtually to inform and guide ongoing planning efforts. Embedded in that exercise, we are exploring innovative ways to extend and enhance the Babson experience. This work is happening rapidly, and we plan to deliver a strategic framework to the Board of Trustees in October.

A Babson degree has never been more valuable: 99 percent of undergraduates are employed within six months of graduation and PayScale recently named Babson the top business school in the country for salary. Yet we know that remaining on the cutting edge requires ongoing leadership, innovation ,and planning. So, we’re doubling up on entrepreneurship, extending our network, and curating experiences that set us apart and create lifelong value for our students, alumni, and community.

The U.S. News & World Report ranking is energizing and motivating not just because it is a significant achievement, but because it catalyzes us to do more and go further. To lead. It is a validation of who we are as an institution, but more importantly, it gives us the power and the mandate to do what we do best: employ an entrepreneurial approach to transform higher education and make a difference in the world.

Posted in Community

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Jamie Siminoff gestures while speaking during the recording of the podcast
WATCH: Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21 Discusses the Ups and Downs of His Ring Journey In the fourth episode of Season 2 of “From Problems to Possibilities,” watch the full interview with Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21, the founder of Ring, about facing rejection and self-doubt and then a moment of self-reflection.
By
December 17, 2025

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Outcomes

Side-by-side headshots of Aaron Walton and Alex Smith
The Babson Effect: Alumni Bonds That Launch Careers—and Bring Them Full Circle When Aaron Walton ’83—whose first career break came from a Babson alumnus—hired Alex Smith ’08 as his personal business manager in 2024, it was another classic example of Babson’s top-ranked alumni network in action.
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.
December 16, 2025

Posted in Community, Outcomes

Male college student meets with campus counselor
Here’s How Colleges Can Better Support Students’ Well-Being to Improve Their Success College students are reporting lower rates of depressive symptoms and anxiety for the third year in a row, but the mental health crisis is far from over, writes Babson College’s Ryan Travia for The Conversation.
By
December 10, 2025

Posted in Insights