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

Today, U.S. News & World Report named Babson the No. 1 undergraduate school for entrepreneurship for the 23^rd 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

Tagged Ranking, Commentary, Centennial

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