Community Responds with Record Year of Giving

Listen

This has been a year unlike any other in Babson College’s 101-year history.

From the Centennial celebration last September through the challenges of a global pandemic this spring, the Babson community experienced unique highs and lows. One constant has been the unwavering support of the College’s alumni, parents, staff, and friends. The 2019–2020 fiscal year, which ended June 30, produced record-breaking results for overall giving and alumni participation.

“When our students and the College needed support this year, the Babson community rallied around us,” said Edward Chiu, the Governor Craig R. Benson Endowed Senior Vice President for Advancement. “Our donors stepped up like never before to help students and drive the mission of Babson, even during what was a difficult year for so many.”

Belief in Babson

Babson alumni especially stepped up like never before. A total of 12,330 donors gave to the College during the fiscal year—a 32.4% participation rate, the highest in College history. That’s particularly important because it’s a key metric that significantly impacts college rankings and helps maintain Babson’s status as the No. 1 school for entrepreneurship in the nation.

That alumni support helped fuel a record total of giving, topping $91 million in commitments to the College. That included the single largest gift ever: $50 million from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for the creation of the Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership. Named for Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98, the new school will advance and amplify values-driven entrepreneurial leadership on a global scale, a key initiative of the College’s strategic plan.


Read more about the economic impact of Babson alumni around the world.


“I’ve always been impressed by the generosity of the Babson community, but this year really showed the depth of commitment people have to this College and our students,” Chiu said. “This level of support reinforces the belief our alumni and friends have in the power of a Babson education, but also demonstrates that they truly care about the health and well-being of our students.”

The collective generosity of the community helped Babson continue making progress toward its strategic initiatives—including owning entrepreneurial leadership, reaching learners everywhere, and developing new education models—while also alleviating the financial impact of COVID-19.

Direct Impact on Students

Donor support has a ripple effect that touches nearly every aspect of Babson, with more than $30 million applied toward the College’s operating budget. Donors also supported athletics, arts, and affinity groups that are so important in enhancing the overall student experience.

“The power of philanthropy also meant that we could invest more than $24 million in academic learning—from supporting term chairs and faculty fellows, to sustaining and growing programs and initiatives within our centers and institutes,” Chiu said. “This ensures that our students are learning from the best and brightest in a well-rounded and exceptional academic environment that is augmented with rich curricular and cocurricular activities.”

This year’s fundraising efforts had a direct and significant influence on the lives of students through scholarships and financial aid—a need that rises each year and is expected to grow exponentially due to the financial toll the pandemic has taken on families. More than $27 million assisted more than 1,500 students with scholarships and financial aid.

This year, however, students needed the strength and unity of the Babson community like never before, because of COVID-19 and its widespread impact on their lives. The Emergency Fund was established in the initial days of the pandemic, and the Babson family responded with compassion and swift generosity, with more than 1,020 donors giving more than $275,000 to assist those most affected by the crisis. To date, more than 155 students have received aid through the fund.

“Gifts that were made to the Emergency Fund don’t tell the whole story of how the Babson community came together during that time,” Chiu explained. “We had alumni buying plane tickets for our students and opening up their homes so displaced students could have a place to stay. It was amazing to see the lengths people would go to make sure our students were taken care of.”

Posted in Community

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Man and woman listen to a pitch
Lessons from the Heart of Babson’s Summer Venture Program   Each summer, Babson’s Summer Venture Program gives student founders the tools, mentorship, and momentum to accelerate their ventures. Meet four advisors who are helping shape the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders—one insight at a time.
By
July 22, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Side-by-side screenshots of the moment caught on camera
When Scandal Strikes the C-Suite: What Two Babson Professors Say Companies Should Do  A viral Coldplay kiss cam moment involving a CEO and human resources leader at a tech startup rocked the company to its core. Babson management professors provided insight into how ventures can survive a leadership scandal.
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.
July 21, 2025

Posted in Insights

Businesswoman practices deep breathing exercise at workplace desk
How Employees Navigate Mental Illness in the Workplace and What Employers Can Do to Help Emily Rosado-Solomon, an assistant professor at Babson, looks at how employees with mental illness handle their symptoms while at work, a topic that is understudied.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
July 17, 2025

Posted in Insights