Santucee Bell MBA’23: ‘Champion for Equity in Entrepreneurship’

Santucee Bell leans against a balcony railing in Olin Hall at Babson.
Listen

Santucee Bell MBA’23 had no doubt that Babson’s graduate school was the right college for her. After studying business administration for her bachelor’s degree, and social work for her first master’s, she discovered her passion for championing equity in entrepreneurship. After researching Babson, she knew this was the place for her to fuse her business background with social impact, and act on her dreams.

“I fell in love with this career path because social impact and entrepreneurship are my two passions,” Bell said. “Pursuing a career path in social entrepreneurship gives me the best of both worlds, which I love.”

“If Black people really want to become financially free as we were when Black Wall Street existed and accumulate generational wealth, entrepreneurship is the way to go.”
Santucee Bell, MBA'23

Before her MBA and upon entering the workforce, Bell learned firsthand that the systemic issues she studied in class were genuine barriers for people of color to earning fair pay and promotions that would enable them to achieve financial freedom. She turned her realizations and frustrations into an opportunity to help solve a societal problem, and discovered she could be an advocate and a change agent for those who wanted to use entrepreneurship as a route to freedom from injustice and economic inequality.

“If Black people really want to become financially free as we were when Black Wall Street existed and accumulate generational wealth, entrepreneurship is the way to go,” Bell said. “I like to engage in initiatives that allow me to support the success of women- and minority-owned businesses, making sure that these underrepresented entrepreneurs are able to get the resources and support they need to thrive.”

With that determination, Bell knew exactly what types of resources, offerings, and opportunities she was looking for in a graduate business school. Bell did a thorough analysis of every potential school on her list. In her opinion, Babson’s competitive advantage—including its signature Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® (ET&A™) methodology—made the decision a no-brainer for her.

“I’ve never seen a program where every square foot of the institution is rooted in entrepreneurial thought and action,” Bell said. “I want to get to the point in life where everything I do is entrepreneurial. I thought an education here would benefit me in a lifelong way. I also had a lot to offer this community.”

Committed to Inclusive Entrepreneurship

Bell knew she had found her home at Babson even before she officially made her decision, once she learned early on of the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (F&E CWEL) and its Black Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (BWEL) program.

Babson student sits at a desk in the women's entrepreneurial leadership center.
As soon as Bell learned of the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership, she knew she had found an opportunity to make her mark at Babson. (Photo: Mark Manne)

As soon as she began her MBA program, Bell became a project coordinator for F&E CWEL, where she has consistently worked on inclusive accelerator programs and entrepreneurship development events and initiatives, helped support diverse entrepreneurs, and formed strong bonds with the center’s faculty, staff, and leadership, including Shakenna Williams ’94, executive director of F&E CWEL and founder of BWEL.

“In the classroom or in the workplace on campus, Santucee actively listens to her colleagues while staying true to her values,” Williams said. “She is always transparent and willing to have an open dialogue about minorities and the challenges they face when it comes to closing the revenue gap. Santucee is a connector in search of resources that allow people of color to grow despite the borders that make it more difficult for them to succeed.”

Not only has Bell made lasting connections within F&E CWEL, but she is also a known leader on campus.

Bell is the co-president of the Black Graduate Club, and supports Admissions particularly on diversity recruitment efforts. She also is Butler Institute Student Scholar, a Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award recipient, and a mentor to Irene Mani ’25, a Babson undergraduate currently completing her sophomore year.

“One of my natural skills, I’m a connector. I’m resourceful. I’m good at figuring it out,” Bell said.

Mission-Driven, Action-Biased, Resilient

As a first-generation college student, Bell knows how important it is to have coaching, guidance, and support when it’s not necessarily built in for you as you grow up.

Babson student receives award of recognition on stage.
Bell receives the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award from Shakenna Williams ’94.

“My journey as a ‘firstie’ has been completely different from others,” Bell said. “With my circumstance, you either sink or sail. In order for me to sail, I proactively seek knowledge, resources, and relationships to bridge gaps, so I have access to the same resources that others are naturally receiving because of their status.”

Bell’s motivation to pay it forward to others has helped her visualize her entrepreneurial path. After graduation this spring, Bell aims to climb the ladder in inclusive entrepreneurship and small business support. This will enable her to continue to do what she loves—revitalize Black Wall Street by closing the wealth gap. Ultimately, she wants to build her own coaching business where she will act as a connector, resource curator, and advocate for diverse founders who are under-resourced but full of promise.

“The champion for equity in entrepreneurship is here for good,” Bell said. “Let’s connect and collaborate to spark change.”

Posted in Community

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Farrah Narkiewicz and Rob Major sit and talk at Trim Dining Hall
The Regular Crowd Shuffles In: Lunchtime at Trim  Trim Dining Hall may be a key part of everyday life for many Babson students, but a slew of faculty and staff members also make it part of their daily routine. At lunchtime, they file into the dining hall, seeking food and camaraderie.
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.
September 4, 2025

Posted in Community

Babson Study Reveals the Power of Customer Kindness New Babson-funded research shows that customer kindness can boost employee satisfaction, reduce turnover, and spark a cycle of positivity in service industries.
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.
September 3, 2025

Posted in Community, Insights

Three photos in a side-by-side collage depict Michael Kopelman coaching, Brady Anderson in action, and the doubles team celebrating
Courting Success: How Babson Tennis Teams Transformed into National Powerhouses With championships and top-tier recruiting classes, Babson Director of Tennis Michael Kopelman has overseen the transformation of the men’s and women’s programs into national powerhouses.
By
Scott Dietz
Writer
Scott Dietz
Scott Dietz is Babson College's Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Communications. Dietz is responsible for the department's internal and external communications, including branding, campus engagement, marketing, social media, sponsorships and website management. Additional duties consist of event coverage, facilitation of interview requests, media pitching, video content, writing and editing. Before Babson, Dietz spent 13-plus years at fellow NEWMAC institution Wheaton College, worked for the NFL, New England Patriots, and in the media relations department with the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. A native of South Park, PA, Dietz began his sports information career at Westminster College.
September 2, 2025

Posted in Community