Photos: Sudeeksha’s Secret Garden Comes to Life

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Eric Beato

Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.

and Bryan Lipiner

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Bryan Lipiner

Bryan Lipiner is the Senior Manager for Social Media and Content Marketing at Babson College. Since arriving at Babson in 2019, he has dramatically scaled engagement and followings on Babson’s social media channels, led award-winning social media campaigns, written for Babson Thought & Action, and more. Prior to Babson, he worked as a reporter and editor at the Record-Journal newspaper in central Connecticut. Bryan received his undergraduate degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in 2015.

| March 28, 2022

Lucas Machado ’21 cuts the ribbon to open Sudeeksha's Secret Garden

Lucas Machado ’21 cuts the ribbon to officially open Sudeeksha's Secret Garden during the dedication ceremony.

After years of brainstorming, planning, organizing, fundraising, approvals, and construction, Christine Coyne ’21, Lucas Machado ’21, and Maya Mutalik ’21 finally saw their vision for a community garden come to life Friday in front of about four dozen students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

“Actually seeing people use it, it feels good. It feels like we succeeded,” Mutalik said. “And, it feels like it’s going to last, too. A priority for us was designing it in a way that it would be here for many years to come.”

The three Natalie Taylor Scholars reconceptualized and overhauled the previous campus garden space located between Hollister Hall and the Reynolds Campus Center. Coyne and Mutalik had the original vision, and Machado helped realize it through his company, Curbs Studio. The garden will be cared for by the Stewards of the Garden, a new student organization.

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, the new community garden was formally dedicated in memory of Sudeeksha Bhati ’22 (2000–2020), a Global Scholar and student leader who passed away in 2020.

“She was such a socially driven person,” Mutalik said. “She wanted to make an impact on Babson and on her community. It felt right to dedicate it to her and name it Sudeeksha’s Secret Garden.”

Check out more photos from the dedication ceremony.