Dear Commons Community,

In partnership with The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Babson College announced a $50 million gift that will establish the Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership. This is the largest gift ever given in the 25-year history of the Blank Family Foundation and is a transformative investment for the College. The new Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership will be defined by entrepreneurial action and values-based leadership on a global scale.  This gift was made in November 2019 with details reported in today’s Chronicle of Higher Education as follows:

“The gift comes as Babson College, the No. 1-ranked entrepreneurship educator for more than a quarter-century, caps its Centennial year and celebrates Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Entrepreneurial leadership is needed now more than ever before. As jobs and entire industries evolve, people at all stages of their lives and careers must think and act like an entrepreneur in order to thrive. “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,” says Babson College President Stephen Spinelli Jr., PhD.

As jobs and entire industries evolve, people at all stages of their lives and careers must think and act like an entrepreneur in order to thrive.

At the Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership, “every member of Babson’s global ecosystem will have the opportunity to build and practice the skills needed to address grand challenges,” says Spinelli. “Learners will change the world through the innovations they introduce, the problems they solve, the jobs they create, and the sustainable values they instill in the organizations they impact.”

“The best companies provide world-class service to their customers and their communities,” says Arthur Blank. “The next horizon of business education is equipping and connecting more entrepreneurial leaders who create solutions and growth by putting people first, leading by example, and giving back to others, especially those in need.”

This partnership between Babson College and the Blank Family Foundation lays groundwork that will transform and define entrepreneurship education for generations to come. The new Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership will provide:      

• Need-based scholarships to increase access and affordability for promising entrepreneurial leaders who would not otherwise be able to afford college
• A newly endowed faculty position, the Blank Chair in Values-based Entrepreneurial Leadership
• New experiential learning opportunities where learners will problem solve in uncertain, rapidly changing, technology-driven conditions
• An “Entrepreneurial Village,” dedicated campus space for community members to come together to create solutions and growth opportunities through collaborative learning and experimentation
• Greater access to Babson’s renowned entrepreneurial centers and institutes, including award-winning cocurricular activities and global networks
• Funding for applied research that generates practical, actionable outcomes to expand the global understanding of entrepreneurship and addresses societal challenges.

Congratulations to Babson and to the Blank Foundation!

Tony

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