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Babson College

Entrepreneurial Thought and Action - Babson is globally recognized for our one-of-a-kind Entrepreneurial Thought and Action® (ET&A) methodology that teaches undergraduates, graduates, and executives to balance action, experimentation, and creativity with a deep understanding of business fundamentals and rigorous analysis as the ideal approach to creating economic and social value.

Format

  • Audience: All students, specific programs for freshman, sophomores, and seniors
  • Types of Programs:
- Sophomore Reflection Series “Finding Your North Star” - 2x monthly, 1 hr. each
- Senior Reflection Series “Seniors Out Reflecting Again” - 2x semester, 2 hrs. each
- Freshman Series “First Year Senior Year Retreat” – 1x Fall Semester, overnight trip
- Vocational Retreat “iChoose” for sophomores, juniors and seniors
- 4U Retreat for everyone – 1x Spring Semester, overnight trip

- Staff and faculty one day retreat – 2x a year, half day retreat 9am-2pm

  • When: Academic Year – both Fall and Spring Semesters
  • Approximate Number of Participants: 5-25 students in the reflection & retreats
  • Reflection Specific: Service Reflections occur once a week, while service trip reflections are conducted once each day throughout trip.

Funding & Operations

The Office of Faith and Service works to support this model through various reflection opportunities and encouraging space for reflection for all students as they become Entrepreneurial Leaders. Funding also provided by departments.

  • External Support: None
  • Operations: $200 per Reflection program, $3,000 for Retreats

See also: Off-Campus Retreat, Regular Discussion Groups, Any undergraduates, First-Year Students, Seniors, Sophomores, Less than 50, Personal Purpose and Values, Medium Cost ($1,000 to $5,000), Private, Pre-Professional, Suburban, Co-educational, 1,000-3,000, Non-denominational/None

Description

In the Office of Faith and Service, we create a space for reflection that allows our students to deepen their connection with themselves, their beliefs, with each other, and the larger global community.

Quite simply, this is our main goal for all of our reflection programs.  Not only is our programming important in developing entrepreneurial leaders, it also has helped to create a more welcoming and supportive community.  Students have shared that they didn’t feel a part of the community until they attended one of our programs.     

History

Babson College is an institution dedicated to supporting the growth and development of entrepreneurial leaders. The reflection specific programs started about five years ago and added reflection into our service specific programming.  All of our existing community service programming, including weekly programs, service trips, student leadership trainings, retreats, and reflection specific series had a reflection component added into the programming. We developed a Sophomore Reflection Series, a Senior Reflection Series and we developed a retreat.  And finally, we also offer a vocational retreat called “iChoose” for sophomores, juniors and seniors.  

Our programming continues to grow with each and every semester.  We are at a point where we have to cut back (even though there is the need and want) because of lack of funding for staff to support all of the specific reflection programming.  

Recommended Resources

http://www.babson.edu/student-life/faith-service/multifaith-programs/Pages/Reflection.aspx

Since Babson College is a non-religiously affiliated institution, it was imperative to find a way to allow for our community to talk about the things that were spiritual and speak of the “mystery” without religion feeling associated with the reflection.

  • Courage and Renewal from Parker Palmer’s work
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • John Kabat-Zinn and the Contemplative Campus community located in Amherst
  • Soul Pancake
  • Ted Talks
  • Ellen
  • Oprah
  • The Omega Institute
  • Boston College
  • Interfaith Youth Corps
  • Center for Civic Reflection

Administration/Operations

The Office of Faith and Service works to support this model through various reflection opportunities and encouraging space for reflection for all students as they become Entrepreneurial Leaders. Funding also provided by department.  There is no external funding, and operationally, it costs $200 per Reflection program, and $3,000 for Retreats.

Assessment

Babson asks that the students fill out a survey that is sent out right after the retreats.  For the reflection series, it is more anecdotal at the end of the year.  It has been difficult to figure out the perfect assessment formula for reflections programs.