Schools

Babson College Introduces New President Kerry Healey

Former lieutenant governor speaks at press conference Monday.

 

Former Lieutenant  Governor and Beverly resident Kerry Healey was introduced as the new president of Babson College at a press conference earlier today. The college made the announcement last night in a press release. 

Call me superstitious, but I would rather be known as Babson’s first woman president than as Babson’s 13th president," Healey joked. 

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Healey spoke at a press conference Monday morning, emphasizing some of her goals for the college, which include preparing for the school's 100th anniversary in 2019 and promoting its status as a top-tanked business school for entrepreneurship.

See the press conference on demand on the Babson College website, listed as "Babson College Announcement" dated March 25.

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Babson's goals and ambitions were a driving factor in her decision to work at the school. She said that as boundaries between econonomic and social innovation are crumbling today, entrepreneurs are emphasizing what she termed the "triple-bottom line: People, planet and then profit."

She also thanked her predecessor, Len Schlessinger, for his vision and keen focus on entrepreneurship.

"I am grateful to stand on his shoulders, and am looking forward to moving forward," said Healey.

A student survey taken recently said that the college meets 96 percent of student needs. Healey vowed not to rest until that was 100 percent. 

At the conference, she said that when she told her mother about her appointment, her mother told her two things. First, that she remembered college founder Robert Babson from wanting to attend his Florida business school when she was younger--that was her father, Healey's grandfather's wish for her. 

When Kerry Healey was starting to look into going to college, her mother told her to get into whatever college she could get into, and "we’ll figure it out.”

"I feel enormously indebted to them. Thanks to their sacrifice, I’m standing here today." Healey said, "You can trust me, as a leader, to make sure that this college is affordable to all students with an entrepreneurial gleam in their eye."

The second comment Healey's mother made was about what can be accomplished in course of a generation: She was the first woman in the Healey family to attend college, and her daughter is now leading a college.

Added Healey, "As a woman, I am proud to share that with her."

Healey served as Gov. Mitt Romney's lieutenant governor during his 2003 to 2007 term, and launched a campaign for election to the Governor's seat in 2006, but was defeated by Gov. Deval Patrick.

Read the full press release on Patch Announcements.

The college is also hosting a community welcome event in the Needham/Wellesley room in Olin Hall at 3 p.m.

Healey begins the position as President on July 1. At the conference, she said she would be full-time at Babson College in May.

She said that in the coming weeks, she will be on-campus and welcomed students to come and say hello.

She ended her speech saying, "My door and mind will always be open."


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