Babson College Named “Changemaker Campus” by Ashoka U
--Will Set Standard for Social Entrepreneurship Education

Listen to podcast interview with Dr. Mark Albion: 

http://www.babson.edu/podcast/2009-09-04MAlbion.mp3

Ashoka U announced the selection of five universities to comprise its second Changemaker Campus Consortium. Babson College, ColoradoUniversity at Boulder, College of the Atlantic, The New School, and Tulane University will work together to set a new standard for social entrepreneurship education.  Now in its second year, the partnership brings together students, faculty, and staff from across campus to transform their university into a hub for social change.

The five universities will join last year’s Changemaker Campuses – Cornell, George Mason, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Maryland – in an effort to share best practices and bridge the gap between theory and practice.

"The objective of our educational programs at Babson College is not only to teach entrepreneurial thought and action, but to live it as well,” said Babson College President Leonard A. Schlesinger, “Ashoka Changemaker Campus Consortium represents the highest order recognition of the importance of being able to combine curricular and co-curricular activities with the student and faculty energy that is devoted to developing leaders who add economic and social value everywhere.  It's a great organization to be partnered with and these are great schools to be partnered with; we couldn't be more excited about working together for the betterment of our students and for society."

Led by Ashoka, the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs, the Changemaker Campus partnership aims to develop new models for higher education, envisioning a day when universities everywhere serve as an enabling environment where every individual has access to the resources, learning opportunities, role models, and peer community needed to actualize their full potential as changemakers. The program gives students and faculty alike the skills and mindset they need to tackle systemic problems and effect positive social change regardless of their discipline.

For more information on Babson and Ashoka U. contact:  Dr. Mark Albion, The Lewis Initiative, malbion@babson.edu

For more on Ashoka U, visit:  http://www.ashoka.org/changemakercampus