Melen Earns Degree While Managing Business With 250,000 Active Members

Wellesley, Mass…Babson 2006 graduate Alex Melen has received the Babson College Alumni Association 2006 Student Business Initiative Award (SBIA) for his business T35 Hosting, a paid hosting Internet site service that he established when he was in high school.

T35 Hosting manages data center space in both New Jersey and Texas, deploying dozens of servers, and serving more than 250,000 active members.

Melen began his business in high school when hosting packages for websites that were targeted to businesses and thus expensive and difficult to set up. Melen recognized the need and saw the opportunity for a host service provider for personal site development; thus, the creation of T35 Hosting.

Melen continued the business while studying at Babson, using lessons learned in class by day to benefit a business that he operated by night.  “While I managed to teach myself some areas of business, the Babson classes gave me a solid foundation and different perspectives. I was able to learn something in class one morning and then go back to my room and use it on my company the same day,” he said. 

Melen managed his business through the dot.com and the dot.bomb eras, and continues to manage it after receiving his undergraduate degree from Babson in May.

The SBIA honors an undergraduate student who starts and runs a successful business. Selection is based equally on initiative, character, originality, persistence, and success of the business. Emphasis is also placed on the learning experience. The winner receives a $2,000 cash prize, public relations assistance from College Marketing, and an opportunity for business counseling from the Babson Alumni Resource Network. Winners represent the best of the student body and embody Babson’s entrepreneurial tradition.

Melen received the award during ceremonies this spring from H. Jeffrey Mulligan, owner, HighTechMarketing.com; member of the Babson Class of ’82 and MBA Class of ’85; chair, Student Business Initiative Award Committee; and SBIA winner, 1982.

Melen is the son of Arkady and Alla Melen of Fair Lawn, NJ.

Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., is recognized internationally as a leader in entrepreneurial management education. Babson grants BS degrees through its innovative undergraduate program and grants MBA and custom MS and MBA degrees through the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College. Babson School of Executive Education offers executive development programs to experienced managers worldwide. For information, visit www.babson.edu.