New Partnership With Babson Collaborative Expands Entrepreneurship Opportunities
Lewis & Clark has entered into a newly minted partnership with the Babson Collaborative for Entrepreneurship Education at Babson College, home to the top entrepreneurship programs in the country. L&C students—along with alumni, faculty, and staff—can participate in a number of 4+1 programs to earn one-year master’s degrees in the fields of management, finance, and business administration. They can also bypass Babson’s regular application process with a waived application fee, attend special information sessions, and receive at least a $10,000 scholarship upon acceptance, among other benefits.
“Babson ranks number one in entrepreneurship education—and has for over two decades—so they are the gold standard,” says Professor of Psychology Brian Detweiller-Bedell, who also serves as director of the Bates Center. “Their approach has strong liberal arts components, emphasizing the unique mindset and systematic practice of entrepreneurship. It’s been a model for our own program’s development.”
Even prior to the announcement of the new 4+1 program, Lewis & Clark graduates have gravitated to Babson’s one-year MS in entrepreneurial leadership. The program offers highly specialized courses in marketing, economics, accounting, operations, management, finance, and strategy. Several L&C grads of the program have gone on to start their own ventures or pursue careers with sector leaders such as Microsoft, Intel, and Stanford University.
Babson’s graduate programs are for those who loved what they learned at Lewis & Clark and want to go deeper.
“I’ve never seen a more diverse, collaborative, and entrepreneurial program in my life,” Attia says. “I am fortunate to be part of the program and this amazing cohort. I applied primarily to take my start-up to the next level and ended up getting so much more in return.”
Margaret Astrue Barrett BA ’82 pursued her MBA after several years in the work world. “I was sure Babson was the right match for my learning style once I saw their broad, yet integrated curriculum,” Barrett says. “From the very first day, my love of learning was rekindled.”
Building on the solid foundation of her education at both Lewis & Clark and Babson, Barrett has enjoyed a career of more than 25 years at Intel in a wide variety of roles. In addition, she has nearly two decades of entrepreneurial experience as a designer, seamstress, and retail store owner.
In addition to the 4+1 program, Lewis & Clark is a member of the Babson Collaborative for Entrepreneurship Education, which connects the college to a network of nearly 30 international institutions with entrepreneurship offerings.
According to Detweiller-Bedell and Bates Center Associate Director Chrys Hutchings, the benefits of the pathway programs will extend beyond undergraduate students and alumni, with current faculty members planning to take advantage of the Babson Collaborative’s rich opportunities for faculty development.
“The liberal arts teach students to not only dive deeply, but to consider other disciplines, perspectives, and cultures,” says Detweiller-Bedell. “The depth and breadth of this rigor create a student who is analytical, comfortable with trying out creative solutions, able to communicate effectively, and skilled in collaboration. Babson’s graduate programs are for those who loved what they learned at Lewis & Clark and want to go deeper.”
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The Bates Center for Entrepreneurship and Leadership at Lewis & Clark offers an entrepreneurship minor and an annual Winterim pitch competition, along with access to resources, networking, collaboration, and seed funding.
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