Igniting Innovation

The 2023-2024 academic year marked a pivotal moment for Chatham Hall as the Board of Trustees embarked on a visionary collaboration with Babson College to shape the future of our institution by 2050. At the heart of this strategic plan lies Babson’s esteemed Entrepreneurship Program for Innovators and Changemakers (EPIC), an initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of innovative leaders within our school community. As alumna Alison Carter-Cady ’91 insightfully shared, “This initiative is about empowering our educators to inspire our students.” 

Babson College’s EPIC program provides our faculty with the crucial skills and resources needed to immerse students in authentic, real-world problem-solving. It encourages an entrepreneurial mindset, challenging students to identify and address community issues with innovative solutions. By fostering essential “power skills,” such as resilience, critical thinking, and social awareness, this curriculum equips our students to navigate future challenges with confidence and ingenuity. 

The Babson Six, a small group of Chatham Hall employees selected to pilot the EPIC program, became certified in the curriculum in the winter of 2023. Their endeavors led to the decision and commitment of the Board to invest in the training and development of all Chatham Hall faculty, who became certified in the winter of 2024. With a new charge, faculty integrated an elevated entrepreneurial approach to the January Term courses including the addition of guest speakers and field trips to deepen experiential learning. 

While Chatham Hall launched a proprietary global entrepreneurship program for students in 2019-2020 (designed by Beth Barksdale), the Babson collaborative ensures all faculty and staff are supported in their endeavors to integrate entrepreneurial thinking into every classroom experience. 

Our commitment to creating a brighter, more equitable future remains steadfast. By empowering our educators with the tools and mindset of entrepreneurship, we are actively inspiring the changemakers of tomorrow, ensuring that Chatham Hall continues to be a launchpad for innovative and impactful leaders for generations to come.