The Swellesley Report

Since 2005: More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Education

Commencement speakers revealed for Babson, MassBay & Wellesley College

by Leave a Comment

All three Wellesley college—Babson College, MassBay Community College, and Wellesley College—have revealed this spring’s commencement speakers for the classes of ’26.

Babson of course is going with a couple of entrepreneurial leaders for its May 16 ceremony.

C. Dean Metropoulos, Babson ’67, MBA’68, is executive chairman and CEO of the family-owned investment firm Metropoulos & Co. and minority owner of the New England Patriots. He’ll speak at the undergraduate ceremony, recognizing more than 740 students.

metropoulos-c-dean-450x450
C. Dean Metropoulos

Adriana Cisneros, CEO of global enterprise Cisneros, will speak at the graduate ceremony, where 540 students will receive their diplomas. The Cisneros business spans media and entertainment, consumer goods, digital innovation, global connectivity, and real estate.

cisneros-adriana-450x450
Adriana Cisneros

MassBay, the state-owned school with a Wellesley campus, has tapped Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll as its commencement speaker for the May 28 ceremony.

Lt Gov Kimberly Driscoll
Lt .Gov. Kimberly Driscoll

Wellesley College has invited Rice University distinguished fellow Ruth J. Simmons to speak at its commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15. Simmons has served as president of Smith College, Brown University, and historically Black university Prairie View A&M.

Ruth J. Simmons
Ruth J. Simmons

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Please support your local online news source with a tax-deductible donation by scanning the QR code or by clicking on it.

QR Code

     

Advertisements

black & blue, Wellesley
Olive Tree Medical, Wellesley
St. Andrews, Wellesley
taste of wellesley gif
Sports

Wellesley World Cup soccer coup: French national team to train at Babson

by

fffThe French Football Federation says it has chosen Boston and Wellesley, at Babson College, as its home base for this summer’s FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. Les Bleus—led by star player Kylian Mbappé—are set to play Norway at the rebranded Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 26 as part of the opening group stage matches.

The French team, one of the favorites to win the tournament, will rough it at the Four Seasons hotel in Boston. They’ll train at least in part at the Hartwell-Rogers soccer field at Babson College while students are away.

Babson also boasts the Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex for indoor training, which is shown in a video posted by the French Football Federation.

Too bad Babson’s Executive Lodge and Conference Center, for which ground was broken in October, won’t be ready until 2027. Nevertheless, the soccer facility is only about a half hour outside Boston, and Babson does have the newish Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex for indoor training.

Babson College

In the past, we’ve seen Italy’s AS Roma practice at Wellesley College.

Wellesley’s police chief, in a public safety briefing before the Select Board this week, said that Wellesley department will have a significant role either locally or regionally related to the World Cup. “On game day it will be all hands on deck [for the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council] whenever there’s a match at Gillette,” he said, adding that probably five to eight Wellesley officers will be assigned.

“There’s a strong possibility there will be a more local presence,” he also said, not mentioning the French team by name.

We reached out to both Babson and Wellesley College to ask if anything World Cup related is up at the schools. Babson got back and said it had nothing it could share at this time.

The French team won the World Cup most recently in 2018, and was edged by Argentina in 2022’s final.

Got any more Wellesley World Cup angles for us? theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Expand your reach by becoming a Swellesley advertising partner

Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley
Paul Macrina Electrical
Wellesley Wonderful Weekend

Wellesley colleges continue to invest big time in campus upgrades

by

Wellesley College continues to invest in campus upgrades, and word surfaced this week that it will receive $145.2m from a bond sale by a quasi public agency called MassDevelopment. We found no word of the deal on the college or agency websites, but the Wall Street Journal and others have reported on the financial news (we have reached out to the college and will update this post if we get an update).

The private college, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, has had its share of quality time with Wellesley town board and committee meetings in recent years regarding projects, from those involving an antenna siting to upgrades at Nehoiden Golf Course to renovations at Clapp Library. The College last year made moves to try to avoid having to go to so many Design Review Board meetings for projects it argued would barely be noticed by those off campus.
 
The college on Nov. 17 is set to appear before the Wellesley Planning Board for an online public hearing regarding a new Project of Significant Impact. The college seeks a special permit to build five single-story temporary dorm buildings totaling about 22,000 sq. ft. to serve as swing space for 150 student beds while existing dorms are renovated over the next 8-10 years. The project replaces Dower Hall, which is going down (Dower Hall is located on the side of campus near the College Club).

wellesley college swing space
Project location on Wellesley College campus

 
Separately, MassBay Community College is looking to build cybersecurity and recreation facilities on its Wellesley campus at the intersection of Oakland Street and Rte. 9 east.

This plan is intertwined with the state’s effort to dispose of 45 acres of MassBay property to use for housing, as proceeds from the project would partially fund MassBay development, which would cost tens of millions of dollars based on an early vision for such development. The emerging plan has received lots of attention in town, both by those who live nearby and fear traffic and other impacts, those concerned about the possible loss of forest land, and those bullish on more housing opportunities. An upcoming public workshop is designed to help the town share its ideas with the state for what will work in Wellesley.

Meanwhile, Babson College has a Project of Significant Impact of its own in the works, with plans to redo the executive conference center and garage in a big way.

A public hearing with the Planning Board was held in May to discuss Babson’s plans for a new Executive Lodge and Conference Center consisting of approximately 77,600 square feet of hospitality space, including guest rooms, function/meeting areas, a fitness center and restaurant space. Babson has been working its way through various town bodies, including the Zoning Board of Appeals.

babson lodge
From Babson proposal in ZBA filing

 

Please support your local online news source with a tax-deductible donation by scanning the QR code or by clicking on it.

QR Code

Advertisements

Longfellow, Wellesley
Wellesley Kitchen and Home Tour
Wellesley Village Church, Easter

We don’t have to worry about Babson College undergrads being bored

by

Babson FairThe

Swellesley Report recently took part at Babson College’s Undergraduate Club/Organization Resource Fair, which exposed students to dozens of ways to expand their education and college experience beyond the classroom. Organizations ranged from Greek life to business-focused to sports and recreation (see list of clubs).

Organizers of the event, which took place at the Len Green Recreation and Athletic Complex, extend invitations to local businesses like ours that students might be interested in checking out or even working for (we hosted a table sandwiched by J.P. Licks and Russian School of Mathematics).

It was fun hobnobbing with students, some of whom signed up for subscriptions, some of whom expressed interest in helping us out via writing, AI, or something else (Students: feel free to connect or reconnect at theswellesleyreport@gmail.com).

One of the accounting students cheekily asked if I was a freshman. Yes, once upon a time…

Babson FairBabson Fair

Babson Fair
We always feel obligated to stop by the Viridian table to meet writing enthusiasts

Babson FairBabson FairBabson FairBabson Fair

Babson FairBabson FairBabson Fair

See also: The Swellesley Report fits right in at Babson College student resource fair

 

Wellesley Hills Congregational Church

We’re so proud of all Wellesley’s graduates—here’s how to avoid them

by

Commencement season arrives tomorrow, with Wellesley College taking the lead in sending 531 newly minted graduates out into the world. Be prepared—roads leading to Wellesley College, Babson, MassBay, Wellesley High School, and Dana Hall become clogged with traffic moving at a snail’s pace both pre- and post- ceremonies. Before you find yourself caught in a slow crawl behind vehicles with out-of-state plates, here’s when to avoid the areas. Note: all ceremonies are private, ticketed events.

Wellesley College

DATE: Friday, May 16
TIME: 10:30am-1:30pm
AREAS TO AVOID: Wellesley Square, the College’s rt. 135 and rt. 16 entrance vehicle entrances
SPEAKER: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson.
ATTEND VIRTUALLY: livestreamed here

Babson College

DATE: Saturday, May 17
TIME: undergrad, 9:45am-12:30pm; graduate, 2:45pm
AREAS TO AVOID: Great Plain Ave.; Forest St., Wellesley Country Club (plan your tee times accordingly)
SPEAKERS: Boston Globe Media CEO/Co-Owner Linda Henry (undergrads); and Blink UX Co-founder and former CEO Karen Clark Cole (grad students)

MassBay graduation

DATE: Thursday, May 29
TIME: 6pm
AREAS TO AVOID: route 9; Centennial Park parking area on Oakland St.; Oakland St. in general

MassBay graduation speaker
Massachusetts Secretary of Education, Patrick Tutwiler
(Photo via MassBay)

SPEAKER: We just learned that Massachusetts Secretary of Education, Patrick Tutwiler, will address the Class of 2025. Tutwiler directs the Executive Office of Education, which oversees early education, K-12, and higher education. Secretary Tutwiler sits on each of the boards governing the Commonwealth’s education agencies, as well as the University of Massachusetts system. He is Governor Maura Healey’s top advisor on education and helps shape the Commonwealth’s education agenda.

Before being sworn in as Secretary, Dr. Tutwiler served as the senior program officer at the Boston-based Barr Foundation, a grant making organization focused on arts, climate and education. Prior to that, Secretary Tutwiler was superintendent of the Lynn Public Schools and headmaster in the Boston Public Schools. As superintendent of Lynn Public Schools, he spearheaded a collaborative, equity-centered effort that translated into higher graduation rates and a more racially diverse staff while also overseeing the creation of the Commonwealth’s second largest early college program.

Dana Hall School

DATE: May 31
TIME: 10am-noon
AREAS TO AVOID: Grove St.; stretch of Washington St. (rt. 16) near the school; Cameron St., Hampden St. and other side streets near the school.

Wellesley High School

DATE: Friday, June 6
TIME: 5pm
LOCATION: Hunnewell Field
AREAS TO AVOID: Rice St.; Smith St., stretch of Washington St. (rt. 16) near the high school.

Please don’t avoid Swellesley! Sign up for Swellesley’s free weekday email newsletter

Rotary Club, Taste of Wellesley

Wellesley business buzz: Babson startup personalizes AI; Enjoy Wellesley in Bloom; Peaceful Pooch opening; Pediatric dental office moves in

by

The latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Babson startup personalizes AI

William Schulhof and Justin Jin say the inspiration for the startup they’ve formed as Babson College, dubbed Klonos, is rather sad. Jin had experienced the passing of a friend’s father, and wondered why there was not a better way to preserve the memories, stories, and legacy of those who die given the advances in technologies like artificial intelligence.

These students, who met as freshmen in an English class in 2023, had some success with this concept at pitch competitions and interest from funeral homes. But they sensed there might be a broader application for their technology, which they are also working on with co-founder Joseph Rizzo, a Bentley University student.

Justin Klonos
Justin Jin
William Klonos
William Schulhof

Initially as part of an Nvidia accelerator program and later gaining access to funding at a $15M valuation, the students turned their focus to using AI to create digital avatars that organizations from hotels to museums to schools can use for branding and customer service. Those interested in the technology can get started by building a “Klone” using an image, an audio clip, and a set of questions and answers.

The interactive avatar that results can answer questions on behalf of an organization, though Schulhof cautions that “the technology is not meant to replace human interaction, but rather enhance and streamline communication.”

Jin adds that Klonos can save organizations a lot of time answering questions they respond to repeatedly, while also improving their branding. The technology also allows them to answer questions in multiple languages, he says. Klonos collects information about trending questions to give clients information they need to supply answers for when those questions are asked in the future.

Klonos has generated a few dozen interactive models for clients or potential clients, with a handful of them live and public. The business also offers adjacent services, such as content creation.

One challenge for Klonos is focus, as its technology is flexible enough to address numerous applications. Its focus to date has largely been on smaller organizations that might not be able to afford higher-end avatar technologies. The small but growing Klonos team of about 15 people includes programmers, marketers, and sales personnel.

Jin hopes small business owners who read about Klonos will explore the company’s technology. “Our next bet as AI gets bigger and bigger is that there will be a swing more toward personalization, people putting their own brand out there both on social media and their company websites,” he said.

klonos
Klonos website home page gets a little help from Marilyn Monroe

 

Expand your reach by advertising on Swellesley

 

Enjoy Wellesley in Bloom!

Support our local merchants! Through May 11 enjoy Wellesley in Bloom, a week-long celebration of spring in Church Square, Wellesley Square, and Linden Square. Featuring floral fun, store events, and special offers.

Wonderful Wellesley, Wellesley in Bloom
Members of the Joint Council of Wellesley Garden Clubs created wreaths for Wellesley in Bloom.

Peaceful Pooch opening

Peaceful Pooch, which offers pet grooming services, says it is ready to open its Wellesley Hills location at 245 Washington St., on May 6.

This marks an expansion for the business beyond its long-running Needham location.

Services range from nail trimming and skunk treatment to full grooming and buff/fluff.

 

Pediatric dental office moves in

Perla Pediatrics Smiles has leased 3,000 sq. ft. of space at 70 Hastings St., in Wellesley at a building recently converted from general office space to medical space. Commercial real estate provider Hunneman announced the lease on behalf of landlord Grander Capital Partners.

Another 2,000 sq. ft. will be made available to tenants seeking office or medical office space.

70 hastings
70 Hastings St.

Know of Wellesley businesses coming or going? Let us know:  theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, 2026

Wellesley Planning Board Notice of Online Public Hearing on Project of Significant Impact Special Permit Application (Babson College–Executive Lodge & Conference Center): Monday, May 5, 6:30pm

by

WELLESLEY PLANNING BOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON A PROJECT OF SIGNIFICANT IMPACT SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION FOR PSI-25-01 – BABSON COLLEGE-EXECUTIVE LODGE & CONFERENCE CENTER MONDAY, MAY 5, 2025, 6:30 P.M.

ONLINE VIRTUAL MEETING

The online meeting will also be streaming live and will be telecast live on Comcast channel 8 and Verizon channel 40. The meeting will also be recorded and available for later viewing on Wellesley Media.

The information to access the virtual meeting will be available on the Planning Board agenda, which will be posted at least 48 hours in advance of the Public Hearing. The agenda can be found at the following link: https://wellesleyma.gov/AgendaCenter/Planning-Board-15

In accordance with Chapter 40A, Section 9, of the Massachusetts General Laws, and Section 5.6 of the Zoning Bylaw, the Wellesley Planning Board, acting as Special Permit Granting Authority, will hold a public hearing on the application of Babson College, for a Special Permit for a Project of Significant Impact project located at 231 Forest Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 (also known as 6 Bryant Way). The proposed project will entail the redevelopment of an existing parking garage into a new Executive Lodge and Conference Center (the project), which will consist of approximately 77,600 square feet of hospitality space, including guestrooms, function/meeting areas, a fitness center and restaurant space.

The purpose of the Project of Significant Impact (PSI) Special Permit is to address off-site impacts of projects involving construction of 10,000 or more square feet of floor area in seven specific areas: water, sewer, storm drainage, electric power, solid waste, fire protection and life safety, and traffic and pedestrian safety. The permitting review is administered by the Planning Board in accordance with Section 5.6, Project Approval, of the Zoning Bylaw, and the Rules Relative to the Issuance of Special Permits adopted by the Planning Board.

Residents with any questions or who are seeking to participate in the hearing are encouraged to contact the Planning Director at earbeene@wellesleyma.gov prior to the meeting.

The submission and plans may be viewed on the Planning Department webpage at: http://wellesleyma.gov/1479/Planning-Board-Applications-Under-Review

Eric Arbeene, AICP

Planning Director

(WT-4/17/25 & 4/24/25)

Boston Marathon serves up Wellesley College-Babson College rivalry we’ve been waiting for

by

Wellesley College students were on their Boston Marathon sign game with a mix of funny, encouraging, and not-so-friendly messages for participants.

While we’ve always found Wellesley College and Babson College to co-exist rather peacefully alongside each other in town, one Wellesley College student held aloft a sign with some fighting words on it: “If a Marathon was Easy it would be called Babson College.” (We saw racier versions of this describing certain family members…)

Did Babson students have an answer to this shot from Wellesley College further down the course?

boston marathon 2025
The sign reads: “If a Marathon was Easy it would be called Babson College”

More signs:

boston marathon 2025 sign that reads "Who needs toenails anyway?
“Who needs toenails anyway?
Boston Marathon 2025
“Keep Going: I trained hard to hold this sign”