Babson will use gift to teach social entrepreneurship

Babson College, the Wellesley school with a focus on entrepreneurship, said today it has received a $10.8 million gift from the Lewis Charitable Foundation for the establishment of an institute to support teaching, research, and outreach in social entrepreneurship.

This is the second largest gift from an individual in the history of the college, Babson said.

The Lewis Institute at Babson College will develop leaders, create knowledge, and grow new enterprises to solve compelling global problems, Babson said in a press release.

Referencing the donors of the gift that will establish the institute, Babson noted in a press release that Alan and Harriet Lewis purchased Grand Circle Travel in 1985 and transformed a $23-million Boston company into a $700-million-a-year firm serving travelers 50 or older.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)