Babson College Improves Campus Wellness with NCAA Grant

An active member of the greater Boston area community, Roy MacDowell serves as principal of Baystone Development in Weston, Massachusetts. Roy MacDowell formerly sat on the board of trustees of Babson College, where he studied as an undergraduate. 

To encourage innovation, collaboration, and problem solving, Babson College strives to create a supportive, entrepreneurial environment. To augment these efforts, Babson recently received an NCAA CHOICES grant, which provides funding to the school’s Athletics and Recreation and Health and Wellness departments to improve alcohol abuse prevention on campus. With this funding, the two departments will work together to launch Project T.E.A.M., which stands for Team Engagement for Alcohol Management. 

Project T.E.A.M. will offer peer-to-peer education about alcohol abuse and wellness while also training student-athletes to become peer leaders. This approach emphasizes team bonding and community engagement, both of which speak to the larger entrepreneurial mission of the institution. While Project T.E.A.M. is being implemented through Athletics and Recreation, it will engage student groups outside of athletics as well.

The Babson College Zero Waste Challenge

The founder and past president of the MacDowell Company, a construction and landscape design firm, Roy MacDowell is now the principal of Baystone Development. In addition to being a recipient of a Massachusetts Historical Commission award, Roy MacDowell is a former trustee of Babson College in Massachusetts.

As part of its efforts to reduce its environmental impact and promote sustainability, Babson College has implemented a number of initiatives that challenge participants to live more environmentally-friendly lifestyles. Its annual Zero Waste Challenge, which tasks participants to produce as little waste as possible over the course of a week, is among these efforts.

During the week, participants must place every non-recyclable item of waste they produce into a clear bag while recycling or composting anything they can when they have the opportunity. This includes single-use water bottles and tissues but does not extend to other waste items containing bodily fluids. Participants must attach the bag to the outside of their person. The aim is to demonstrate the true weight of the waste each participant discards during an average week.