Year in Review: Our Favorite Stories from 2024
For the Bentley community, 2024 proved a banner year for celebrating milestones and making memories.
We cheered on our women’s volleyball team as they made history, becoming the first-ever member of the Northeast-10 conference to advance to the NCAA Final Four championship.
We continued our tradition of academic innovation by introducing our Professional MBA, a two-year, cohort-based program with an emphasis on emerging technologies and sustainability. We also celebrated the 25th anniversary of our Master’s in Human Factors in Information Design (MSHFID) program. And we welcomed nearly 500 high school students from 26 countries through our pre-college programs, which featured new offerings focused on the health industry and women’s entrepreneurship.
We also came together for enriching campus events, from time-honored traditions like our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration and commencement ceremonies to impromptu (and historic) happenings like experiencing a total solar eclipse.
And we welcomed to campus distinguished guests — including the Boston Celtics’ Rich Gotham and Brad Stevens, KPMG CEO Paul Knopf, former CDC director Rochelle Walensky and free-speech advocates Harvey Silverglate and Steven Pinker — who shared insights from their personal and professional experiences.
As the new year approaches, we reflect on some of our favorite moments from 2024:
Ranking as the 11th Best College in the U.S.
A Wall Street Journal/College Pulse poll evaluated universities on how well they set up graduates for financial success.
RELATED: Pulsifer Career Development Center ranked #1 in nation
Introducing a new varsity sport: Women’s Golf
Bentley Athletics now provides an equal number of varsity sports for female and male student-athletes.
Launching our Social Innovation Incubator
A new partnership with the City of Waltham will help social entrepreneurs leverage the power of business to foster social change.
RELATED: Entrepreneurship Hub (E-Hub) celebrates opening of Somers Garage
Incorporating Virtual Reality in our Classrooms
Immersive videos offer Bentley students a unique — and unforgettable — way to learn about marine ecosystems.
RELATED: Students explore immersive learning through Meta’s University Program
Honoring our FirstGen Presidential Fellows
The leadership development program for high-achieving first-gen students celebrated its first-ever graduating class.
RELATED: Beautiful to be a ‘First and Only’: Bentley celebrates first-gen students
Committing to sustainable energy sources
Electricity generated by a wind farm in Maine will power 100% of campus operations through the end of 2027.
RELATED: Bentley recognized as top performer in sustainability innovation
Announcing new Bentley-Gallup survey findings
President Chrite discussed the role of business in society with executives from Citi, Hologic and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
RELATED: Bentley hosts MA business leaders to explore survey results
Hosting a Career Day with the Boston Celtics
Bentley students and alumni encouraged high school students to consider attending college and finding a career in professional sports.
RELATED: YMCA partnership offers scholarships and support to high school students
Partnering with GLSEN to support LGBTQ+ students
New programs will provide promising pathways to business education for historically underrepresented LGBTQ+ students.
RELATED: Rainbow Scholars program named NASPA Program of the Year
Presenting our inaugural Alumni Conference
Falcons returned to the nest to share their knowledge and expertise during two days of workshops and networking events.
RELATED: CHB hosts international summit on AI in the life sciences industry
Growing our eSports community
A popular student organization and official athletics team are bringing eSports at Bentley to the next level.
RELATED: Students plan first-ever collegiate NBA 2K24 tournament with CLTX Gaming
Becoming a Fair Trade-Certified University
Bentley is on track to becoming the first business university recognized by Fair Trade USA.
RELATED: ASA conference highlights opportunities for investment in Africa