Badavas Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning Launched
Bentley University has announced the launch of the Robert P. and Kalliope Badavas Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning. The center, made possible by a gift from departing Chair of the Board Bob Badavas ’74 and his wife Kally, will be designed as a cross-campus resource for individuals and initiatives and will bolster the efforts of faculty now working to redesign the university’s curriculum.
Building on Bentley’s longstanding tradition of delivering a high-quality business education integrated with the arts and sciences, the Badavas Center will help the university to continue to innovate as the higher education landscape evolves. The center will allow Bentley to explore new curricular, co-curricular and non-degree and executive education experiences to maximize what the university offers students and to expand its reach.
In addition to exploring new educational experiences and delivery methods, the center will serve as a resource for faculty research and development and take a holistic approach to examining the educational process, from exploring what students need to learn to identifying the learners of the future.
“This generous gift to found the Badavas Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning will ensure that Bob and Kally Badavas’ legacy will live on for years to come,” said President Alison Davis-Blake. “As a 14-year trustee and proud alumnus, Bob knows firsthand the value of a Bentley education. His time studying at the university as a student helped him to succeed and lead in top executive roles for four decades. Now, this new center bearing his name will ensure that future generations of students leave with that same opportunity.”
Robert and Kalliope Badavas were inducted in 2017 with 36 other alumni and friends to the Great Benefactors, a group that recognizes donors whose lifetime giving to Bentley University is $1 million or more.
Leading the Badavas Center’s efforts as executive director will be Suzanne Dove, an experienced educator with a diverse background in higher education in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Dove spent over 12 years at the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, most recently as the assistant dean for academic innovations. In that role, she was responsible for spearheading educational innovation initiatives across the school with a focus on the undergraduate business program.
In addition to her experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Dove has worked with Bentley’s faculty as a consultant including assisting with curriculum redesign efforts.