Sorenson Arts Scholars Spotlight 2025

SORENSON ARTS SCHOLARS

SPOTLIGHT 2025

CREATED in 2006 through the generous support of Richard W. and Sandra L. Sorenson, the needs-based Sorenson Arts Scholarship is awarded to incoming first-year students with demonstrated talent who are interested in maintaining their artistic pursuits while at Babson. These students continue to develop as artists through mentorship, feedback, and structured annual projects. These projects start with an autobiographical piece, moving to exploring and expanding within and beyond their primary medium, to a capstone project that reflects the culmination of their time at Babson through their art. The Sorenson Arts Scholars Spotlight is an annual event where the scholars share their artistic process and finished project. This catalog illustrates a small part of the scholars’ journey and celebrates their commitment to their artistic development.

Colby Martel ’24, Associate Dean, Campus Life, Leslie Chiu, Julian Ivarra ’25, Ben Yaeger ’27, Gabi Garozzo ’25, Nora Ryan ’25, Leah Paragano ’26, Rosie Ruben ’27, and Soobin Lee ’24. Photo by Nile Hawver.

PAST RECIPIENTS

SOOBIN LEE ’24

COLBY MARTEL ’24

CAROLINE CLARK ’23

LOGAN HARRIS ’23

AMARA OGUKWE ’22

MADISON ADLER ’21

MARIA BLANCO ’20

JOSEPH NASH ’20

ALEXA FORGIONE ’19

ANNELIESE GLAUBITZ ’19

LAUREN NOHELTY ’18

MATTHEW HARD ’16

DOMINIC ESPOSITO ’15

MORGAN KEITH ’14

SUSANNA KROLL ’14

MEGAN BETTLES (OSINSKI) ’13

SUOPENG GAO ’11

ALEXANDER MARKOVITZ ’10

RAFAEL BALAGUER ’09

TY COHEN ’08

LAUREN SON (GREEN) ’06

SARAH HEALY ’06

GABI GAROZZO ’25 HAVERHILL,

MA

In the fall of 2023, I studied abroad in Perugia, Italy, to experience my Italian culture firsthand. My final portfolio theme came to me quite gradually and beautifully during my time there. As time passed, I grew more and more appreciative of how much Italians value connection at the dinner table. The average meal would last at least a couple of hours, and the food, while a highlight, was almost always a complement to the meaningful conversation that would inevitably flow. Concurrent with my own reflections in Italy, I took a class called Anthropology of Food, where I learned about the way food has shaped society and how this has differed around the world. I decided to create vibrant ceramics pieces and paint table settings I photographed after a meal had finished, which were clearly marked by the impact of human connection: messiness, scatter, a still peace.

JULIAN IVARRA ’25

DALLAS, TX

I wanted to take a different route from my usual functional pieces and explore sculpture for my culminating project. The idea for this project came to me in the middle of a run; the skyscraper under construction can be analogous to whatever the viewer chooses. It could represent all that the Class of 2025 and I have accomplished so far and the endless possibilities for what’s to come. Or it could represent a regret, a lost passion, or a stone left unturned. My primary goal in sculpture is to evoke thought and interpretation, a vaguer challenge than the clear purpose of the furniture I tend to build.

NORA RYAN ’25

ABINGTON, MA

I have had the immense joy of being a Sorenson Arts Scholar for nearly four years now. The program has propelled me to share my voice and ideas through poetry to the great Babson community. I am so grateful to be preparing my final Spotlight performance as my senior year dwindles down. My final reading will be a culmination of the skills I have fostered and crafted through my time in this wonderful cohort among such talented artists.

LEAH PARAGANO ’26

MENDHAM, NJ

I pivoted from my usual medium of singing and found myself in the cycle instructor world. I grew up in and around the gym because my mom is also a fitness instructor. My background in performing arts and theater perfectly complimented teaching classes and choreographing routines. I got my Spin Instructor certification last December and it has been the most rewarding, inspiring, and full circle moment for me. I feel so lucky to explore a new form of art that reminds me of my childhood and creates healthy mental and physical habits for myself and those around me.

ROSIE RUBEN ’27

BROOKLYN, NY

For this year’s Sorenson Arts Showcase, I am designing long coats featuring intricate line art embroidery. My goal is to modernize the classic long coat, creating a look that is both sophisticated and distinctive. While I have experience with embroidery and line art, this is my first time applying these techniques to outerwear, making this project an exciting new challenge. I aim to craft pieces that not only exude authenticity and high quality but also instill confidence in the wearer— garments that feel truly unique.

photos: concept design mock-up

BEN YAEGER ’27 PLYMOUTH,

MA

Hi, my name is Ben Yaeger, and I am a sophomore at Babson College. I specialize in 3D design and printing; however, I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone this year. I am passionate about nature and love to hike. I even helped found the hiking club here at Babson! I decided that I wanted a way to capture the places that I have hiked while exploring a new medium for me, painting. Over the last year, I have been taking pictures of places that I have traveled and am now turning them into paintings. My first completed painting is from a hike in Acadia that led to Echo Lake. My next painting, which I have begun working on, is of El Capitan at sunset in Yosemite National Park. I am extremely excited to share my travels and art, in addition to learning and improving in the world of painting.

BRIGID KELLY ’28

IZZY RUSSO ’28

P Ā PA’ALOA, BIG ISLAND, HI

Izzy’s work is concept driven and grounded in both experimentation and creative risk taking. Her identity as an artist is marked by a fusion of passion and curiosity. While she may state that her creative process can be messy and daring, her final products are refined and clean. For her inaugural project as a Sorenson Arts Scholar, Izzy continues to create sculptural fashion pieces while using metal and exploring volume and layers to explore the balance between herself and her multiple identities through the motif of roots.

JENNY ZHENG ’28

LOS ANGELES, CA

This is a narrative where you are the main character. If life were a test, I hope you can stay true to yourself and fill in the answers without regret, because in the end, there are no right answers. Whether a five-year-old art prodigy, a 16-year-old college dropout, a 24-year-old struggling with addiction, or a 55-year-old Fortune 500 CEO, we all share one certainty: one day, we will die. From the moment we are born, we are given a lifetime—though none of us know how long it will last. With no way of knowing when that time will end, live it fully. Make it all yours—the entirety of your life.

BABSON ARTS .ORG