Based in Wellesley, MA, Babson College specializes in providing a premier business education through a unique entrepreneurial lens to produce highly effective leaders across all industries. Babson College has been revolutionizing business education since its founding in 1919 and is credited as the creator of entrepreneurship education. With a world-class alumni network that includes some of the most impactful executives in organizations of all kinds, Babson College prepares and empowers its students to become entrepreneurial leaders who add sustainable, economic, and social value everywhere.
THE CHALLENGE:
Over the past few years, Babson has been an early adopter of intelligent video solutions and began by outfitting a few select classrooms to test hybrid learning for students. Once the adoption of hybrid learning began to accelerate, Babson recognized the need to bring this experience to more classrooms with the proper technology and implement those solutions at a larger scale across campus.
THE SOLUTION:
Babson’s Instructional Technology Integration Specialist, Bill O’Donnell, and integrator, CAVT, relied on Crestron as a partner to navigate the hybrid learning reality with solutions that would enable those in the room to collaborate with remote students or guest lecturers naturally. With the success of intelligent video solutions and a trusted history with Crestron as a technology partner, Babson decided to also integrate the Crestron Automate™ VX system for automated camera control in classrooms.
THE TECHNOLOGY:
With a commitment to providing a superior classroom experience for their students, Babson knew the best way to support students through hybrid learning would be investing in technologies that could bring them together, even if they weren’t physically in the same room. The initial success with the Crestron Automate VX system in specialized classrooms forged a natural evolution for Babson to bring this technology into additional classrooms across campus.
Throughout the Babson campus, there are nearly 50 classrooms that have intelligent video capabilities. The integration of the Crestron Automate VX system allows for a completely automatic camera-switching experience so whoever is speaking can be seen by the remote participants. Optical zoom PTZ cameras provide clear, crisp close-ups of the students in the room and the AutoTracker presenter tracking camera allows professors to move comfortably through their presentations.
These intelligent video capabilities empower Babson to supply enhanced classes to remote learners who could actively participate in class and have a similar experience to those in the classroom. This solution enables more collaborative work between remote and in-person students. Babson’s classrooms were designed to hold 60 students; however, due to social distancing, the maximum occupancy went down to 10 to 12 students. O’Donnell and his team leveraged the technology in these classrooms to assist professors with capturing lectures and sharing them with their students when they were unable to attend in person.
Beyond the pandemic, these impressive classrooms have continued to bring a multi-camera experience to Babson and support the flexibility of remote or hybrid classes. When a student is remote, they can always see the content and hear what is being said - an experience that is just as valuable as that provided to those sitting in the room.
RESULTS:
With the addition of intelligent video technology, Crestron was able to provide Babson with an engaging video experience in the classroom or anywhere hybrid meetings are taking place. The refined intelligent video solutions from Crestron has assured Babson that they are giving their students and faculty the technology they need to succeed.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
