IDEA Partnerships

Pronouns: she/her

Larinda leverages her expertise and passion for retail, fashion and marketing alongside inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in career development programming by building partnerships with faculty, student organizations, alumni and employers and has been sharing with her students while living the motto: Love What You Do!

In addition to her role in the center for career development, Larinda also serves as adjunct faculty in the Marketing Division, teaching Retailing Management, an advanced experiential course designed for students to engage real life problem solving with retail professionals and businesses. Furthermore, she supports the undergraduate college as liaison to the National Retail Federation Foundation, encouraging Babson business students to leverage this national career development program to seek fulfilling careers within the retail industry.

Before her employment at Babson College Larinda advanced her career from corporate merchandise planning, and operational management roles to a full-time faculty teaching position at Virginia State University, a local HBCU near her hometown in Chesterfield, VA in 2008. Thereafter, she moved into a faculty role at Newbury College, a minority serving institution in Brookline, Massachusetts as Assistant Professor for Fashion Merchandising within the Roger A. Saunders School of Business.

Larinda Cole completed her Master of Science in Apparel and Business Analysis from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University, School of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences in Blacksburg, VA and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Merchandising from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Brenda’s work focuses on empowering students to authentically navigate career journeys that honor and prioritize personal identity, ability and wellness. An advocate for underrepresented students, Brenda drives change by improving access to educational and professional opportunities for all students, and creates inclusive, safe spaces where students integrate identity and career choice with intentionality. Brenda also leverages her background in accounting and finance to advise students with an interest in these areas.

Brenda works closely with Babson’s Multicultural & Inclusion Programs and Semillas Society to support first generation college students; and with Wellness & Prevention and Accessibility Services to support students with disabilities. She is a member of The Rainbow Agenda, which works to create supportive, brave spaces for LGBTQ+ students and the Babson Talks & Votes Committee, charged with creating opportunities and initiatives where thoughtful, respectful, and civil engagement is cultivated.

Previously Brenda held a variety of career development roles at Northeastern University, Boston College, and Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College; as well accounting and finance roles at TJX and Arthur Andersen, where she focused on the retail, manufacturing, and non-profit sectors. She is a former Board Member of the Waban Library Center and Parent Leadership Committees of three Boston-area schools. Brenda holds a BA American Studies (Colby College), MS Accounting (University of Hartford), and MA Higher Education Administration (Boston College).