Over 1,400 graduating students from Bridgewater State University expected to receive a diploma on Thursday, but what they didn’t expect was for commencement speaker and billionaire Robert Hale Jr. to announce that each would receive $1,000 in cash.
Hale said the students would be receiving two gifts — $500 for themselves and then $500 to give to somebody else or another organization that could use it more than them.
“Share in the joy of giving. Every day is a great day to be a bear,” Hale said.
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Hale is the founder and chief executive officer of wholesale telecommunications provider Granite Telecommunications and a co-owner of the Boston Celtics. Hale has donated over $270 million to cancer research, educational institutions and other charities, according to Forbes.
“It really just represents how kind-hearted BSU is and how they’re continually committed to giving back to their students and rewarding us for all the hard efforts that we put into our degree and it makes me really proud to be a bear,” said graduating senior Raegan Taylor.
Forbes estimates his net worth to be $5.8 billion. He has contributed more than $400 million to cancer research, education and community causes, according to the state university.
This isn’t Hale’s first time giving a monetary gift to graduating seniors. He has given $1,000 under the same parameters to UMass Dartmouth graduates in 2024 to UMass Boston graduates in 2023, Roxbury Community College graduates in 2022 and Quincy College graduates in 2021.
“Rob’s gift embodies the spirit of service and leadership we strive to instill in our students,” said Fred Clark, president of Bridgewater State University. “His example inspires our graduates to lead with compassion and purpose.”
