The University of Massachusetts Boston graduating class of 2023 got a bit of a bonus along with their recent commencement speech from billionaire Rob Hale. The Granite CEO told the 2,500 students about the "gift of giving," and that every single one of them would be receiving a gift of $1,000 in cash.
The $1,000 was spread across two envelopes, one with $500 for the student to keep or spend, the other $500 to give to the charitable cause of their choice. As he put it: "For us [he and his wife Karen Hale] the greatest joys we've had in our life has been the gift of giving, so each of you is getting $1,000 cash."
Hale knows something about the joy of giving. Last year, he and wife Karen were reportedly giving $1 million a week to various small charities.
David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
It's not the first time Hale has performed this act. In 2021, he gave the graduating class at Quincy College $1,000 each. At that time, Hale told the Patriot Ledger newspaper that the gift was intended to make up for the loss of some of the traditional college experience due to COVID-19:
"I was flattered and honored when they asked me to be the commencement speaker several months ago. It just seems like these kids haven't had much reason to celebrate, so I wanted to help them do just that."
But Hale is continuing the practice now.
That same year, the Hales donated $30 million to his alma mater Connecticut College. And at this year's UMass ceremony, Senator Elizabeth Warren was on hand as well, and both Hale and Warren received honorary medals from the university chancellor.
If there are any current college students out there reading this, take note: if billionaire Robert Hale is invited next year to make your class's commencement and there's any question of you not being able to graduate, be sure to get your credits in order, because you might just have $1,000 coming your way.
