The graduates jumped for joy, clapping their hands for about a minute after the announcement
Graduates from the University of Massachusetts, Boston were stunned after billionaire Robert Hale, the speaker at the graduation ceremony, announced that he would be handing out envelopes with $1,000 cash to each student. . CNN report. Mr. Hale handed out cash to 2,500 UMass Boston graduates before they walked across the stage on Thursday, May 25. However, the gift comes with a surprise.
Each student was given two envelopes, one with $500 as a gift and a second with the rest of the money to donate to a person or organization in need.
”These are turbulent times. You have survived. You have succeeded. You will be organized. You passed. It’s not easy. Were here. And we are proud of you. We want to share in that celebration with you. We want to give you two gifts. The first is a gift for you. The second is the gift of giving,” said Hale.
”One said ‘Gift’ and the other said ‘Give.’ The first is for you, the ‘Gift’ is for you. ‘Give’ is also for you, but to give,” said Hale, according to NBC.
The graduates jumped for joy, clapping their hands for about a minute as the workers pulled stacks of envelopes from the back pocket of the announcement.
”You will define the next generation of our society, the commonwealth and beyond. You will have a more enjoyable life if you give a little more than you get, and you take a few chances. Don’t be afraid to fail. Despite it. You will have a fuller life because of it,” the billionaire added.
This isn’t the first time he’s made such a surprise. According to NBCBostonhe gave $1,000 each to 150 graduates at Roxbury Community College in Boston in May 2022. He gave a similar gift to 2021 graduates at Quincy College , where he gave $1,000 to all graduates.
According to CBS news, Hale is president of Granite Communications, a multi-location business communications service provider based in Quincy, Massachusetts. His net worth is estimated at $5 billion, and he has personally donated more than $280 million to cancer research, educational institutions, and other charities, according to Forbes.
