At the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's commencement ceremony last Thursday, billionaire Robert Hale Jr, founder and CEO of Granite Telecommunications, surprised all 1,200 graduates with $1,000 each. He announced that every graduate who crossed the stage would receive a $500 envelope to keep and another $500 envelope to give to someone in need or to a charity of their choice.
Hale, who brought the envelopes in two large duffel bags, shared that he and his wife have found the greatest joy in giving. “These trying times have heightened the need for sharing, caring, and giving,” Hale said in his speech, “Our community and our world need our help now more than ever.” His words resonated with the graduates, 40% of whom were first-generation college graduates.
Hale, who’s estimated to be worth over $5 billion, also recounted his own career challenges, including losing a billion dollars almost overnight. He used his experience to inspire resilience among the graduates, urging them to persevere and not let failure define them.
Source: NY POST