A commencement speaker at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth gave the graduates some inspiring words for their futures and $1,000 cash each to get them started.
Robert Hale, Jr., the billionaire founder and CEO of Granite Telecommunications, and co-owner of the Boston Celtics, sent the students into a frenzy when he told them each graduate who crossed the stage on Thursday would receive one $500 envelope to keep as a gift.
But a second $500 envelope was also presented to each grad to be given to “someone in need or a charity or cause close to them”
Hale, who stuffed the envelopes into two giant duffel bags he brought on stage with him, told the crowd that for him and his wife the greatest joys we’ve had in our life have been the gift of giving.