UMass Dartmouth’s billionaire commencement speaker stuns graduates by giving them each $1,000 – but there’s a catch!
- UMass graduates were surprised when a billionaire speaker gave them $1,000 each
- Robert Hale Jr., worth $5 billion, said $500 should be kept while $500 goes to charity
- Hale distributed a total of $1.2 million to the 1,200 graduates gathered
Graduates at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth got an unexpected surprise from their aspiring billionaire speaker, who handed out envelopes of cash to each of them.
Robert Hale, Jr. is the founder of Granite Telecommunications, based in Quincy, near Boston.
In addition to their diploma, each graduate who took the stage received two envelopes worth a total of $1,000.
UMass graduates were surprised when billionaire speaker Robert Hale Jr. gave them $1,000 each, but on one condition
The students were surprised when Hale distributed a total of $1.2 million to the 1,200 graduates gathered
One contained $500 “to keep as a gift,” while the second envelope had a catch.
Hale, who is worth about $5.4 billion, stipulated that the second stash of cash would be given to “someone in need or to a charity or cause close to him or her.”
Just as the graduation ceremony was about to begin, Hale came forward and told the assembled graduates that he had some advice for them.
He said that one of “the greatest joys we have had in our lives has been the gift of giving….”
“These difficult times have heightened the need to share, care and give,” Hale said. “Our community needs you and your generosity more than ever.”
Robert Hale Jr., who is worth $5 billion, said he should keep $500, while the other $500 was for charity
The unexpected gift was a ray of sunshine, a ceremony that left attendees drenched
Parents watching the ceremony seemed to give Hale’s gift a thumbs up
Graduates in the class of 2024 couldn’t believe their unexpected windfall
Hale’s speech also seemed to go down well with faculty
Hale explained how two large duffel bags brought onto the stage by security personnel were full of cash.
Hale handed out a total of $1.2 million dollars as all 1,200 graduates each received the $1,000 gift.
Despite being a billionaire, Hale explained that money came and went during his lifetime.
The co-owner of the Boston Celtics basketball team told the audience about his career, including how he lost $1 billion almost overnight.
He urged the Class of 2024 not to let failure define them, citing his own life as an example of resilience and perseverance.