Twice as nice: Quincy's Rob Hale donates $1,000 to each Roxbury Community College graduate

WCVB and Patriot Ledger staff
·2 min read

BOSTON – More than 150 Roxbury Community College graduates received their diplomas Friday, plus a surprise.

Keynote speaker Rob Hale Jr. gave each student $1,000 at the college’s 46th commencement ceremony.

"The world needs your positive impact now more than ever," Hale said during his keynote address.

Rob Hale, of Quincy, gave each graduate of Roxbury Community College $1,000 at their ceremony Friday, May 13, 2022.
Rob Hale, of Quincy, gave each graduate of Roxbury Community College $1,000 at their ceremony Friday, May 13, 2022.

Hale gave each graduate $500 as a gift and $500 to give to an organization, family member or supporter.

Hale is a co-owner and director of the Boston Celtics as well as the founder and CEO of Quincy-based Granite Telecommunications.

April: Quincy entrepreneur Rob Hale makes Forbes 2022 list of billionaires

Q&A: Quincy CEO Rob Hale talks Quincy development, philanthropy and building a lasting legacy

Many of the students received degrees in either health care or STEM fields. About 68% of the class lives in Boston, with 25% calling Dorchester home.

Last year, Hale gave 490 Quincy College graduates $1,000 each.

Rob Hale, president of Granite Telecommunications, gives a commencement address to Quincy College graduates at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy on Friday, May 21, 2021.
Rob Hale, president of Granite Telecommunications, gives a commencement address to Quincy College graduates at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy on Friday, May 21, 2021.

In his speech to Roxbury Community College students, Hale spoke fondly of his family‘s penchant for giving and encouraged graduates to always give what they can.

“Give a little more than you get,” he told students. “By that, I mean give of yourself. I’m not talking about some of the monetary gifts. … I’m talking about you. If you give, in the long run, I promise you will be the recipient of the positive energy.”

Hale earlier this year was named by Forbes magazine as one of the world's top billionaires with an estimated net worth of $3.2 billion, something he said was spurred by the attention he received for his Quincy College donations.

"I suppose that if you're going to be discovered, philanthropy is a pretty good way for that to happen," he said at the time.

WCVB is a media partner of The Patriot Ledger.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy's Rob Hale gives $1,000 to community college graduates