UMass Boston graduates receive surprise $1,000 gift from billionaire Celtics co-owner and keynote speaker.

Rob Hale, a billionaire and co-owner of the Boston Celtics, surprised the 2023 graduating class of the University of Massachusetts Boston by giving each of the 2,500 undergraduates $1,000 during their commencement ceremony. Half of the money was for the graduates to keep, while the other half was to be given to someone else or an organization in need. Hale encouraged the graduates to share in the joy of giving and emphasized the importance of compassion during these trying times. Hale's net worth is estimated at $5 billion, and he has personally donated over $280 million to cancer research, educational institutions, and other charities.