And the award for the BEST commencement speaker, in the history of commencement speakers gooooooeeeeessss tooooooo: Robert Frederick Smith, cleary.
The 135th Commencement exercises at Morehouse College took place on its Century Campus, awarding commencement orator billionaire Robert Frederick Smith an honorary doctorate.
Along with Smith, nearly 400 young men received degrees for their hard work as symbols of crossing the finish line on this portion of their education.
In his inspirational message to the class, the 56-year-old philanthropist, businessman and investor already shared his plan of a $1.5million gift to the school, when he shared other news:
“My family is going to create a grant to eliminate your student loans!” HE announced a grant from his family to eliminate the student debt for the Morehouse College Class of 2019. “This is my class,” he said, “and I know my class will pay this forward.”
Tonga Releford, mother of graduating Charles Releford tells AJC “I feel like it’s Mother’s Day all over again.” She estimates her son had about $70,000.00 in student loans prior to his balance being covered by Smith. Her younger son Colin is a junior at Morehouse. Tonga shares her hope for Smith’s return, “Maybe he’ll come back next year.”
Robert F. Smith’s gift is valued at an estimate of $40million.
If Smith is a businessman and investor, with a networth upward of a billion dollars, we hope the men of Morehouse realize how powerful it is, to have him (who looks just like them) literally place an investment in them!
