Listen to this articleThis week, Molloy University awarded 1,145 graduates – including those earning bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees – at its 2024 commencement ceremonies at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.
Matt Higgins, CEO and co-founder of the private firm RSE Ventures and a guest shark on Shark Tank, was the commencement speaker. Higgins built a multibillion-dollar investment portfolio including over 100 brands in the consumer, sports and entertainment fields.
“To the class of 2024, never let anyone convince you that your past puts a ceiling on your future. It only sets the floor,” Higgins said. “And for all the blessings you pursue, and all the burdens you must carry, always ask yourself the one question that has the power to change your life: Why not me?”
Higgins was one of the first employees – and ultimately chief operating officer – of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which was created to plan the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. He helped organize the design competition that culminated in “Reflecting Absence” – part of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum – and the development of One World Trade Center. Higgins serves as an executive fellow at the Harvard Business School, co-teaching the course “Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer.” He appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank as a guest shark during seasons 10 and 11. And, in 2023, his debut book, Burn the Boats, was on The Wall Street Journal bestseller list.
“Commencement is the best day of the year,” Jim Lentini, president of Molloy University, said. “Families and students are so happy and are looking forward to the next part of their life, but it is always bittersweet about leaving Molloy and the great experiences they had here.”
Others shared that sentiment.
“I’m a first-generation American so this is the first time that my family is seeing anyone attend college and cross that stage,” said Eric Palencia of Mattituck, who earned an undergraduate degree in political science at Molloy. “My parents are originally from Guatemala, and they have always dreamed of this moment for me. It happened with a lot of hard work and effort, but we made it here.”
Many of the undergraduates had graduated high school in 2020, a year that was undermined by COVID. This year was very different.
“In high school I had a drive- through graduation ceremony,” said Matthew Floyd of Bethany, Connecticut, who earned an undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Molloy. “This year is so different being able to graduate with my classmates and friends. My whole family is able to see me graduate instead of a select few in a car.”
At the ceremony Molloy bestowed Higgins with an honorary Doctor of Business Honoris Causa degree.
