Commencement 2023
Commencement 2023
Weekend Schedule
| 5:00 pm | Baccalaureate | For seniors, juniors, and faculty only |
| 6:23 – 10:23 pm | Dinner for seniors, parents, and guardians | Hosted by the Deerfield Parents Network |
| 7:00 pm | Spring Theater Production of Little Women |
| 1:00 pm | Senior Vocal Music Concert | |
| 2:00 pm | Senior Dance Concert | |
| 3:00 pm | Senior Instrumental Music Concert | |
| 4:00 pm | Spring Theater Production of Little Women | |
| 5:30 – 6:30 pm | Senior Parent Donor Reception | In recognition of parents who have donated any amount to any fund. All guest aged 21+ are welcome to attend. Please RSVP for the reception. |
| 7:00 pm | Class Dinner Dance | For seniors and all guests |
| 9:30 pm | Senior Class Meeting | Required for all seniors |
| 9:00 am | Continental Breakfast | |
| 10:00 am | Class of 2023 Commencement Exercises | |
| 11:45 am | Buffet Luncheon and Farewell | For the seniors and all guests |
| 2:00 pm | All seniors must depart campus |
Robert (Rob) T. Hale Jr, Deerfield Class of 1984, is co-founder and President of Granite Telecommunications, LLC, a communications company headquartered in Quincy, MA. Established in 2002, Granite has grown rapidly and consistently and now supplies over 1.75 million business lines, has annual revenues exceeding $1.8 billion, and employs over 2,500. The company provides voice and data communications products and services to over two thirds of Fortune’s 100, including 18 of the top 20 retailers in the United States and many of the country’s largest financial services, health care, real estate, and public utility companies. Granite is one of nine companies eligible to supply next generation voice and data communications services and products to federal agencies and other governmental customers under GSA’s $50 billion Enterprise Information Systems contract.
Granite was recognized as the most philanthropic company in Massachusetts, contributing over $52.5 million to local organizations in 2022. Philanthropy is a passion for Mr. Hale. The Chronicles of Philanthropy and Forbes Magazine have recognized Mr. Hale and his wife, Karen, among the top 25 largest donors in the US. Forbes chronicled the Hales’ “52 Weeks of Giving” in a 2022 cover story for the Forbes 400 issue.
Mr. Hale has held leadership roles at Boston Children’s Hospital, The Massachusetts Soldier’s Legacy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Connecticut College, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and at Deerfield as a trustee. Mr. and Mrs. Hale received the Boston Red Sox Jimmy Fund Award for his long-time commitment to the lifesaving mission of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Among other recent awards and recognition that the Hales have received are the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s Carolyn Lynch Humanitarian Award, Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Heritage Key Award, Partners Healthcare’s Jack Connors Philanthropic Leadership Award, Connecticut College’s Goss Award, and the Deerfield Medal, which is awarded for outstanding service to the Academy.
The Boston Globe awarded Mr. and Mrs. Hale Honorable Mention for 2022 Bostonian of the Year for their “philanthropic creativity.” Mr. Hale is currently recognized as a leading entrepreneur by several organizations and publications. He has been repeatedly recognized by Boston Business Journal–Power 50, which salutes the 50 most powerful people in Boston. He has also received the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, and has been saluted as one of the 25 most influential people in American telecom multiple times.
Mr. Hale owns FoxRock Properties, a Boston-based real estate firm with over five million square feet of commercial space. He also founded Copley Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in small and middle market businesses with significant growth prospects. Copley owns 20 growth companies with 5,000 teammates. Mr. Hale is an owner and Director of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. The Hales live in the Boston area, and they have three children who attended Deerfield and are members of the Classes of ’15, ’17, and ’18.
Guide to Commencement
Make room reservations well in advance. Seasoned Deerfield parents know that lodging in Deerfield and the surrounding area fills up early for the Memorial Day weekend. You’ll find plenty of choices in the area by searching for rooms in the 01342 zip code, or checking DA’s lodging page: Deerfield.edu/about/visit/lodging
Parents receive a box of 10 invitations to commencement. In the case of divorced parents, Deerfield Academy sends each parent a box of invitations. In this instance, we expect two separate registrations for the graduating senior.
Parents should use the RSVP link on this webpage to register for commencement. One parent will be the main registrant and, in their registration, they can add up to 9 additional guests. There should be one registration submitted per graduating student. In the case of separated parents, we expect two separate registrations for the graduating senior.
While Deerfield has never capped the number of guests per graduate, we hope that 10 invitations are sufficient. Please contact Tessa Doubleday (tdoubleday@deerfield.edu) if you need more invitations. Extended family members are welcome to all events planned by the Advancement office.
Accessible seating it available under the Commencement tent. Be sure to indicate on your registration if you or a guest wishes to sit in this area during commencement. Accessible seating is for the guest in need plus one additional person.
What you see on the screen is available livestream and also recorded. Video playback is posted within days of the end of Commencement. There will be professional photographers on hand to get a shot of your children as they walk up and when they receive their diploma. If you decide you want more photos, you can take shots from your seat. After the ceremony, you will want a family photo in front of the door at John Williams dorm.
With a variety of activities going on over the weekend, you may want to bring a couple of different selections of semi-casual attire.
| · Class Dinner Dance: “festive” attire – no tie required |
| · Commencement: coat/tie, dresses, or nice pants and top |
| · Student attire for the Commencement ceremony: blue blazer white shirt, khakis, and class tie or white dresses. |
Please note that New England weather is famous for its unpredictability. Layering your clothing is recommended, and be prepared for rain as well. The average temperature range for May is between 69℉ (high) and 45℉ (low) (21° to 7° Celsius).
Deerfield Academy encourages day students to stay on campus after the Senior Class Meeting. Those who plan to go home should plan with the Dean’s office ahead of time. Keep in the mind that Massachusetts restricts drivers under the age of 19 from operating a motor vehicle between the hours of 12:30 – 5 am.
There are always plenty of places to park. When you arrive to campus, follow the directions of security. Also, don’t forget that if you have any guests who will need extra help getting around, please indicate that in your registration.
The Commencement Tent opens promptly at 9 am. Sections including accessible seating, will be set aside for graduating seniors, underclassmen, faculty, trustees, and guests. Before the weekend, Deerfield will provide you with a diagram indicating the sections for guest seating. Large screens at the front of the tent will provide you with the best view of the event, including the Commencement walk down Albany Road. There really is no bad seat in the tent!
Graduating seniors line up on the lawn between the Field and McAlister dorms. At 10am, they begin their procession down Albany Road, which will be broadcast on the screen in the tent. The path will be lined by undergraduate students. Guests are asked to be respectful, allowing plenty of room for the cavalcade to comfortably enter the tent.
Seniors must be moved out of the dorms and be off campus by 2 pm. This allows for underclassmen to continue with their activities.
Commencement Speaker
Speaker Name
Speaker Bio