Springfield College Commencement Ceremonies Set for May 13-14
Springfield College will hold its 137th Commencement ceremonies the weekend of May 13-14.
Springfield College will hold its 137th Commencement ceremonies the weekend of May 13-14 at which undergraduate and graduate students will receive their diplomas and be recognized for their academic accomplishments. Each ceremony will feature a Commencement speaker.
The Graduate Student Commencement Ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 13 at 9:30 a.m. in the Field House in the Wellness and Recreation Complex on the Springfield College campus. The Commencement speaker will be Kuda Biza, a serial entrepreneur who started his first company in Zimbabwe when he was age 9.
The Undergraduate Student Commencement Ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 14 at 9:30 a.m. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. This year's Commencement speaker is alumnus Peter G. Watson '79, G'80. Watson recently retired from Greif Inc., a $6.3 billion global packaging company where he was president and CEO for six years, and most recently executive chairman of the Board of Directors.
"Both of our distinguished speakers embody the essence of our Humanics philosophy as demonstrated by their service to others throughout their lives. Kuda will inspire us to take action, achieve our dreams and leave the world a better place by finding our purpose," said Springfield College President Mary-Beth A. Cooper, PhD, DM. "Pete will share his participation in athletics as a foundation for creating great success in the workplace, in volunteer settings, and as a servant leader. I am confident that both speakers will inspire and leave our graduates with great examples of Humanics in action."
Peter G. Watson Biography
Watson's industrial packaging company serves customers in more than 37 countries around the world. At Greif, Inc., Watson served in several executive positions, including chief operating officer and group president for paper packaging. Prior to his business career, he was a college football coach at Springfield College, Cornell University, and Wake Forest University. These experiences greatly informed his business leadership style. At Springfield College, Watson earned a Bachelor of Science in Community Education in 1979 and a Master of Education in Teaching Education and Administration.
Despite the demands of his position, Watson is a frequent contributor to the campus, including serving as the Executive in Residence in the Department of Business Management, where he lectures in classes on various topics, such as leadership, strategic management, and career preparation. He also conducts one-on-one mentoring sessions with upper class and Master of Business Administration students.
Kuda Biza Biography
Biza moved to the U.S. with only $40 in his pocket to study at Lynn University where he started his second company while still in school. Today, he is the co-founder and chief marketing officer of Nunbelievable, a mission-based baked goods company that donates a meal for every cookie sold. The company has donated nearly two million meals to people in need since the company launched right before the pandemic.
Before Nunbelievable, Biza spent more than a decade in various innovation and e-commerceroles at Newell Brands, a Fortune 500 firm. While at Newell, he was responsible for launching multi-million-dollar strategic new growth initiatives, such as Crock-Pot Cuisine, a meal delivery subscription service that reached more than $20 million in annual sales in less than three years. He also ran the $100 million e-commerce division. Kuda is also a founder, advisor, and investor in a few other business ventures.
