The Gatepost Editorial: Sheena Collier is the right choice for commencement

By The Gatepost Editorial Board President Nancy Niemi notified the Framingham State community about the new 2026 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony speaker, Sheena Collier, on April 14. The announcement came only five days after Niemi emailed the community that Nestlé USA's Global Culinary Kitchen President Nelson Peña de Jesús had withdrawn as the 2026 commencement speaker. Niemi said Peña de Jesús “expressed concern that the attention surrounding his participation could distract from what should be a joyful and celebratory moment for the Class of 2026.” The most pressing concern was that the Nestlé corporation does not represent the values, morals, and mission of the University due to its controversial humanitarian practices, including a historic use of child labor. The speaker from Nestlé was chosen to spotlight alumna Ruth Graves Wakefield, the inventor of the chocolate chip cookie. The Gatepost Editorial Board remains disappointed by the decision to platform Nestlé to highlight the work of an incredible female inventor whose work continues to impact the global community. To truly honor Wakefield, a strong female pioneer would be a better choice. The Gatepost Editorial Board believes Sheena Collier is a speaker far better suited to honor not only Wakefield, but also other incredible alumnae. The University made the right choice in selecting Collier, the founder and CEO of Boston While Black, to deliver the commencement address as well as receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Collier stayed in Boston after graduating from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and began working to build connections among the Black community to redefine Boston as a city “where Black people don’t have to choose between opportunity and authenticity - because community, culture, and connection are built in,” according to the Boston While Black website. Collier’s mission should feel familiar to Framingham State students. Niemi said, “She speaks to the importance of building community, navigating new environments, and creating opportunity - not just for oneself, but for others. These are lessons that resonate deeply with the journeys our students are about to begin.” Further, Collier’s experience, mission, and success reflect the University’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Collier wrote on her LinkedIn in reference to her selection, “There is something powerful about being in spaces where people are on the edge of what’s next, figuring out who they are and who they want to become. To be invited into that moment is not something I take lightly.” Our community is dedicated to truth, innovation, and opportunity. Framingham State students are hard-working and passionate, and they strive to improve our community. The Class of 2026 will be the latest group of students who will bring these values out into the world. They deserve a speaker who will inspire them with her success story of how it is possible to make change and connect people in the real world. This is the message our 2026 undergraduates deserve to hear on their commencement day. We look forward to welcoming Sheena Collier on May 23 and embracing her as a permanent member of the Framingham State community and the Class of 2026.