Skip to main content


Repost Message will copy the article into draft mode and enable you to edit/change dates and information.
Do not change the dates of this posting because it will affect the original.

MCC Daily Tribune

Alumnus Adrian Hale to Address Class of 2023

I am pleased to announce that Adrian Hale, member of the MCC Class of 2014, will deliver the Message to the Graduates at MCC's Commencement on Thursday, May 25, at 7:00 p.m. at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

A northeast Rochester native, Mr. Hale is a civic leader with experience in education advocacy and economic and workforce development, including serving as current director of economic and community development for Foundry, a digital currency group company. He is also a member of the state Board of Regents, having been elected by the state Legislature in March for a five-year term.

Mr. Hale has a deep belief in leadership through service and has been a passionate advocate for advancing equity and opportunity for all. Early in his career, Mr. Hale said, “For us to really address the problems we face as a community, it is important for people like myself who are actually products of those experiences to come back and lead the effort to make a difference.”

After graduating from high school in 2007, Mr. Hale enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. When he returned home from duty, he sought opportunities to reach his full potential. He enrolled in Monroe Community College, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, and took his next steps toward becoming a public servant.

At MCC, he was active in student government, maintained a 4.0 GPA, and was awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. After graduating from MCC with an associate degree in liberal arts and sciences-general studies in 2014, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science from Yale University. He is the first in his family to attend and graduate from college.

After returning to Rochester, he worked at the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, overseeing workforce development and educational initiatives and leading the chamber’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, including serving as a liaison to the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI). He works tirelessly to improve the educational outcomes for Greater Rochester’s youth and enhance the quality of the regional workforce, and champions a more inclusive economic development strategy.

Mr. Hale's civic engagement further illustrates his commitment to community development. He co-chairs the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council's Downtown Revitalization Initiative and serves on Governor Hochul's Workforce Development Initiative Committee.

MCC celebrates the success of the Class of 2023 and looks forward to the inspiring words of Adrian Hale, our featured Commencement speaker.

A graduating student speaker will be named in coming weeks. Please regularly check the MCC Daily Tribune for an announcement.

#MCCOpensDoors #MCC2023

Photo caption:  Adrian Hale smiling wearing a blue suit, white shirt and gold tie with a city backdrop blurred behind him. 

Attached Files:
Adrian Hale photo.jpg

DeAnna Burt-Nanna
Office of the President
04/19/2023