Framingham State Selects Sheena Collier as 2026 Commencement Speaker

Collier, founder of Boston While Black, will receive honorary degree for her work building community connections.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 9:06am

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A brightly colored, abstract silkscreen illustration featuring a repeated icon of a graduation cap in a grid, using vibrant neon shades of blue, pink, and yellow to conceptually represent the energy and celebration of a university commencement ceremony.Framingham State's 2026 commencement speaker Sheena Collier will inspire graduates with her mission to build community connections.Boston Today

Framingham State University has announced that Sheena Collier, the founder and CEO of Boston While Black, will be the 2026 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony speaker. Collier will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in recognition of her work building connections within Boston's Black community and redefining the city as a place of opportunity and authenticity.

Why it matters

The selection of Collier as commencement speaker reflects Framingham State's ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Collier's mission and success story align with the university's values of truth, innovation, and creating opportunities for students to make a positive impact on their communities.

The details

The announcement came just five days after the university's initial selection, Nestlé USA's Global Culinary Kitchen President Nelson Peña de Jesús, withdrew due to concerns that his participation could distract from the celebratory moment for the Class of 2026. The Gatepost Editorial Board had expressed disappointment with the Nestlé selection, citing the corporation's controversial humanitarian practices.

  • On April 14, 2026, Framingham State President Nancy Niemi notified the community about Sheena Collier as the new commencement speaker.
  • The original speaker, Nelson Peña de Jesús, withdrew on April 9, 2026.

The players

Sheena Collier

The founder and CEO of Boston While Black, an organization working to build connections among Boston's Black community and redefine the city as a place of opportunity and authenticity.

Nancy Niemi

The president of Framingham State University.

Nelson Peña de Jesús

The former Global Culinary Kitchen President at Nestlé USA, who initially was selected as the 2026 commencement speaker but withdrew due to concerns about Nestlé's practices.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Nancy Niemi, President, Framingham State University

“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.”

— Sheena Collier

What’s next

Sheena Collier will deliver the commencement address and receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Framingham State's 2026 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 23.

The takeaway

Framingham State's selection of Sheena Collier as the 2026 commencement speaker underscores the university's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and its desire to inspire graduates with a speaker whose mission and success story align with the institution's values.