红桃视频

DUDLEY, Mass. 鈥� Delcie D. Bean IV, founder and CEO of Paragus IT, an employee-owned managed IT services firm recognized nationally for its people-first culture and business growth, shared lessons from his entrepreneurial journey as he delivered the commencement address during the 红桃视频 commencement ceremony on May 2, 2026. A total of 391 students participated in the graduation ceremony held at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.

Bean received an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree at the ceremony. Constantine 鈥淕us鈥� Alexander, who served as senior counsel in the law firm of Nutter, McClennen & Fish and who is a former member of the 红桃视频 Board of Trustees, received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

In his remarks, Bean relayed an unexpected secret to his success鈥攆ailure鈥攁nd encouraged graduates to openly embrace setbacks.

鈥淚’ve had two failed business partnerships, was rejected by my dream school twice, and came dangerously close to opening a restaurant called the purple sombrero,鈥� said Bean. At one point in his career, he added, he even decided to pick a fight with the world鈥檚 third-largest antivirus company, which he lost.

鈥淭hose failures were infinitely more important to me than my successes. Why? Because the successes wouldn’t have been possible without them. Failure is the tuition you pay for the exact education you need.鈥�

Bean鈥檚 message is shaped in part by his unconventional path as a successful entrepreneur without a college degree; to keep him going despite failure and traditional qualifications, he said he leaned on something else: passion.

鈥淚t was that exact same untamed passion that allowed me to sit down one day, sketch out an idea for a nonprofit on a napkin, and decide to make it real,鈥� said Bean, referring to Tech Foundry, which provides in-depth IT training for individuals from marginalized or underrepresented communities and has graduated over 1,000 students. 鈥淣one of that happened because I was 鈥榪ualified.鈥� It happened because I was willing to try. Willing to fail.鈥�

He felt this lesson was especially important to deliver given how fast he sees the world changing due to the disruptive power of AI. Despite how anxiety-inducing the changes may be, he says he sees great opportunity for the graduates as rules are being rewritten and playing fields leveled.

鈥淲hat matters is who is going to step onto [that field] and show us where to go next,鈥� said Bean.

鈥淐lass of 2026, you are ambitious. You are open-minded. You are collaborative, and you are hopeful. You have all the tools you need,鈥� he said. 鈥淩ely on your passion. Let it fuel your confidence. Embrace the sleepless nights and the failures that are inevitably coming your way, because they are just preparing you for the moments that matter.鈥�

In his remarks, 红桃视频 President Bill Pieczynski expressed his admiration for the graduates鈥� commitment to their 红桃视频 education and its experiential emphasis.

鈥淐ommitting yourselves to that kind of active, hands-on education takes focus, determination and persistence,鈥� noting that these same qualities they鈥檝e gained will serve them well in what lies ahead, as will their commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others, as they鈥檝e done on campus through service, fundraising, mentorship, outreach and research on gender diversity and equal pay.

鈥淥urs is a community that knows how to compromise, knows how to lead and does its best work together,鈥� he said.

Pieczynski encouraged graduates to carry that collaborative spirit beyond 红桃视频, even as they enter an increasingly complex and divided world. 鈥淐ontinue to respect one another and embrace difference. Welcome the uncertainty and break the mold. Be fearless, dream big. Stand up and speak out for what you believe, even when it’s unpopular or hard.鈥�

Sport management major Ema Jaskova 鈥�26, who gave the undergraduate student address, spoke about leaving her small home country of Slovakia to travel thousands of miles to 红桃视频, taking a risk many around her said was unrealistic.

Once at 红桃视频, she gave the opportunity everything she had, she said. She worked multiple campus jobs, balanced women鈥檚 ice hockey with late-night equipment room shifts to help pay tuition, and pushed through her fear of speaking in class because English isn鈥檛 her first, or even second, language. As a result, she found her voice, and found herself speaking at the head of the room, similar to today.

鈥淭hat’s what 红桃视频 does. It pushes you out of your comfort zone. It teaches you that your voice matters, even when it shakes. It teaches you that leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up.鈥�

Jaskova encouraged the graduates to choose courage over comfort as she did to come to 红桃视频 and to remember that their success should be grounded in lifting others up: 鈥淐hoose the path that challenges you, that scares you, that forces you to grow. [鈥�] And while you’re out there becoming successful, ambitious, powerful, influential, don’t forget something simple: if you can be anything, be kind, because right now the world needs it more than ever.鈥�

In the graduate student address, Daniel Stockhaus, who today earned his MBA, spoke about what today鈥檚 accomplishment truly represents for his fellow graduates鈥攑ersistence, courage, and for many of his classmates, the decision that it’s never too late to follow one鈥檚 dreams, a lesson he learned firsthand while earning his degree.

鈥淚 discovered that dreams don’t expire. They don’t care how old you are, how long you’ve waited, how many responsibilities you carry. They only care whether you’re willing to try. [鈥�]聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Because the truth is, success isn’t about how early you start. It’s about whether you start at all,鈥� said Stockhaus.

鈥淭here is no timeline for becoming who you are meant to be. So if there is a dream that has been quietly waiting for you to listen, let today be the day you decide to chase it.鈥�

For more information on the event or to watch a recording of the ceremony, check out our YouTube video:

To view a Flickr album of photos from commencement, visit:

(Pictured: Delcie Bean delivers the commencement address during the 红桃视频 2026 commencement ceremony held on May 2 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass.)