May 19, 2025
Michael A. Cox ’97SCE address to graduates
Boston Police Commissioner Michael A. Cox ’97SCE presented this address as the keynote speaker at the Graduate and School of Continuing Education Commencement at Providence College on Friday, May 16, 2025.
Thank you, Provost Maxwell, for that gracious introduction. I want to acknowledge Father Sicard, Bishop Evans and the president of the alumni association, Brian McManus, for this wonderful honor. And, of course, I want to congratulate the class of 2025. Please give yourself a round of applause.
You know, today is not only a day to celebrate your academic achievement; it’s a culmination of your years of studying, hard work, determination, and unwavering support from your families and your support network. You’re probably wondering, on this day, probably one of the biggest days of your life, why in the world do you have a police officer standing here before you?
Well, don’t worry, you didn’t do anything wrong, that’s for sure. This is a pretty special day for you. And I am so honored to be here to share it with you. I come before you, not as someone who’s worn the badge, but a person whose journey through Providence College was essential to me finding my purpose. My story is a reminder that our chosen path can lead to some pretty unexpected places, teaching us lessons of resiliency, humanity, and the power of connection.
I arrived in Providence in 1984. I know a few of you were all weren’t born then. As a day student with a dream to be a basketball player, I soon realized that a bustling social schedule and irregular studying would not secure me an academic style scholarship, nor an athletic one. It was a transformative time for me, and it reshaped my priorities that I had in the world. Life led me to transfer to the School of Continuing Education, where I was inspired by some brilliant professors who challenged my perspectives and ignited my thirst for knowledge. I came here tonight, and I didn’t even know that one of those professors is still here, Joseph Gemma. I just want to say hello to you, sir. Thank you for all that you’ve done for me.
Yet life had even more to teach me. In 1989, prompted by a trusted neighborhood police officer dedicated to community policing, I took a leap of faith and joined the Boston Police Department. I never expected to build a connection with law enforcement that extended beyond the concerns of crime. In countless conversations that were not about fear or crime, but about life, humor, and hope, I found a mentor who saw something in myself that I didn’t even know. When he often repeated that I would make a great police officer, I was intrigued and wondered, what in the heck is he talking about?
I discovered, in his eyes, he had a vision for me for service. A calling to give back, to make a difference, to earn a living through rewarding work. Taking this step and joining the Police Department allowed me to serve in the city of Boston during some of its darkest times as a community. In an era when the homicide rate was the worst in the city’s recorded history, I embraced every opportunity to protect and support those who depended on courage and compassion in moments of crisis.
However, not every chapter of my journey was written in hope. Thirty years ago this year, while working undercover in the Anti-Gang Violence Unit, I was pursuing a suspect in a homicide case. In a tragic twist of fate, I was accidentally identified as the very individual that I was chasing. In that moment, I experienced brutality, betrayal, that shook the very core of my understanding of justice. I was beaten severely, abandoned by those who swore to uphold the law, and faced with an unspoken code of retribution simply because I share the same skin color as the actual perpetrator. No one should ever endure such violent injustice. That experience painfully underscored that even in the most noble professions, at times, everyone could fall short of the ideals that they promised.
And yet, within the darkness, I found the space for clarity. I learned that maintaining our integrity and compassion is more vital than ever in the face of institutional shortcomings. The human connections I forged reminded me that even when confronted with injustice, the values of empathy, fairness, and accountability must guide us. Once I began to find myself, I spent the remainder of my career expanding professional development of police personnel, building strong cultural ties and connections to the community we serve.
I rose through the ranks of the Boston Police Department until I became the chief of police of the Ann Arbor Police Department in 2019 before finally returning home and being appointed the 44th commissioner of the Boston Police Department in the year 2022. Today, our officers are closely connected to the community they serve and vice versa. Public safety in the feeling of safety and connection to our city are stronger.
Does it work? Do these connections make a difference? There’s always more work to do until there’s zero crime. The numbers show that our listening, engaging, and partnering with the community of Boston in ways we’ve never done before have coincided with historical low statistics in crime not seen in over 65 years in the city of Boston.
Now, I want to stop and assure you that this is not a paid advertisement for you to come join the Boston Police Department, although we are hiring, and I know that you all have an excellent education, but let me continue. Despite the stress and heartbreak of that event that I alluded to earlier, I chose to remain in policing and with the Boston Police Department. In the wake of it all, I found myself grappling with deep questions. Why did this happen to me? How did I end up here? I needed hope, I needed understanding. To find both, I embarked on a journey, not just to make sense of the event itself, but to understand the broader forces at play. I will be forever grateful that this journey led me back to Providence College, where I began my exploration of leadership, ethics, and structures that shaped our institutions.
At PC, I found more than coursework. I found community. The studies in management opened my eyes, and the faculty provided the kind of guidance that I desperately needed in that moment. I became focused on what leads people or organizations to success or failure. That curiosity carried me long beyond PC. Along the way, something happened. I rediscovered the light sparked by an officer who mentored me long ago, the person who encouraged me to take the law enforcement path in the first place.
Through my studies and experiences, it’s clear that leadership matters. Culture matters. Mentorship and empathy matter. The absence of positive influence creates an environment where the worst aspects of our nature can take hold, and bad outcomes are eventually inevitable. We cannot afford to be passive in shaping our institutions. It’s our responsibility. It’s my responsibility to be a force of good, to demand integrity, and to lead with an unwavering conviction.
To you graduates, I say this: Your journey will be filled with triumphs and trials. The road ahead may not always mirror the good times you may have had here at PC or in your hometown, but will offer endless opportunities to learn and grow and shape your community. Like the chance encounter that I kindled along my path and met an officer, look for unexpected people to mentor you, and look for opportunities and moments to mentor others. Provide unexpected guidance to people that you know you can help. Let every challenge you face illuminate not just the harsh truths of the world, but also the strength within you to overcome them. Actively seek to address problems you think can make a difference, and always help when you can. You’ll become bosses, coworkers, and employees in a wide variety of places.
Always tried to build up and get to know those around you. It’s the first step to making things better. Carry forward these lessons learned at PC and throughout your life about resilience, connection, and the courage to stand by your principles. Embrace uncertainty as the opportunity for discovery and remember as you embark on your next chapter, service and genuine leadership are about building bridges and uplifting one another even in the most trying of times.
In closing, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to you, the Class of 2025 that I’m a part of. So, I’m going to clap for myself. Today you stand on the threshold of endless possibilities. Let your journey be defined by both your achievements and the moments that challenge you to grow. Walk forward with the conviction that no matter what obstacles you face, your truth, purpose, and compassion will lead you to a brighter future. Thank you for allowing me to share my story. May you always find strength in every experience life brings you. And thank you so much for allowing me to join you today. Congratulations, class!
