MARBLEHEAD — Al Wilson, founder and CEO of Lynn-based nonprofit Beyond Walls, took the stage at Lasell University’s 2026 Graduate Commencement Ceremony, sharing his experiences and encouraging graduates to embrace community, creativity, and the art of the pivot.
Wilson spoke to 190 graduates who were receiving 18 different degrees at Lasell’s Newton campus on Friday, May 15.
“Part of the pivot is not reactionary, it’s thinking through where you want to go and who you want to be with and positively impact in your journey,” Wilson said.
Wilson said the graduating students had done this and had “already taken that creativity to try and figure out they wanted something more, and they’ve pursued that.”
In preparation for his speech, Wilson met with Lasell graduates to hear about the often “tremendous and very challenging” paths they’d taken and to ground his remarks in their real experiences.
“Life is a series of pivots, Wilson said. “They’ve made a really amazing one to be getting their degrees and the trials that they’ve been through to do that, the hard work that they’ve been through.”
Lasell University President Eric Turner said, “Al Wilson’s commencement address was received incredibly well by our university community. His message about creativity, hard work, collaboration, and a willingness to pivot during one’s career struck exactly the right chord for this moment.”
Wilson said Lasell’s graduate population reminded him of Lynn, noting that both communities are “very diverse,” with many immigrants and people whose paths to higher education haven’t been straightforward.
In recognition of his work, along with the work of the artists and collective efforts of Beyond Walls, Wilson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Lasell University.
“I think based on the body of the work that the team’s done and the communities we’ve touched and served, I think many of the graduates were aware of the work, as were the trustees, so I think it was a pretty informed graduating class,” Wilson said.
Wilson has previously served as the keynote speaker for North Shore Community College in 2018.
He said one of his pivots was a shift from a media and tech career to leading Beyond Walls, a move into community-focused art and design work.
Beyond Walls is a nonprofit with the “mission of activating public spaces to strengthen communities. We headquartered it here in Lynn, and we’ve served Lynn and many other gateway cities, former industrial cities of the Commonwealth, and beyond,” Wilson said.
Wilson currently lives in Marblehead, where he channels the same community‑minded approach he’s brought to Lynn. Working with local soccer clubs and bringing the same passion for community as he does at Beyond Walls.
