Williston’s upcoming Commencement Speaker has had a career that’s perfectly prepared him for the big event.
On May 5 2026, Williston announced that the Commencement speaker for 2026 is alum Glenn Jones. Jones, a Bermuda native graduated from Williston after a postgraduate year in 1995. After graduating, Jones attended Emerson College in Boston Mass., where he studied broadcast journalism.
After college Jones got his first job as a part-time General Assignment Reporter in Springfield Mass. In 2006 Jones moved back to Bermuda as a temporary return home to help family and ended up staying home for an additional 15 years. In 2021, Jones moved back to Boston to work at NBC10 Boston as an anchor.
Jones anchors the 5:00 p.m and 7:00 p.m. news on weekdays. At 7:00 Jones covers trials; over this past year he has reported on high-profile cases like Karen Read, Brian Walshe, and Stefon Diggs, to highlight a few.
Read was tried for the death of her police officer boyfriend. The trial ended in an acquittal. The Walshe case has to do with Brian Walshe murdering his wife and dismembering her body. Walshe was sentenced to life. Stefon Diggs, wide receiver for the New England Patriots, was tried for assault and battery of his personal chef. Diggs was found not guilty.
Jones knew that when he moved back to Boston he wanted to reconnect with everyone he knew from his time in New England. While in Bermuda, Ann Pickrell, former Associate Director of Admissions and Assistant Head of School, reacquainted herself with Jones and Jones shared how he wanted to connect with Williston again. Jones continues to get regular updates on what happens here at Williston and also gets to connect with current students.
Williston’s Head Visiting Council (HVC) helps give interviews to current seniors during their spring Core class. Jones told The Willistonian it’s an honor to be part of the group.
“Talking with students is the best part, for sure,” he said. “HVC has been doing that more often and it has been fantastic.”
Jones will deliver the Commencement Address on May 23, 2026 on the Main Quad.
The Willistonian spoke with Jones on May 14. In the conversation, he explained he is trying to find ways to incorporate all of his points while also sharing his own experience.
“The commencement address is not a process of addition it’s a process of subtraction. In this situation I am talking to a student body from the school I went to and there’s so much I want to tell you about the years in between,” he said. “I’m realizing it can’t only be about what I want to tell you guys it has to also be about me anticipating what you might want and need to hear.”
During his graduation speech he plans to cover his time at Williston, what life has taught him since has a left Williston and his hopes for the Class of 2026.
Public speaking is not something Jones does on a day-to-day basis. Despite this, he admitted he’s quite nervous about how the speech will be received.
“Giving a speech in front of a live audience is a little different then what I do on a daily basis, its nerve-wrecking. You are going to know right away if you have an audience that is responding well to what you are offering,” he said. “I’m just really proud to be talking to you guys on what is such a big day in your lives.”
