Family of Marvin Hagler Continues His Legacy of Supporting Massasoit Students
June 29, 2021 – Mae Lang, mother of the late Marvelous Marvin Hagler, met with representatives from Massasoit Community College on Tuesday and presented a check of $10,700 to continue to fund the Marvelous Marvin Hagler Memorial Scholarships. Proceeds from the sale of programs and t-shirts at Hagler’s memorial service in May funded the donation. Lang was joined by Vincent (Vinny) D’Andrea, Hagler’s longtime limo driver and bodyguard, and friends Joan Madden and Hyeln Hall.
Hagler, the undisputed middleweight boxing champion from 1980-1987, served as a Massasoit trustee from 1986 to 1991. He was an avid supporter of Massasoit students through his scholarship fund, which was established in 1996. Lang and Hagler’s brother, Robert Sims, both took classes at Massasoit, and Hagler was a frequent guest at commencement. His most recent appearance was at the 51st commencement in 2018.
“Supporting Massasoit students was something he always did,” said Lang. “I wanted to keep it going. I know he’d appreciate it.”
“Vinny and Mae contacted me in advance of the memorial service for The Champ to let me know of their plans to make an additional contribution to the Hagler Scholarship here,” said Paul Grand Pré, Massasoit’s vice president for institutional advancement. “We were delighted to see the generous response of the community to the program and t-shirt sales to make such a large donation possible. It is very clear that he touched the lives of many here in the Brockton community in a most meaningful way.”
Hagler’s tremendous boxing career and service to the Massasoit Board of Trustees is honored on a plaque outside of the Massasoit Student Center. The plaque was dedicated by Charles Tartaglia, who served on the Board of Trustees with Hagler. Tartaglia today serves on the Massasoit Foundation Board of Directors.