ASU Commencement: Obama Giving Address Tonight

PHOENIX — Arizona State University students are getting a graduation ceremony to remember forever.

Wednesday evening's ceremonies were to include the president of the United States, rock icon Alice Cooper, hundreds of security officials and a crowd likely to fill Sun Devil Stadium.

Seeing President Barack Obama deliver the commencement is the big draw and something that won't soon be forgotten. "No matter what your politics are it's going to be a very cool thing. When else can you say I saw the president of the United States give my commencement speech," said Sarah Larson, a 23-year-old education major.

Ismael Paderez, 35, of Phoenix, planned to arrive at the stadium at 3:00 p.m. Nothing, he said, would have prevented his family from attending the ceremony to see him get his degree in electrical engineering.

"I'm the first person on my father's side to graduate from college," he said. "With this economy ... and looking for a job ... I want to hear the president give a message of inspiration."

The pre-ceremony show was to include an appearance by Cooper, Mexican mariachis bands, a gospel choir and a marching band.

Following Obama's address, university president Michael Crow was to award five high school students with scholarships named after the president. The President Barack Obama Scholars program will offer them up to $17,000 annually to pay for tuition, books, room and board.

Virgil Renzulli, an ASU spokesman, said ASU hopes the scholarship will serve as a national model for universities aiming to make college more affordable.

"We know that for Arizona to be competitive and the U.S. to be competitive we have got to produce more college graduates," he said. "We hope this (scholarship) will have a lasting effect."

With the temperature expected to hit a high of 99 degrees, the day was shaping up to be a long, hot one for the expected crowd of 63,000, including 9,000 graduates. University officials are warning people to expect up to a 90-minute wait to clear security checkpoints, which will be managed by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Comments

[salia]

Embarassing. Although it was ASU's administration that made the decision not to "honor" Obama with a degree, I would be embarassed to be a student of ASU - simply for having ignorant, disrespectful, and plain stupid leadership.

[DaBluAce]

Pres. Obama rocked the house tonite!! He stuck it to those fools in a cool gentleman way....thay think he was teasing about being audited!

[American50]

lets face it Oh B O M B A sucks

[DaBluAce]

stupid you suck!

[menukjau]

I don't want them to give Obama an honourary degree, I certainly don't want him to accept it. I'm an Ivy League graduate, we don't accept garbage from universities like ASU. Obama, please say NO!

[IDIOTA]

Those ASU kids were embarrassing. I cannot believe that they represent the average student attending ASU.

[USA2Sense]

Soooooo - where's the honorary degree TOO! I don't care how the ASU administration has tried to soften the insult - President Obama SHOULD still receive an honorary PhD!

The big difference between the President of ASU and the President of the United States - is that President Obama is a gentleman!

[AFAN]

I'm glad President Obama will be at ASU. He doesn't need a honorary degree, maybe he'll get one at University of Arizona or University of Northern Arizona. The only thing I hope these student take from what he says is that they will use of the intelligence to help better them self in making the United States a better place.

[buckaroom]

Hmmmm.... let's see what message the Daily Show is going to communicate with this skit. Uh, how about, if you like Obama you're cool and smart, and if you disagree with Obama's politics then you're just a stupid, meany? Yeah, that's it. And if we mock people who aren't like us, sorta like we did in junior high school, that's original comedy. Really pushing the envelope.

[DubyaGump]

"we mock people who aren't like us" sorta like the GOP party

[American50]

*Sigh*

[provgrays]

We have plenty of college graduates. The thing we need is more competive grads across the board who can compete in the world economy.

[BARXN]

All I can say is our President is a class act. He will perform his duties at ASU regardless of what people say about him. I was wondering why that school would ask him to be there and not John McCain, Dick Cheney, etc. And he doesn't need a stupid honorary degree. I mean really, how stupid are those anyways.

[judesuper]

YEAH, welcome to Arizona President Obama. I can't wait!!

[American50]

*Sigh*

[Sean-Hannity]

Ha-ha guess what? I get to be there!

[susankhbelen]

IDEA: Has anyone looked into Michael Crow's 'body of work' to see if he is eligible for an ASU Honorary degree?
Having lived in AZ. and knowing just a bit about him....I am sure Pres. Obama is more qualified than the former hotel manager is qualified.
Just a thot.....any takers at the AZ. Republic newspaper.....or Tempe paper or ASU student paper? Think not at the AZ REPUBLICAN Repugnant---what we called it when we lived there!
Perhaps the students could look into ths.

[drzoon]

my dad was an ASU alum ... i started there.. but decided to go in the service and then to a REAL college...

the way they treated barack on this whole thing.. they will never see a penny of this family's money.

the school should be shut down. its a joke

[blindjester]

"The school" didn't snub him. A few fools did.

Lots of ASU people are Obama supporters.



Proud Sun Devil

[Pammy2]

Yes, the school did snub him. By declining to give him an honorary degree. THAT was a school decision. It's almost routine these days to give honorary degrees these days - ESPECIALLY to the sitting PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. It's pretty petty of ASU to withhold it.

[MikeElPaso]

This will give us yet another chance to see what real class looks like.

[MelanieMatthias]

Yes! Don't you just love it!

[Skyhawk]

Tea baggers will probably show up just for the media attention.