President Barack Obama addresses approximately 70,000 people at Arizona State University's commencement ceremony on May 13.
Photo by Joel Zolondek
Where else can you buy a hot dog and soda from a concession stand at ballpark prices, rock out to Alice Cooper performing "School's Out" and hear an address from the president of the United States?
About 70,000 people, braving a 99-degree high on May 13 to witness that and more, flooded into Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe for Arizona State University's commencement ceremony. The annual event, normally held next door in air-conditioned Wells Fargo Arena, which has a capacity of 14,200, was moved to the outdoor stadium because of the large crowd expected to show up to see Barack Obama.
The garments of those in attendance, graduates and guests alike, ran the gamut. Traditional formalwear was common, and so were T-shirts and shorts. A small number of female graduates wore bikinis under their gowns.
But even with people taking steps to combat the heat, about 200 were treated for heat-related problems, and 10 were transported to the hospital, according to Tempe Fire Department spokesperson Mike Reichling. Still, he said, considering the temperature and size of the crowd, that number was not abnormal.
"We do live in the desert," Reichling said. "We're going to have problems."
Graduates began arriving at Sun Devil Stadium around 3 p.m. for a ceremony that would not end for nearly another seven hours.
Pre-ceremony entertainment began at 4:45 p.m., and featured performances by a number of student groups and videos of students' accomplishments. Cooper made a guest appearance with his son's band, Runaway Phoenix, at 6:15 p.m.
Obama spoke at about 8 p.m.; a buzz ran through the crowd every time his name was mentioned.
He began his speech by telling everyone he needed to clear the air.
"I learned never to pick another team in my (March Madness) bracket above the Sun Devils again," he joked. In March, Obama worked with ESPN to fill out his own bracket for the NCAA men's Division I basketball championship tournament, where the general public could compare their picks with his. "ASU President (Michael) Crow and the university will soon be audited by the IRS." He went on to address the fact that ASU refused to give him an honorary degree on the basis that he has not accomplished enough in his life, even after becoming president of the United States.
"I welcome the idea that I haven't accomplished enough in my life," Obama said. "No matter how much you've come to learn, there's always more to achieve."
He challenged the graduates, telling them that they, too, have not accomplished enough.
"You cannot rest on your laurels," he said. "You can't rest. Your own body of work is yet to come."
Obama recognized the tough economic period and said that to fight through it Americans have to let go of materialistic values - what many equate with success - and instead focus on making a difference. He referred to materialism as "a poverty of ambition."
"That (object-oriented) road may work for some," he said. "But let me suggest that won't get you where you want to go. ... That other stuff might be the trappings of success, but it can't be the center. Just ask Bernie Madoff.
"I know starting your careers in troubled times is difficult, but it's also a challenge. It forces us to try harder and dig deeper and find things you never knew you had. You'll be the better for it, and so will our nation."
Obama rifled through American history, mentioning regular people who changed the course of America. He noted Revolutionary War veterans, pioneers traveling west in a wagon, women who fought for the right to vote, founders of the Underground Railroad and police officers and firemen who rushed into the World Trade Center on 9/11.
They had no fancy titles, no honorary degrees, he said. "But they changed the course of history, and so can you."
"What stood out to me was putting what (Obama) said in Jewish terms," said Susan Finks, who received her master's degree in educational leadership and is the assistant preschool and camp director at Beth El Congregation in Phoenix. "We are not done with graduation. Don't just get a job. Go do tikkun olam, go do mitzvot and fix the world. I suppose he didn't mean it (as) a Jewish message, but it could easily be interpreted as (that)."
Rita and Ralph Segal, Class of 1959, were present for their 50th reunion, known as the golden reunion. Their class was the first to graduate from ASU after the former teacher's college was granted university status. Ralph, former student body vice president of the Class of 1959 and also former president of Temple Kol Ami in Scottsdale, carried a Golden Alumni standard on the field. The Segals are also former student presidents of Jewish Greek organizations Alpha Epsilon Pi and Alpha Epsilon Phi, respectively.
"I don't recall my graduation all that clearly, but (the ceremonies) seemed the same, just more people," said Ralph. "The procedure was basically the same. It's just that my graduating class was probably about 1,500, and this graduating class was (more than 9,000). Having the president there as a speaker, I thought, was a great honor to the school."
The golden reunion class participated in an all-day affair at ASU, beginning at 8:30 a.m. with breakfast and ending about 13 hours later, when the ceremony was complete.
"It was a wonderful day," said Ralph. "We spent the whole day there. It was a wonderful ceremony, and the speech was terrific."
