MERCED, Calif. (Map, News) -
First lady Michelle Obama praised graduates at California's smallest, youngest public university for their struggle to succeed, urging the jubilant group to give back to their communities in her debut as a commencement speaker on Saturday.
Before a crowd of 12,000 wilting in the afternoon sun, Obama evoked the struggles of California's founders - settlers and former slaves, trailblazers and truck drivers - to admonish the 493 members of the school's first full graduating class to use their newfound skills to lift up those around them.
"Many of you may be considering leaving town with your diploma in hand, and it wouldn't be unreasonable," Mrs. Obama said. "By using what you've learnt here you can shorten the path perhaps for kids who may not see a path at all. I was once one of those kids."
Mrs. Obama spoke of her own determination to get ahead despite tough odds, recounting the struggles of her working-class family on Chicago's South Side.
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