Obama to give commencement address at Arizona State

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By DANIEL NEWHAUSER
Cronkite News Service

PHOENIX (Friday, March 20) _ A rotation among Department of English faculty decides which professors must attend Arizona State University’s commencement ceremony. Associate Professor Ayanna Thompson was thankful Friday that her name came up this time around.

That’s because President Barack Obama will speak at the school’s May 13 graduation ceremony.

“I never thought I would see a black president, let alone be at a university where he comes to speak at the commencement,” she said. “People who never went to graduation before will want to go. They’ll be ordering their regalia.”

The news has turned tickets to the event into a hot commodity among students too, said Julian Nouri, a 20-year-old journalism junior.

“It’s really exciting, and I’ll try to go if I can,” he said.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said at a televised news conference Friday that ASU’s is one of three commencement addresses Obama will deliver. The others are at the University of Notre Dame and the U.S. Naval Academy.

ASU spokeswoman Sharon Keeler said the president likely accepted the university’s invitation to address more than 8,000 graduates because ASU’s commitment to both the arts and science and technology reflects themes Obama has stressed in recent education policy speeches.

“Him choosing to come here recognizes Arizona State University and what we are doing as a leader nationwide,” Keeler said. “ASU is very honored and it will be a great experience for Arizona State University students and their families.”

White House officials declined Friday to comment further on Obama’s plans in Arizona.

It will be Obama’s second visit to the Grand Canyon State since taking office. He spoke at Mesa’s Dobson High School last month to tout his plan to help homeowners facing foreclosure.

The president’s return demonstrates his dedication to the state, said C.J. Karamargin, a spokeswoman for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.

“Congresswoman Giffords thinks it’s an extraordinary honor for Arizona to have President Obama come to Arizona twice within five months of taking office,” Karamargin said. “She thinks it shows that the president cares about Arizona and what goes on here, especially at places like ASU, one of our finest institutions of higher learning in the country.”

However, Giffords hopes that Obama will visit southern Arizona and rural areas of the state next time, Karamargin said.

While many graduates will be excited to see the president, Kellen Meek, finishing a degree in parks and recreation management in May, sees an opportunity in the tickets he’ll receive for commencement. He plans to sell them on eBay or Craigslist.

“Every student’s got to make money these days,” Meek said. “I have to pay for my internship this summer.”

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CAPTION FOR BC-CNS-ASU-OBAMA: President Barack Obama speaks Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at Dobson High School in Mesa, explaining his plan to help homeowners suffering because of the economic downturn. The president will return to Arizona in May to address Arizona State University’s graduation ceremony. (Cronkite News Service Photo/Daniel Newhauser)