My father's father worked in the Chevy plant in Flint, Michigan. He was an assemblyline worker.He drove his two children here to Anna Arbor,and told them: That is where you're going to go to college.I know it sounds funny now.Both of his kids actually did graduate from Michigan.That was the American dream.

His daughter, Beverly, is also with us today.My Grandpa used to carry an "Alley Oop" hammer,a heavy iron pipe with a big hunk of lead melted on the end.The workers made them during the sit-down strikes to protect themselves.When I was growing up, we used that hammer whenever we needed to pound a stake or something into the yard.It is wonderful that most people don't need to carry a heavy blunt object for protection anymore.But just in case, I brought it with me.My Dad became a professor at uh…Michigan State,and I was an incredibly lucky boy.A professor's life is pretty flexible,and he was able to spend oodles of time raising me.Could there be a better upbringing than university brat?

What I'm trying to tell you is that this is way more than just a homecoming for me.It's not easy for me to express how proud I am to be here,with my Mom, my brother and my wife Lucy, and with all of you,at this amazing institution that is responsible for my very existence.I am thrilled for all of you,and I'm thrilled for your families and friends,as all of us join this great, big Michigan family I feel I've been a part of all of all my life.What I'm also trying to tell you is that I know exactly what it feels like to be sitting in your seat,listening to some old gasbag give a long-winded commencementspeech.Don't worry. I'll be brief.