Obama set to speak at UCI graduation

President Obama will deliver UC Irvine’s commencement address during the university’s graduation at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in June, the White House confirmed Thursday.

Chancellor Michael V. Drake wrote a letter to Obama in April inviting him to speak at graduation. Students and staff then gathered signatures from other students, faculty, staff and alumni and delivered them along with a student-produced video invitation to the White House Office of Public Engagement in an attempt to capture the president’s attention, according to a news release.

“We are thrilled that the president has accepted our invitation to deliver the keynote address at our commencement exercises this June,” Drake said in the release. “We will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies of our campus.”

The June 14 ceremony will combine undergraduate, graduate and professional schools in a single celebration. School specific ceremonies, in which graduates are individually recognized, will be held June 15 and June 16 on campus, the release stated.