Friday, March 27, 2009

UC Merced Students Woo and Snag Michelle Obama for Commencement

Update 5-16: See Video here.
Update 5-16: See the speech live streamed here. Other options are here.
Sun Star: First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver the commencement speech at UC Merced the White House announced this morning.
Student body president Yaasha Sabba said he was thrilled the event was finally confirmed.

"We've been searching her Web site and the news," Sabba said. "We found out this morning just like you."

Sabba and dozens of other students at UC Merced began a "Dear Michelle" campaign on campus earlier this fall in an attempt to woo the first lady to the graduation of the university’s inaugural four-year class.
"We were all touched by the students’ campaign,” Semonti Mustaphi, the First Lady’s deputy press secretary, said Friday. “It was very sweet."
Mustaphi estimated the First Lady’s office has, so far, received roughly 50 letters as part of the UC Merced campaign. These included letters sent by students as well as from the students’ family members.
Here is their video invite to Michelle:

Merced, Calif. – First Lady Michelle Obama will address the graduating class at the fourth Commencement at the University of California, Merced, campus on Saturday, May 16. The Office of the First Lady announced today (March 27) that Mrs. Obama will deliver the commencement speech to UC Merced’s first full senior class – the University opened in 2005. UC Merced students actively sought out the First Lady as commencement speaker by writing letters to Mrs. Obama, her office, and her friends and family. Read the rest