First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the first-ever commencement speech at the University of California, Merced in Merced, California on Saturday, May 16. The 493 students receiving diplomas are the first graduating class since the university opened in 2005.

According to The Associated Press, as the commencement speaker, Mrs. O told the crowd, “You will face tough times. You will certainly have doubts, and let me tell you because I know I did when I was your age.”

“Remember that you are blessed. Remember that in exchange for those blessings, you must give something back. You must reach back and pull someone up. You must bend down and let someone else stand on your shoulders so that they can see a brighter future,” she added.

“There are few things that are more rewarding than to watch young people recognize that they have the power to make their dreams come true. And you did just that,” the First Lady said. “Your perseverance and creativity were on full display in your efforts to bring me here to Merced.”