First lady Jill Biden spoke at the commencement ceremony for Mesa Community College on Saturday.
Biden has spent more than 30 years teaching and has long been an advocate for higher education. She spoke to hundreds of graduates at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.
Biden said community colleges play an important role in higher education because they meet you where you are.
“Nearly half of you are the first in your families to attend college," Biden told the graduates. "Many of you came back to school after a time away. You worked while taking courses at night.”
She added that community college in America should be free.
She told the story of how her high school guidance counselor didn’t think college was for her. Biden encouraged the graduates not to let others limit them.
“Let the world feel your thunder and the next time someone tells you that you can’t, you’re going to say ‘Oh, yeah? Watch me!’ Thank you. Congratulations!” Biden said.
This is not the first time Biden has been a part of an Mesa Community College event. She came to Arizona last year to highlight affordable programs like Mesa College Promise, which offers eligible residents two years of paid tuition and fees at Mesa Community College.
EDITOR'S NOTE: KJZZ is licensed to the Maricopa County Community College District.