- It feels wonderful.

It feels great.

I congratulate them.

I give them a hug.

Yes, I do hold up the line sometimes.

But they deserve it.

[David chuckling] They deserve it.

- Yes.

- And you know, I know what that feels like as a first generation student myself.

Now of course, now my parents are engaging in college and my father has completed his degree and my mom working on hers.

But when I was applying for college as a high school student, my parents, you know, they tried to help me as much as they could, but they also had to go to the local church and the community to get us the help that we needed to fill out the FAFSA, for me to complete my application.

So I know what that feels like.

And to get to the finish line of a dream that many in your family have wanted to be able to achieve, but maybe just couldn't because of various circumstances.

But to be the first to do that is absolutely a wonderful feeling.

And so I make sure that I celebrate with the students and give them a big hug and say, "I'm so proud of you."

And when I tell you, I tell every student, every single student that at Elizabeth City State, I did, you know, I wanted them to know that what they have accomplished, this milestone is something they should be really, really proud of.

And you can see it in their faces, you can see it in the audience as the family members cheer them on, and the bright smiles.

And those things are really meaningful because they really touch home with how I felt when I walked across the stage the first time.