This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Posted: 6:10 PM- Brigham Young University students stood and showered Vice President Dick Cheney with applause after his 15-minute speech that encouraged them to approach life with flexibility, persistence and gratitude.
"Setting a plan for your life can be a good thing. It keeps you focused on the future," Cheney told the more than 20,000 people packed into the Marriott Center. "Yet I would guess that 10 years from now many of you will find yourself following a very different course because of an opportunity that came out of the blue."
Cheney said he planned on being a college professor and said politics was "an unplanned enterprise."
The vice president credited former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for getting him key political jobs that led to his involvement in four presidential administrations.
"There will be people like this in your own life who keep an eye on you and reward your efforts," Cheney said.
The vice president didn't delve into politics and the closest he got to touching on the war in Iraq was to thank the BYU students who became military officers.
Cheney made an effort to show how familiar he is with BYU and the LDS Church. His wife's great-great-grandparents were pioneers here and her grandparents got degrees from Brigham Young Academy.
He referenced recent victories by BYU's basketball and football teams over rival University of Utah and he talked about popular spots on campus.
Cheney also talked about his own college experience, namely getting kicked out of Yale.
"Setbacks in life can stop you dead in your tracks or they can inspire you forward," he said. "America is still the country of the second chance. Most of us end up needing one."
Students generally lauded the brief speech.
"I was thinking the protests might create negative feelings at the graduation, but I really felt good about it and was grateful for the words he gave," said Allison Ludlow, who received a bachelor's of elementary education.
Cheney made a quick exit, flying away on to Air Force Two at the Provo Airport at about 5:50, just four hours after he landed in Utah.