Sanjay Gupta to U-M grads: Let values, not money, dictate pursuits

Ann Arbor— On a frigid Saturday morning, Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, told University of Michigan graduates to stand up to global inequality, recalling some of the most memorable stories he's covered.

"Hopes, dreams and aspirations are distributed evenly across the world, but what is not is justice, opportunity and working systems," said Gupta, who covered last year's earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as the earthquake that rocked Haiti in 2010. "There is still too much injustice in the world, graduates. And I think we can always spend more time thinking about it, addressing it and being compelled to act."

Speaking in front of a crowd of roughly 45,000 people in Michigan Stadium, including about 3,000 graduates, Gupta said his life changed after experiencing a sandstorm while reporting in Iraq.

"It was a day where you could not see our hands in front of our face. It was a day that we lost all our air protective coverage. It was a day that suddenly turned into night."

Gupta, like the soldiers he was with, was asked to write a letter in case he died. He asked graduates to empathize.

"Summarize your life in a few short moments. I don't know what you'd write, and maybe you never thought two seconds about it, but… graduates make sure you can write this sentence: 'I am who I always wanted to be.'"

U-M grad Mitchell Guc said the speech was very inspirational for moving on to life after college.

"It really spoke to the true nature of graduating," said Guc, who studied earth and environmental sciences. "I loved how he focused on true values, not just money, but being happy with your choices in life."

In addition, Gupta, a Michigan alumnus and former Novi resident, joked as he told the story of how his parents, who moved from India to Michigan, met in Ann Arbor while his father attended U-M.

"Not only was the foundation of my life conceived in this town, I myself, was most likely conceived in this town."

On a more serious note, Gutpa encouraged students not to let money dictate their pursuits, but rather their values and interests.

"You know what makes your heart swift, you know what makes your breath catch your throat, you know what makes your chest tight with anticipation. Go get that, graduates," he said shortly before being met with a final standing ovation by the student section.

Before delivering the speech, Gupta, who earned his Bachelor of Science and medical degree from U-M, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters for his strides in the medical field through practicing neurology and covering issues for CNN.

Other honorees included:

— J. Ira Harris, U-M alumnus and a leader in the world of finance

— Susan Orlean, U-M alumna and acclaimed author

— Richard Sarns, a pioneer in biomedical engineering

— Chris Van Allsburg, U-M alumnus and celebrated artist and author