VALPARAISO | Heather Marten came from Florida to see her little sister, Jillian Nolan, graduate from Valparaiso University on Sunday afternoon.

Marten said Nolan is the first in the family to get a bachelor's degree and she knows her sister is destined for greatness.

"She wants to go into playwriting, and I think she'll have success. It may be a long road, but she can do it. She has her crazy family behind her," Marten said.

Nolan was one of hundreds of graduates who filed into the Athletics-Recreation Center, where family members dressed in their spring best sat listening to introductory comments from university President Alan Harre, who plans to retire next month after 20 years at the university. About 685 undergraduate and graduate students received degrees Sunday.

Harre also conferred honorary degrees upon Dan P. McAdams, chairman of the program in human development and social policy at Northwestern University and an honor graduate of Valparaiso University; Surjit S. Patheja, a medical doctor, philanthropist and humanitarian who has worked for 30 years in roles at Porter hospital; and Jill A. Schumann, president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America.

Commencement speaker Clayton Yeutter, who served in the administrations of four U.S. presidents, talked to graduates about globalization.

"That's a word you're going to hear for your entire life, and many people are afraid of that word. Look upon that as an opportunity rather than a burden," Yeutter said. "In my judgment, the U.S. can compete with anybody, and the graduates of this university can compete with anybody."

Yeutter also told the class that to prepare for globalization they must "travel, study and work outside of the U.S. every chance" they get. He stressed the importance of learning foreign languages, putting family first and being an optimist.

"Just do the very best you can, whatever you're doing right now, even if you don't like it, and the future will take care of itself," Yeutter said.

Jackie Spierowski, of Rolling Meadows, Ill., graduated with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and said she knows her future will become clearer in the days ahead. For now, it's full of challenges.

"I'll be leaving my friends, paying off my student loans, and adjusting back to life with my parents," she said.