James Patterson, Tom Petty and boycotts: UF hosts weekend of graduations

An estimated 2,500 graduates of the more than 7,000 who ordered regalia attended the hour and a half university-wide commencement at the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, said UF spokesperson Steve Orlando. The ceremony featured a speech from bestselling author James Patterson and a new tradition of singing Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”

Bestselling author James Patterson speaks to an estimated 2,500 students at UF's university-wide commencement on Saturday. "If you only take one thing away from today, please take this: Passion is the key reason for choosing a career,” Patterson said.