When President Barack Obama addresses about 8,000 graduating students at May’s commencement ceremony, he will most likely be discussing his focus on education’s importance in the economy.

ASU spokesperson Sharon Keeler said Obama’s view on education matches that of ASU.

“Education has been something he’s been talking very strongly about, particularly with higher education and the importance of higher education to the future of our country,” Keeler said. “His stand on education and building a green economy is the solution to our economic crisis, and it’s a perfect fit with ASU’s mission.”

Devin Mauney, former chairman of the Arizona Students’ Association and former Undergraduate State Student Government director of government relations, said he thinks Obama will highlight the ways Democrats in Washington and Republicans in Arizona have handled education.

“I think his speech and his presence at our commencement will really drive home the contrast between the support that he and our Democratic Congress have shown for education in the United States as a whole, versus the drastic and devastating cuts we’ve seen here at Arizona from Gov. Jan Brewer and the Republican Legislature,” said Mauney, an economics senior.

He also hopes Obama will talk about the DREAM Act, a law that would grant temporary legal status for six years to undocumented students who came as small children to the U.S.

Mauney said he also thinks Obama will address education’s role in stimulating the economy.

“He’ll probably reiterate a lot from his State of the Union speech about how important it is for all Americans to get some sort of post-high school training … and how universities really are one of the major drivers of the American economy,” Mauney said.

Christopher Gustafson, a political science and history senior and former vice president of policy of USG, said he believes ASU is an attractive university for Obama because of its four campuses.

“ASU has a high geographic reach for the president to communicate his message [about education] throughout Arizona,” Gustafson said.

Gustafson said he hopes Obama will also address the state of the economy and “reassure Americans that this is all going to turn around.”

Reach the reporter at gnevare1@asu.edu.