President Obama to address Rutgers graduates

He will deliver the commencement address at university's 250th graduation ceremony

President Barack Obama will deliver the commencement address during Rutgers University's 250th graduation ceremony on May 15.

Obama, completing his final year in office, will address 12,000 graduating students and 40,000 guests slated to attended the ceremony. The event will begin at 12:30 p.m. at High Point Solutions Stadium on the university's New Brunswick campus in New Jersey.

The occasion will mark the first time in Rutgers' history that a sitting president will speak at graduation. Rutgers is the eighth oldest college in the country.

"President Obama's decision is a testament to the enthusiastic efforts of Rutgers students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, who sent numerous messages to the White House urging the president to join our 250th anniversary graduation ceremony," Rutgers President Robert Barchi said in a statement.

Obama attended the U.S. Coast Guard's commencement ceremony last spring.