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Alec Baldwin Urges Students to Help Society in NYU Commencement Speech

By DNAinfo Staff on May 12, 2010 5:34pm  | Updated on May 12, 2010 5:36pm

By Nicole Breskin

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

YANKEE STADIUM — Actor Alec Baldwin cracked a few jokes during a heartfelt speech to students about choosing a career path that helps society during his NYU Commencement speech at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

“I want you to commit to our society, whether you one day run for president of the United States or president of your book club,” Baldwin said from center field to a crowd of some 20,000 graduates and guests. “The systems and organizations that operate our increasingly complex nation and the world require the efforts of all of you sitting here today.”

The "30 Rock" star's wry sense of humor came through when he poked fun at the graduating student speaker Jessica Mason, of NYU’s Silver School of Social Work.

“I wanted to go to Harvard Law School,” said Mason earnestly. “When presented with the opportunity to work with women and children in Haiti, I decided to follow my intuition. Instead of going to Harvard, I’m going to Haiti."

Baldwin, who received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at the ceremony, followed her with a laugh and a smirk: “I once dreamed of going to law school, but I took another path.”

“He was great,” said NYU graduating senior Valerie Cassis. “I love his role [on “30 Rock”] as Jack Donaghy. I only wish he’d talk more like that.”

Baldwin worked through the rain before and after the ceremory to gain favor with students. Seemingly unfazed by the bad weather, the actor — a Tisch School of the Arts graduate — stepped out without an umbrella near the stadium stands to wave at students and shake hands. “Did you go to Tisch, too?” he cooed to a student, posing for pictures.

Baldwin is the benefactor of a $1 million Tisch scholarship fund that will provide tuition assistance to students beginning in fall 2010.

Some students were just glad he showed up on Wednesday. The Oscar-nominated actor was slated to appear at the Welcome Week convocation ceremony for NYU’s graduating class in 2006, but pulled out at the last minute.

“I’m just glad he showed up, after he bailed on us when we were freshman,” NYU graduating senior Jason Smith said.