KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — More than 400 students received diplomas from the University of Nebraska at Kearney on Friday during the fall commencement.

427 UNK students received degrees.

Chancellor Doug Kristensen welcomed an audience of 2,700 to the Health and Sports Center for the ceremony.

Jared Pettit, a graduating senior construction management major from Kearney and a staff sergeant in the Nebraska Army National Guard, gave the commencement speech. Pettit previously served as a U.S. Army squad leader for a year in Iraq.

Pettit said his mother instilled in him the importance of an education, emotionally recalling how he watched her leave to go to nursing school each day when he was 8 years old.