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Mark Zuckerberg returns to Harvard to deliver commencement speech

Mark Zuckerberg address
Mark Zuckerberg gives commencement address at Harvard 01:15

NEW YORK -- Mark Zuckerberg never graduated Harvard, but the Facebook founder returned to the school to give this year's commencement address. He dropped out 12 years ago to focus on Facebook.

"Let's face it, you accomplished something I never could," Zuckerberg told the graduates. "If I get through this speech today, it'll be the first time I actually finish something here at Harvard."

Zuckerberg, 33, followed another famous Harvard dropout, Bill Gates, who spoke before its graduates a decade ago. Steve Jobs, who dropped out of Reed College in Oregon, gave Stanford's commencement speech in 2005.

Zuckerberg started Facebook in his Harvard dorm room in 2004. He also met his wife, Priscilla Chan, there. He said in his speech that his "best memory" at Harvard was meeting Chan.

2017-05-25t173424z-484941406-rc16a12c8260-rtrmadp-3-facebook-zuckerberg-harvard.jpg
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg acknowledges a cheer from the crowd before receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, as fellow honorary degree recipient actor James Earl Jones (L) looks on, during the 366th Commencement Exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 25, 2017. Reuters / Brian Snyder

"I had just launched this prank website Facemash, and the ad (administrative) board wanted to 'see me," said Zuckerberg, who is normally very tight-lipped about his personal relationships. "Everyone thought I was going to get kicked out. My parents drove up here to help me pack my stuff. My friends threw me a going-away party. Who does that? As luck would have it, Priscilla was at that party with her friends. And we met in line for the bathroom in the Pfoho Belltower (a dorm), and in what must seem like one of the all-time most romantic lines, I turned to her and said: 'I'm getting kicked out in three days, so we need to go on a date quickly.'" 

10 must-see commencement speeches
10 must-see commencement speeches

Zuckerberg spoke about the founding of Facebook, telling the graduates that "ideas never come fully formed ... if I had to know everything about connecting people before I got started, I never would have built Facebook."

Zuckerberg didn't just talk about Facebook, he also touched on political tones. He said there is "something wrong with our system when I can leave here and make billions of dollars in 10 years while millions of students can't even afford to pay off their loans, let alone start a business" and also addressed economic inequality.

"We should explore ideas like universal basic income to make sure that everyone has a cushion to try new ideas," Zuckerberg said. "We're all going to change jobs and roles many times, so we need affordable child care to get to work and health care that's not tied to one employer."

The event was livestreamed Thursday afternoon on Harvard's website and on Zuckerberg's Facebook page. On Tuesday, Zuckerberg and Chan live-streamed a video from Zuckerberg's old dorm room on his Facebook page.

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