Graduation day for Temple University's 2014 class

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Wednesday was graduation day for thousands of students at Temple University.

Four years of hard work, studying, classes and exams paid off and it was time to celebrate as more than 9,000 graduates begin the next chapter of their life

The oldest graduate is 80, the youngest is just 19 and there were nine sets of twins in the 2014 class.

Bill Cosby, one of the most famous Temple grads, was on the podium for today's ceremony

And this year's commencement speaker was singer, actor and North Philadelphia native Jill Scott. She's also a Temple alumni

"My heart is overjoyed with love for Temple. I went here and worked two jobs and didn't know if I would graduate," said Scott.

She did graduate and now she encouraged the current grads to be beacons of light.

"This isn't just pomp and stance, this is your cape. Don't allow anything, anyone to squelch it, diminish it or push it into a corner it's too big," said Scott.

Truly a message of inspiration for the new college graduates.