If there’s one thing University of Arkansas Fort Smith spring graduates can take away from their graduation Saturday, it’s a desire to make the world a better place.

About 600 UAFS graduates — over half of the 818 graduates who received diplomas this spring — crossed the podium Saturday in the Stubblefield Center. Their diploma reception was preceded by U.S. Sen. John Boozman and Chancellor Paul Beran challenging the graduates to use their degrees and gifts to leave a positive impact on the world.

“The question to ask yourself, class of 2018, is, how can you make a difference?” Boozman said. “I’m confident that your time at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith has prepared you with a future to tackle the challenges that you face.”