Updated: Students line up to nab tickets to hear President Barack Obama speak at commencement

Graduating students got the first shot at nabbing tickets Monday. For most of the day, a long line of students slowly inched forward, each awaiting a turn to grab eight tickets.

University officials didn't have a count on how many tickets had been handed out Monday, but said most students were taking the full allotment. Graduation is May 1 at Michigan Stadium.

University of Michigan alumni officials - with clipboards in hand and plans for directing traffic - prepared for the big crowds.

A small line began to form outside the U-M alumni office around 9 a.m. Monday, with some arriving as early as 8 a.m.

Within a few hours, the line of students grew exponentially and stretched across Ingalls Mall, past the Michigan League and curved west all the way to Hill Auditorium.

Graduating University of Michigan students line up for a ticket that will let them into commencement exercises featuring President Barack Obama.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Tickets were available beginning just before 10 a.m. at the Alumni Center, said Janice Jenkins, membership marketing manager for the U-M Alumni Association.

Last year's U-M commencement, which featured Google co-founder Larry Page as speaker, saw about 5,500 students claim tickets.

Obama is expected to draw at least 8,000 students, Jenkins said.

In 2007, U-M's commencement speaker was former president Bill Clinton, who drew a crowd of 60,000 to Michigan Stadium. Jenkins wasn't there at the time, but was told tickets for that commencement saw lines out to the Bell Tower from the Alumni Association office for the three days that students were able to pick them up.

U-M student Nicole Ward, graduating with a bachelor's degree in African American studies, was first in line Monday morning to get her tickets because she knew there'd likely be heavy demand. She wanted to get every last ticket she was allowed to have. 

Ever since it was announced Obama would be the graduation speaker, friends and family "came out of the woodwork," Ward joked. 

"I think it kind of makes up for my not being able to make the inauguration," she said. "I hope — no, I know — he will give us inspiring words."

Also in line early Monday morning, Jeannie Thrall, graduating with her Ph.D. in sociology, said it was exciting to have such a high-profile speaker.

She was disappointed with the speaker when she graduated as an undergraduate student at U-M and said she was looking forward to the extra people who would pack into the stadium this time around. She just wanted to make sure she could get enough tickets to get her three kids and her husband into the commencement, but also wanted her parents and in-laws to attend.

"When the stadium isn't full, it's not that fun," Thrall said. "It'll be a hassle, but it's only one day."

For those waiting in line, the Alumni Association planned to offer drinks and games.

Once folks were inside, the process was streamlined because it is based on an identification card swiping process that will reduce the amount of paperwork students need to do. Several stations were set up to move them through more quickly through ticket pick-up.

Several additional tables were set up with alumni benefits information, as well as food and music.

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AnnArbor.com's David Jesse contributed to this report. Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.