Pence began his remarks by outlining the legacies he has carried with him since graduating from Hanover. Those legacies were foundations of education, friendship and faith. Pence admitted to some trepidation when first arriving on campus as a freshman.

"As my mom and dad drove away, I wondered it I'd ever make it," Pence said.But over the next four years, Pence cultivated relationships with friends and professors, many of whom remain in his life today.

Pence assured the students that while their futures may be unknown, their friends would help sustain them.Another legacy from Pence's time at Hanover was faith. He said that while the apprehension of his freshman year faded, it was replaced by worries about the future, failure and not reaching his dreams. He often wondered "if I would ever meet her."

"I had big questions in my heart that day," Pence said. "That weight of expectation was pressing down on me."

"Hanover remains in my heart ... lost in the ether of my youth, but ever-present," Pence said.