PITTSBURGH -- About 6,000 University of Pittsburgh students entered the real world on Sunday -- and famous alum Dan Marino had some words of encouragement to send them off.

Marino, a Pittsburgh native and Pro Football Hall of Famer, was the invited speaker for Pitt's 2008 commencement ceremony at the Petersen Events Center in Oakland.

Marino told the graduates to pursue a line of work that they love. If they do, he said happiness will follow and finances will fall into place.

He also advised the class of 2008 to make face-to-face connections and avoid hiding behind computer screens in this increasingly technological age.

"Real life is about developing personal relationships," Marino said, repeating the advice his father gave him while growing up in South Oakland years ago.

Marino was also awarded an honorary doctorate in journalism. He joked that he would tell former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and the rest of his colleagues on CBS' NFL pre-game show to refer to him as "Dr. Dan" on the air.

Marino graduated from Pitt with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication science in 1983. He was a first-round draft pick of the NFL's Miami Dolphins and played football for 17 years, all in Miami.

He and his wife, Claire, who have an autistic son, started a foundation to help children with developmental disabilities.

Marino mentioned his charity work during his commencement speech, giving the graduates an example of how to give back to their communities. But he said they don't always need to give money -- just their time and expertise.

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