Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, an honored alumnus at Homecoming, told students on Thursday that his experiences at BYU became the underpinnings for everything he has accomplished.

It was at BYU that he met his wife Elaine in an astronomy class, strengthened his testimony and decided to study law, which paved the way for his future career in politics.

“This school means so much to me,” Hatch said. “You’re going to the greatest university in the world today. Take advantage of it.”

While at BYU, Hatch worked as a janitor, lived in old army-barrack dorms and was drafted by a friend to serve as summer student body president despite his full work and course load. His favorite classes were his religion classes.

Hatch said he has encountered atheism in the public arena many times, but critics are not able to tear down the reasoning found in Alma 30:44 of Alma to Korihor.

“God lives,” Hatch said. “One of the greatest things about the university is I found that here [at BYU].”

In the Q&A following the lecture, Hatch said marriage is a difficult political issue.

“The hate crimes bill opens a whole new set of forms of litigation by recognizing certain laws that could put religious freedom in jeopardy,” he said. “These are tough issues. But you can’t just throw away morals because emotionally we feel like we want to be kind and good to everyone.”

Hatch also shared humorous experiences since his BYU experience, including when he broke a filibuster by threatening to send missionaries to a politician’s home.

Another time, his wife saw someone she had once dated washing windows on the street. Hatch asked if she was glad she married him, to which his wife replied, “ If I had married him, he would have been the U.S. senator.” Hatch said that was probably true.

Hatch said as a politician he tries to do what is right and values his education at BYU.