The students assembled at windswept Gesling Stadium for Carnegie Mellon University's 112th commencement ceremony yesterday morning laughed when the chairman and CEO of Google Inc. told them they "have the opportunity to be the greatest generation" despite the worst recession in decades.

"You have tools we never had. Take care of them," Eric Schmidt told the 3,400 undergraduate and graduate students just before their laughter.

After they quit chuckling, he said, "You say 'look at the economy,' but consider some of the things that came out of the Great Depression -- and I know they're true because I looked it up on Google -- Rice Krispies, Twinkies and beer cans. ...

"Good things [can] happen in recession."

Mr. Schmidt, a former Carnegie Mellon trustee whose giant Internet search engine company operates one of its development centers on the campus, urged the graduates to be open to unexpected chances; not to fear mistakes; to avoid being solitary; and to remember their humanity.

"Take advantage of opportunities and make your own luck," he said. "You cannot plan innovation or invention. You can just try to be in the right place and take advantage. Life is like that. Opportunities happen while you're busy making other plans. ...

"Mistakes allow you to learn and try new things," he added.

"Do things in a group. Don't do things as an individual because you're stronger in a group."

Mr. Schmidt told the graduates to turn off their computers and mobile phones once in a while because "human beings are most important. People of all races and religions want fundamentally the same things, [including] a safe world. ...

"Nothing beats holding the hand of your grandchild while he takes his first step."

Early in his address, Mr. Schmidt praised the role the university and its scientists played in opening the computer era.

"When I see computers and mobile phones, I remember that practically everything you touch was probably invented by a scientist who came from CMU.

"In the '60s, much of what you know in computers today was developed here ... [including] networks, work stations, mobile computers."

He also drew chuckles when he contrasted his generation's college years to those of what he called the "Facebook Generation" of today.

"We had VCRs that could hold seven hours of tape. You have YouTube," he said.

"We had newspapers. You have blogs and tweets.

"We had Pong. You have Wii.

"We kept our most embarrassing moments secret. You tell them to millions. ...

"To us, 'friend' was a noun. You think it's a verb.

"We had phone booths. Has anybody here seen a phone booth?

"Who thought those marvels invented here would change you?"

Mr. Schmidt, who was awarded an honorary doctorate in science and technology, was one of five people so honored for lifetime achievements.

The others were:

• Dr. Thomas Detre, who was instrumental in the creation of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center during a 30-year career in which he gained renown in the field of psychiatry, was awarded a doctor of humane letters.

• Keith Lockhart, who is conductor of the Boston Pops and music director of the Utah Symphony and who earned a master's degree from Carnegie Mellon in 1983, was awarded a doctor of fine arts.

• Phylicia Rashad, who has earned numerous honors, including one of Broadway's Tony Awards, for her acting roles on stage, in films and on television, was awarded a doctor of fine arts.

• Harold Shapiro, former president of Princeton University and the University of Michigan who is currently a professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton, was awarded a doctor of public policy.