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In 1997, 16-year-old Reginald Dwayne Betts stood before a Virginia courtroom as he was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison for carjacking and armed robbery.

Betts, now 28, stood before a much different audience May 21 — his fellow graduates and thousands of spectators at the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland, College Park.

"No one would have predicted that I would make it here," he said.

Betts, of Odenton, was released from prison in 2005 and has since become a husband, father and college graduate. His turnaround earned him the honor of delivering the student address at the commencement, where he received his bachelor's degree in English.

"Dwayne is a gifted student with a remarkable drive," said C. Dan Mote, president of the university. "That's a great combination."

In the mid-1990s, at Suitland High School in Forestville, Betts had the gift but not necessarily the drive. He took advanced classes and was sharp enough to make the honor roll despite not always giving his full effort.

Some of his friends, however, did poorly in school and got in trouble outside of it. Betts drew closer into their world until one day in 2006, when he and a friend robbed a man at gunpoint and stole his car outside Springfield Mall in Virginia.

"It was an adrenaline-filled moment," said Betts, formerly of Suitland. "I felt remorse two seconds later."

Betts and his friend were arrested the next day when they tried to use the man's credit card. Charged as an adult, Betts was convicted and sentenced to nine years.

In prison, Betts spent most of his time reading and writing poetry.

"I chose to believe more in the world of knowledge and literature than in the insanity and violence that surrounded me," he said.

Released in 2005, he enrolled at Prince George's Community College in Largo. A stellar student, Betts earned a spot in the school's Honors Academy and acceptance to the University of Maryland.

"A lot of people look at community colleges as not as serious as a four-year school," he said. "By the University of Maryland selecting me as the commencement speaker, it proved that it was a myth."

At Maryland, Betts excelled as an English major, earning a work-study scholarship at the prestigious Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in Middlebury, Vt., and winning praise from university faculty.

"My colleagues speak highly of him," said English department chair Kent Cartwright. "I remember [Maryland professor and Bread Loaf director Michael Collier] coming into my office and telling me about this great undergraduate student."

Betts spoke for about seven minutes on May 21, asking his classmates to use their past lessons and memories to become better people in the future.

"We may not share the same memories," he said. "But we share the same belief in the value of a college education."

Betts lives with his wife, Terese, 25, and their 18-month-old son, Micah, and is already off to a roaring start post-college. His memoir, "A Question of Freedom," is scheduled to be released in August, and he is currently working on a book of poems, titled "Shahid Reads His Own Palm."

"He likes to share his story and he likes to encourage people," said Terese Betts. "I was really proud to see him up there."