Achieving a college education is a dream many hold dear to their hearts, and filmmaker Spike Lee stressed to Ohio State U. students the importance of reaching such a goal.

As part of United Black World Month celebrations, the Ohio Union Activities Board and Multicultural Center welcomed Lee to the Archie M. Griffin Grand Ballroom Thursday. The director conducted a free lecture followed by a question-and-answer session for a sold-out crowd of about 800 attendees.

The Brooklyn-native came out sporting a New York Giants vest and made sure to exercise his team’s Super Bowl championship rights by telling the New England Patriots fans in the crowd right off the bat to “eat it.”

Soon after, Lee put all joking aside and dove into the main theme of his lecture: education. He stressed the importance of staying in school and the fact that students must pursue their dreams no matter who stands in the way.

“Often times, parents can be the biggest killers of dreams,” Lee said.

Lee said all the students in the room need to base their major on what they love to do, not what makes the most money.

“When you can make a living doing what you love, you are blessed,” Lee said. “I don’t wish anyone in this room the eternal hell of having to go to a job every day that you hate. Most of the people on this earth go to the grave with that situation, where they hate going to their job. Every morning (they) have to wake up (and) drag their tired ass to their job. They don’t want to be there. People don’t want them there neither. But because they’re responsible adults, they’re going do what they got to do to pay the bills.”