Splashing through puddles as they made their way down Packard Street in caps and gowns, Sheri, Erica and Elliot Jankelovitz weren't going to let the rain ruin their graduation from the University of Michigan.

"I'm walking in the rain, there's lightning all around me, but it's completely worth it — just to see President Obama and be with my fellow graduates," said Erica, who received a degree in organizational studies from the LSA Honors Program today.

"I'm really excited to see Obama, and there is no other speaker I would brave this weather to see," Sheri added.

The three siblings from West Bloomfield earned more than their diplomas today — they became the first set of triplets ever to graduate from the University of Michigan together. And having President Barack Obama there to deliver the commencement address was just the icing on the cake.

"Even though this is pretty bad weather right now, I think in two days we're going to look back and say that it was worth it," Elliot said. "I would stand through this much rain again probably to see Obama."

After waking up early, the trio met up with friends on Packard Street at 7 a.m. before making the trek to Elbel Field. There, they tried to stay dry under a tent with hundreds of other graduates before entering Michigan Stadium around 7:45 a.m.

"I'm actually kind of in disbelief because, honestly, I still remember my high school graduation and it really feels like the same sort of feeling — that it really won't sink in until literally five years from now," said Sheri, who painted her fingernails maize and blue today for the occasion.

"And it's a lot scarier because, once I graduate, I don't really have a job or insurance or anything," she said. "High school graduation was like, 'This is so exciting, let's move on.' And now this is like, 'This is terrifying.'"

Different fates await each of the Jankelovitz triplets as they enter the post-graduation periods of their lives: Sheri is still struggling to find a job, Elliot is taking a job out of state, and Erica is continuing her education.

Sheri, who worked as a film critic for the Michigan Daily, received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. She spent the last semester as a student teacher at Pioneer High School. In August, she's getting married, but she continues to search for a teaching job.

"It's very difficult," she said. "The entire state of Michigan has been hit really, really hard. I mean, they're laying off teachers who have been there a few years, so the idea that they're going to hire new teachers is a little far-fetched, although I'm trying to remain really optimistic. It's awful, but I'm going to keep looking. I've been applying and I'm going to keep applying."

Elliot graduated with his degree in sociology, but he's taking a job in sales for Nibco Inc., a company based in Elkhart, Ind.

"I'm going to be going there for about five months to do training and then hopefully I'm going to move maybe to somewhere like Florida where you don't get this weather all the time," he said with a laugh.

Erica, who was invited to speak at her honors graduation on Friday, plans to begin classes at U-M Law School in June.

Waiting out the rain, the three siblings reminisced on life as triplets. They say their time in college brought them closer.

"Especially freshman year because we lived on the hill," Sheri said. "So we used to eat lunch together all the time and have dinner together all the time, and we just became really close. It's been really nice.

"I'm a little scared because my brother's leaving in June and we've never lived apart. It's going to be kind of weird," she added.

Elliot agreed it's been a good experience.

"We've never been separated our whole lives, so it was helpful to have that support base there," he said. "Even though we didn't hang out every day, it was still nice to know that they were there if we needed each other."

By the time Obama addressed the crowd inside Michigan Stadium, sun was starting to peek through the clouds. The triplets had family from as far as Chicago, Miami and North Carolina in the stands to support them. That included their parents, Eva Hamburger and Stuart Jankelovitz, who started a college fund when the triplets were born.

Erica gave Obama high marks for his speech.

"It was everything I wanted it to be and more — it was just unbelievable," she said, leaving the stadium at 1 p.m. "He made a lot of references to the turmoil in Washington, D.C. He's been having a really hard time I think getting his ideas through Congress, so it sort of had a frustrated undertone, but he was almost pleading with the audience for change and to join him and not fight against him, and I agree with that sentiment. And he talked a lot about giving back to the community and country."

Sheri said she thought the speech was inspirational, but she had hoped Obama would talk more about education and plans to create more jobs for teachers.

"I thought it was a spectacular speech," Elliot said. "I feel bad for the people graduating next year, because I don't think they're going to get anybody as good as Obama."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.