Thomas Jefferson University announcer goes viral for mispronouncing graduates’ names
The university claims the announcer’s cards were the issue.
A Thomas Jefferson University commencement announcer is going viral following a series of verbal misfires at Thursday’s commencement.
Pronouncing names like “Elizabeth” as “Lee-Zoo-Beth,” the unidentified speaker mispronounced the monikers of several nursing graduates, who hesitated to walk across the stage at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
The verbal mishaps were due to “the way phonetic spellings were presented on the speaker’s cards, which was noted when the presenter apologized during the ceremony,” according to university officials.
The TikTok video has amassed over 8 million views and been posted to other social media platforms. Several users expressed confusion over the errors. “Wait pronouncing Thomas wrong at Thomas University is crazyyyy,” one user wrote.
@colleenb415 Please tell me how one can be allowed to speak at college commencement and mess up that badly 🫠😬
♬ original sound - Col
“Please I need an investigation into what happened here 😭,” another commenter wrote.
Thomas Jefferson graduate TJ Canevari said it was far from a lighthearted moment. “I honestly felt very disrespected and unappreciated after all the hard work, money, and time we gave to the university,” Canevari said. “It was just really disappointing.”
Canevari corrected the speaker, who pronounced his first name, “Thomas,” as “Too-Moo-May,” said the mispronunciation of names continued for about 30 minutes.
After the first three rows of graduates were announced, Canevari said there was a wave of boos from the crowd, and the speaker was eventually replaced. “It was one of the worst moments I could have imagined,” Canevari said.
In another TikTok video posted by a commencement attendee, the announcer acknowledged her mistakes, admitting she “would have done better just reading from the book.”
“My apologies, graduates,” she added.
But Canevari isn’t pleased.
“I feel like it was a cop out,” the Scranton native said. “Our full names were spelled out in bold above the phonetic spelling, which she didn’t even read or didn’t even say.”
Thomas Jefferson officials declined to answer additional questions surrounding the ceremony.