Commencement announcer repeatedly mispronounces student names

PHILADELPHIA (KABC) -- It is a moment students look forward to - having their names read during graduation.

The special moment turned into a viral sensation on social media during Thomas Jefferson University's graduation ceremony

The commencement went viral after the announcer mispronounced several graduates' names - many of them common names like Thomas or Elizabeth.

At first, it was not clear why the names were messed up, but the school later said it was due to phonetic spellings presented on the speaker's card.

According to attendees, the mispronunciations went on for about 10 minutes until the announcer was replaced.

Thomas Jefferson University released the following statement:

"The leadership and faculty of Thomas Jefferson University extend our sincerest apologies for the mispronunciations of the names of several of our graduating nursing students during our recent commencement ceremony. This ceremony is a celebration of the significant achievements of our students, and each graduate deserves to have their name honored correctly on this pivotal day.

We also recognize that commencement is not only a milestone for our students but also a deeply important day for their families and loved ones who have supported them throughout their educational journey, and we are deeply sorry for any disappointment this may have caused. The mispronunciations occurred due to the way phonetic spellings were presented on the speaker's cards, which was noted when the presenter apologized during the ceremony. This unfortunate error does not reflect the immense respect we have for our graduates and the value we place on their hard-earned accomplishments."