At a recent Thomas Jefferson University graduation ceremony, several nursing students’ names were mispronounced by the person announcing them. Names like May V. Lee Zubeth Brotoski, Syer Ovoon Jean, and Victoria Lee Zubithruss were mistakenly called out instead of their correct names. The video of the mispronunciations, shared on TikTok, quickly went viral and garnered millions of views and comments within a day.
The mispronunciations were so off that the original video recorders couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. Names like Maeve Elizabeth Brostoski becoming “Milena Zabeth Cop” and Sarah Virginia Brennan being called “Tamome” caused amusement and disbelief among viewers. Even simple names like Thomas were read incorrectly as “Thomas.” The person announcing the names didn’t even attempt to pronounce the graduates’ last names correctly.
Thomas Jefferson University issued an apology for the mispronunciations, acknowledging that each graduate’s name deserved to be honored correctly on such an important day. The university explained that the mispronunciations occurred due to the phonetic spellings provided on the speaker’s cards. While some speculated that the person announcing the names may have been reading phonetic spellings instead of the actual names, the university confirmed that it was simply an error in how the names were presented on the cards.
Despite the mispronunciations, many of the graduates seemed to take the situation in stride. Some giggled as they approached to receive their diplomas, while others appeared confused. The university expressed deep regret for any disappointment caused by the errors and emphasized their respect for the graduates’ accomplishments. They apologized for the mistake, stating that it did not reflect the value they place on the hard work and achievements of their graduates.
The viral video of the mispronunciations sparked widespread discussion on social media, with many sharing their thoughts on the incident. Some viewers found humor in the situation, while others expressed sympathy for the graduates whose names were mispronounced. The incident shed light on the importance of correctly pronouncing individuals’ names, especially during significant events like graduation ceremonies. Despite the error, the graduates will always have the memory of their unique names being mispronounced on their special day.
