Concordia University Ann Arbor faculty, staff members record personalized messages for graduates

More than 80 CUAA faculty and staff created personalized videos for spring 2020 graduates. (Concordia University Ann Arbor)

ANN ARBOR – Here’s something that doesn’t happen very often.

More than 80 members of faculty and staff from Concordia University Ann Arbor surprised its 164 graduates over the weekend with personalized video messages.

While in-person graduation dates have been announced for December, graduates took part in a Virtual Degree Conferral on Sunday.

“Please mark the weekend of December 11-13 as your invitation to celebrate your accomplishments with your Concordia family on campus,” wrote CUAA President Rev. Patrick T. Ferry in a letter in March.

Here’s a message from school officials and how graduates can access their videos:

May graduates, don’t think you got lost in the shuffle!

Yes, COVID-19 has forced us to make some changes to our traditional commencement experience. We’re so excited to celebrate graduation in person with you in December, but in the meantime, we didn’t want the end of the semester – and thus, your official entry into the ranks of CUAA alumni – to go unnoticed.

The fact is we’re so proud of you, and even though we can’t tell you so in person, we can tell each of you – personally. Visit cuaa.edu/known-by-name, click on the first letter of your last name, and scroll down to find your message from a CUAA faculty or staff member. There’s one for each of our 164 graduates.