UIC College of Engineering Graduation Had People Walking Across the Stage With the Wrong Names Displayed
First of all, I want to thank everyone who worked on the graduation ceremony. I understand that managing an event at this scale is extremely difficult, and I appreciate the effort that went into making it happen.
However, I want to address a major issue that happened during the May 9 College of Engineering ceremony regarding the stage name display system.
As many people know, graduates scan a QR code right before walking on stage so that their names can be displayed and announced in order. Since graduates are expected to keep walking without delays, the timing and synchronization of this system is incredibly important.
Unfortunately, during several parts of the ceremony — including my own moment — the wrong name appeared on the screen while I was walking across the stage. Imagine spending years working toward this moment, only to have someone else’s name displayed underneath you during one of the most important milestones of your life.
That is honestly unacceptable.
I understand there are dynamic variables and logistical challenges involved in live events, but this is not a small mistake. This is one of the core responsibilities of the graduation production system. The people responsible for designing, managing, or testing this process really needed to ensure it worked properly. To put it simply: you had one job.
Graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for many students and families. Seeing the wrong name on screen while having your moment completely takes away from that experience. I genuinely hope the university reviews what went wrong and improves the system for future ceremonies.