AUSTIN, Texas — Graduates of the College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin got a special surprise during their graduation ceremony this spring – a message from Cher!
"Congratulations to the University of Texas at Austin College of the Fine Arts class of 2021," the legendary singer and actress said in the taped recording. "You've made it through one of the most challenging years the modern world has ever seen. And, on this graduation day, you should be so proud of yourself for this achievement. We've all had to dig deep and learn how strong and resilient we can be this year. As artists, we learn how to show up in the face of overwhelming odds, to show up when people around us are telling us that we'll never be successful. Don't let anybody ever tell you you can't succeed. Follow your passion, but also use your passion and success to do something good in the world."
But Cher isn't the only big name stepping in to congratulate this year's graduates.
Graduation celebrations will continue through the weekend, with Robert A. Iger, the executive chairman and former CEO of The Walt Disney Company, set to deliver the keynote address at UT's spring commencement ceremony on Saturday.
Under Iger's leadership, Disney acquired Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox, and released a number of record-setting films including favorites such as Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame,” Disney’s “Frozen” and “Frozen 2” and Marvel’s “Black Panther.”
“Bob Iger’s stellar career and visionary leadership have the capacity to inspire and teach us all,” said Jay Hartzell, president of The University for Texas at Austin. “We live in a rapidly changing world, and Bob has been at the forefront of an industry that has witnessed seismic shifts over the last two decades. I’m confident that for years to come, students will remember his wise words – when they think of their commencement, as they transform their own industries, and with each of the (hopefully) many future episodes of ‘WandaVision.’”