JACKSON, Tenn. — Cecily Berry got a unique gift from her father Michael when she graduated from Union University on Saturday (May 3) with her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

Michael had secretly been working on his own MBA degree and made the May 3 ceremony extra special by graduating with her.

Michael, who works as senior plant director for Corelle Brands in the Memphis area, had been thinking about completing an MBA for years. He completed his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

In the fall of 2023, with his wife working as a realtor and no children left at home, he decided the time was right to move forward. Then the thought hit him: “What if I keep it secret from Cecily and try to graduate with her?”

Michael reached out to Union with his idea, and they helped him pull it off.

“It’s been a little challenging,” he said. “Naomi Van Nes has been hugely instrumental in helping me plan my classes, so that’s really where it started.”

Van Nes, graduate and adult admissions counselor, knew what Cecily’s course schedule would be, so she helped Michael work around that and ensure that they were never in the same class. Even in an online program like Union’s MBA, students can see the names of every other person in the class.

Throughout his studies, Michael had to work with professors — and other students he knew were friends with Cecily — to make sure they kept his endeavor a secret.

One of Michael’s biggest challenges came last summer when Cecily spent several weeks at home while interning with a wealth management company. He had to figure out how to get his coursework done without completing it at home.

“I would stay late in my office, or I’d come to work on Saturday and just tell her I was working on a project or whatever,” he said. “I knew if I could make it through the summer that I was home free.”

At the commencement ceremony on May 3, Michael and his wife, Niki, made sure that Cecily was already lined up with all the graduates prior to the service. Then he casually walked up to her wearing his cap and gown and revealed the news — he was going to be graduating with her that day.

“And you somehow missed all of my classes, too,” Cecily told her dad upon hearing his news. “We could have had a group project together.”

Cecily said she was completely surprised by the revelation.

“It makes me so proud. I cried when I saw him in his robe,” she said. “He’s been my example in everything that I do.”

Cecily completed her bachelor’s degree in economics from Union in December and through an accelerated program was able to finish her master’s degree just one semester later. She plans to pursue a career in financial advising.

Her older sister Gabrielle is also a Union alumna and is attending seminary at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina. Michael said Union was a great fit for his daughters.

“Both of my daughters really appreciate the biblical worldview of an education, of preparing themselves to step out into the real world,” he said.

Watch a video of the moment Michael surprises Cecily here.