In a heartwarming gesture of farewell, a student-led flash mob disrupted the final convocation ceremony for a university chancellor, moving him to tears, the Toronto Star reports.
Described as a "tireless volunteer" and "extraordinary ambassador" in the YouTube description that accompanies the rousing video, David Peterson will be completing his term as chancellor of the University of Toronto at the end of the month.
Based on the reaction to his departure, there's no doubt that Peterson will be sorely missed.
In the video, watch as students from the university's faculty of music surprise him with a personalized tribute song -- complete with choir and large band -- sung to the tune of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."
“Farewell, dear chancellor, all your convocations are done,” went the first line of the song.
Peterson was then treated to a standing ovation from the hundreds of people in attendance.
“I’ve changed my mind, I’m not leaving,” Peterson joked when the song ended.
Peterson told the Toronto Star that he was stunned by the emotional tribute. "I cried, I was moved, I was confused,” he said. “Then I was sweating and crying, I didn’t know what was going on, I was so overwhelmed.”
He added that it's exactly things like this that will be the hardest to let go of when he has to say goodbye to the university.
“It’s this infectious optimism and the confidence of the kids [at the university] that I’ll miss the most,” he said.