A Seton Hall University graduate got a joyous surprise after receiving her diploma Tuesday.
Angela Noyes, of Montclair, was greeted on stage by her brother, Daniel Noyes, who is serving in the U.S. Navy and flew in for the commencement without telling her, officials said.
Seton Hall worked with her mother, Patrice, to pull off the surprise.
A video released by Seton Hall shows Angela getting her diploma from Seton Hall’s interim president, Katia Passerini, at the Prudential Center in Newark.
Angela paused, looked toward the audience, then proceeded by Archdiocese of Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin and College of Arts and Sciences interim dean Jonathan Farina. Then, her smiling brother emerged from the rear of the stage and gave her a big hug.
Angela Noyes said it was the first time she had seen her brother in six months and assumed he would not make it to the commencement.
“Being able to see him for the first time and hug him on stage was so special and made my college graduation that much more memorable,” Noyes said.
Noyes graduated with honors and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She was among the 1,232 graduates in the Class of 2024, Seton Hall officials said.
Her mother, Patrice, said Daniel is part of a “long line of military members on his dad’s side of the family.”
Patrice thanked Seton Hall “for making a special day for our daughter even more memorable for our family.”
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Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.
