DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A speaker at Millikin University's winter graduation has many students, faculty and alumni outraged after making transphobic comments during the ceremony.

Reverend Wally Carlson gave the invocation speech during which he pretended to take a phone call from God who he said made this comment to him:

"First of all, let's take care of the gender issue. He understands and he's sharing with you that there's no theological justification for it but he's choosing he and him today, doesn't like them and they and just because this is probably irritating enough people that it's coming out this way we're gonna stay away from she and her."

For transgender students that were in the audience graduating, like Nat Long, they said they wanted to walk out.

"After that moment it felt less like an achievement and more like an escape because when it was finally over, I was like OK, good, I get to leave. I wasn't like proud of myself, I wasn't like proud that I graduated from Millikin. I was just so excited to get out of there that, like, when I finally left the auditorium it was like a wave of relief."

Long said this isn't the first time they have experienced transphobia at the University.

"I was just kind of sitting there like, you know, I was holding back tears; I was trying not to get super upset because this isn't the first instance of transphobia that I've experienced directly at this school. I've had about three other incidents in the past year alone that have really not been good. So, I really just wanted to celebrate my graduation, but I felt like I really couldn't."

After other controversial incidents have occurred this semester, students like Katharine Baughmann are ready to see change.

"We keep getting lots of apologies, but things aren't changing, and we keep getting told that they are and apologies kind of get old when it keeps happening again and again and nothing's actually being done," Baughmann said. 

Millikin University released the following statement in response to the incident:

"Millikin University immediately issued an apology to all who attended Commencement yesterday for the comments made by Reverend Wally Carlson during the invocation. Reverend Carlson's comments regarding gender neither reflect nor represent the values of our university. We were not aware of his remarks prior to Commencement and were equally as surprised and disappointed by them. Going forward, Millikin will be certain to vet all prepared remarks for important events like Commencement. We are very sorry for the hurt this has caused and affirm our support for all members of the Millikin community."