Commencement Honors International
Human Rights Advocate
St. Edward’s University officials will recognize
the contributions of the Honorable Elizabeth Odio
Benito, second vice president of the International
Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, and former
vice president of Costa Rica, with an honorary degree
during the university’s 118th commencement exercises
at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 8 at the Frank Erwin Center.
Judge Odio is internationally recognized for her
commitment to peace, justice and human rights. Throughout
her distinguished career, she has not only contributed
to the creation of international treaties that protect
basic rights, but also has worked to implement them
through national and international courts and jurisprudence
and through her scholarship. Judge Odio has made major
contributions to protect education rights, as well
as the rights of women and children. She also was
a principal drafter of the United Nations Declaration
on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and
of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, which
protects religious freedom and diversity. Her work
as a human rights advocate is rooted in her long career
as a teacher. A graduate of the University of Costa
Rica’s Faculty of Law, with post-graduate work
in social and economic development, as well as gender
studies, Judge Odio taught numerous courses in law,
human rights, and social and economic development
at her alma mater for more than 30 years.
St. Edward’s University officials will confer
approximately 517 degrees this spring.
Degree distribution is as follows:
| Traditional undergraduates |
272 |
| New College undergraduates |
117 |
| Graduate |
128 |
|
| Total |
517 |
Julia L. Donaldson of Austin
will deliver the valedictory address. Donaldson will
graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Business
Administration in economics. Though born in Austin,
Donaldson moved with her parents to India when she
was only two years old. She was raised in Malakara,
a small close-knit village in the state of Kerala,
and only came back to the United States for occasional
visits with her extended family. In India, Donaldson
was home-schooled by her mother, so the St. Edward’s
commencement exercise will mark her first graduation
ceremony.
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