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:

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.