James Martin, S.J., will receive an honorary doctorate and speak at our undergraduate commencement ceremony. Father Martin is Editor-at-Large of America, the national Jesuit magazine, and the author of more than a dozen books including multiple New York Times bestsellers. He has also written articles for a number of national publications and is a frequent commentator on religion and spirituality for major national and international news outlets. Fr. Martin has worked in hospitals, housing projects and community centers and has ministered to refugees in the U.S. and other countries.
The second honorary doctorate we will confer at this year’s undergraduate commencement will be given to P. José Alberto Idiaquez, S.J. Father “Chepe,” as he is known, is president of the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) in Managua, Nicaragua. Seattle University shares a special, longstanding relationship with Father Chepe and UCA, which was formalized by a partnership agreement in 2014. An accomplished scholar and academic leader, Fr. Chepe has also done fieldwork with indigenous and marginalized communities in Honduras, Panama and Nicaragua. Since the Nicaraguan government’s crackdown on its own people began last spring, Fr. Chepe has stood up for those suffering persecution. He is a voice for justice, a beacon of hope and an agent for peace.