The Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) proudly announces that its Rector, Prof. Salim Daccache, SJ, received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Boston College during its 149^th Commencement Ceremony on May 19, 2025. Boston College President, Fr. William Leahy, SJ, and the Board of Trustees awarded this distinction in recognition of Prof. Daccache’s exemplary leadership amid Lebanon’s most challenging periods, and his steadfast commitment to the Society of Jesus in Lebanon.

As Rector of USJ, the only Jesuit institution of higher education in the Arab world, Prof. Daccache has maintained and advanced academic excellence and civic responsibility despite ongoing political instability, economic collapse, and the devastating 2020 Beirut port explosion, which severely damaged USJ’s campuses.

Recognized for upholding the Jesuit mission in times of crisis, Prof. Daccache has earned numerous national and international distinctions in academic leadership, interfaith dialogue, and service to Jesuit higher education. Boston College presented him as a Jesuit priest and educator, leading a university that enrolls 12,000 students from all backgrounds and both Christian and Muslim faith traditions. They highlighted his role as director of the Lebanese Association of Friendship and Islamic-Christian Dialogue, his fluency in Arabic, English, French, and Italian, and his academic achievements, including a Ph.D. in literature and philosophy from Panthéon-Sorbonne University and a Ph.D. in educational sciences from the University of Strasbourg. In 2022, he received the St. Peter Canisius Medal from the International Association of Jesuit Universities for his extraordinary service to Jesuit higher education. These distinctions and lifelong commitments, Boston College noted, are what earned him the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. The full citation is available on Boston College’s official commencement website: https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/sites/bc-news/articles/2025/spring/commencement-honorary-degree-citations.html

Prof. Daccache dedicated the distinction to USJ instructors, staff, students, and alumni, whose resilience and determination have ensured the University’s impact in Lebanon and abroad.

USJ congratulates Prof. Daccache on this honor and expresses its profound appreciation for his leadership and unwavering dedication to the University and its mission.

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