The honors recognize the legacy of service and community transformation that both honorees have advanced across diverse sectors of Puerto Rican society.
By Institutional Communications
As part of the distinctions conferred during its 87th Commencement Ceremony, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (Sagrado) will award an honorary doctorate in Humanities to Sila María Calderón Serra and present the Rosa Filipina Duchesne Medal to chef and community leader Iván Clemente.
The Rosa Filipina Duchesne Medal was presented during the Graduation Mass on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Sagrado’s Main Chapel, while the commencement ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Coca-Cola Music Hall.
Both distinctions honor the lifelong commitment to service and social awareness demonstrated by the honorees in transforming Puerto Rican communities—efforts that reflect the core values of the institution’s mission, according to University President Gilberto J. Marxuach Torrós.
“With these recognitions, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón honors two individuals who have undertaken remarkable initiatives to help build the more authentically Christian Puerto Rican society to which our mission aspires—a community united in justice and peace. Sila María Calderón Serra and Chef Iván Clemente have dedicated their lives to serving others. Driven by a profound sense of human compassion, they have brought together people and resources to create initiatives that have transformed the lives of thousands. Their perseverance and courage have led them to challenge established models and paradigms in order to open new paths toward justice. Their lives and accomplishments serve as a powerful example for our graduates of what it means to exercise leadership with purpose and solidarity,” said the president.
Honorary Doctorate in Humanities: Sila María Calderón Serra
Sagrado will confer an honorary doctorate in Humanities upon Sila María Calderón Serra in recognition of a daughter of the Sacred Heart educational tradition who has devoted her life to service and solidarity. A graduate of Colegio del Sagrado Corazón in Santurce and Manhattanville College in New York—both institutions founded by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus—her life and career exemplify active faith and the responsibility that comes with privilege.
Her public service career has been distinguished by integrity and a deep sense of responsibility. Her commitment to service took a decisive turn following Hurricane Hugo in 1989, when she witnessed the inequalities affecting the Cantera Peninsula community in San Juan. Guided by a Religious of the Sacred Heart, she helped develop a model for community transformation that combined reconstruction efforts with the comprehensive development of residents. This mission expanded during her tenure as Mayor of San Juan and later as the first woman to serve as Governor of Puerto Rico.
Throughout her career, she has championed initiatives aimed at empowering marginalized communities, including the Special Communities Program, launched in 2001 to address poverty and inequality through the active participation of community residents. Her work continues through the Center for Puerto Rico of the Sila M. Calderón Foundation, which promotes citizen empowerment, entrepreneurship as a tool to combat poverty, and support for underserved populations.
Rosa Filipina Duchesne Medal: Chef Iván Clemente
The Rosa Filipina Duchesne Medal was awarded to Chef Iván Clemente, founder of El Comedor de la Kennedy. This medal honors individuals who, like Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, crossed borders to serve others and promote acts of solidarity. Over the course of 45 years, Chef Clemente traveled the world, visiting more than 100 countries as an international speaker focused on combating social inequality and hunger. Upon returning to Puerto Rico in 2009, he encountered the reality of food insecurity affecting thousands of families across the archipelago and launched the initiative.
Since its inception, the project has provided free meals and community support to thousands of people, including children, older adults, college students, and other vulnerable populations. Under his leadership, the initiative has become a symbol of hope for those experiencing food insecurity.
The lives and accomplishments of both Puerto Ricans exemplify the commitment to justice, solidarity, and service that lies at the heart of the Sacred Heart educational mission.