Andrews University Awards Two Honorary Doctorates

Rasi and Doblmeier receive distinctions

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By Melodie Roschman

Andrews University awarded two honorary doctoral degrees, Doctor of Humane Letters, to Humberto M. Rasi and Martin Joseph Doblmeier during its May Commencement ceremonies on May 3, 2015.

Humberto M. Rasi, Special Projects, Department of Education, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, was the keynote speaker for the 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Commencement services with an address titled “On the Road to Success.” University President Niels-Erik Andreasen presented him with an honorary doctorate for his contribution to Adventist education during the 8:30 a.m. service.

Rasi has worked as a teacher, author, editor and educational administrator for the church for almost 60 years. In the 1970s he served as a teacher, department chair and eventually dean of graduate studies for Andrews University, and from 1990 to 2002 he was director of the Education Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He has published, contributed to, or co-edited numerous books and articles, as well as cofounding the Institute for Christian Teaching and establishing the Adventus Editorial Consortium.

For Rasi, coming to Andrews University for Commencement was “moving.” “It was a memorable experience,” he says, “in terms of returning to the university where I worked for ten years, where we lived with our family in the 1970s. It was a high honor to receive an award from the oldest institution of Adventist education.” This is Rasi’s fourth honorary doctorate.

Martin Joseph Doblmeier, founder and president of Journey Films, spoke at the 11 a.m. Commencement service. His address was titled “Through the Lens of Faith.” Doblmeier has been working in documentary filmmaking for three decades, producing and directing more than 30 films about religion, faith and spirituality that have had wide distribution and critical acclaim including an Emmy, three U.S./International Film Festival awards, and six Gabriel Awards for best film on a topic of religion in America. Notably, he directed a trilogy of films about Seventh-day Adventism: “The Adventists” (2010), “The Adventists 2” (2013), and “The Blueprint: The Story of Adventist Education” (2014).

“I am delighted to receive a degree from Andrews, a school with so many accomplished graduates,” Doblmeier says. “But I am also grateful on behalf of all the filmmakers—particularly documentary filmmakers. Honorary degrees usually go to authors and writers but in making a serious documentary film I can spend between two to four years in research, production and presentation so it really is like an advanced degree when done properly…I feel a sense of pride on behalf of every serious documentary filmmaker and hope they have some sense of sharing in this.”

Both Doblmeier and Rasi noted that they experienced a warm welcome at Andrews University and appreciated the enthusiasm of the students, the hospitality of faculty and the beauty of the campus. “There is something special happening at Andrews,” Doblmeier says, “and I am delighted to play a small part in it.”