Tuesday, October 21, 1997

9:45 AM - 11:00 AM: Confronting Communication Challenges of the 21st Century: Community, Culture, Media and Technology
Call Number P96.F67 S256 1997
The mentor, Dr. Maureen Ebben, introduces students JulieDirkes, Lydia Yznaga, Mary Antony, and Penny McCulloch. Each student shares her perspective on the future. The focus is on projected developments in photography, in culture, in intercultural relations, and in the business culture, and on the continuing dynamic between unity and diversity. Audience discussion ensues. (57 minutes)

11:10 AM - 12:25 PM: The Future of an Illusion? Religion in Post-Christian America
Call Number BL65.C53 S256 1997
The mentor, Dr. Kenneth Craycraft, introduces students Charles Pridgen, Angela Karam, Robbie Becker, and Geoffrey Keating. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on projected developments in religion: ecumenism, religious revivals, the recurring limitations human nature imposes on organized religions, and the influence of the American political ideas on American religious outlook. (56 minutes)

12:35 PM - 1:50 PM: Finding Universal Common Ground: Business Practices in Year 2025
Call Number HD60 .S256 1997
The mentors, Dr. Zaida Martinez and Dr. Bill Ellos, S.J., introduces students Gus Alarcon, Lisa Galo, and Kathleen Gilland. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on projected developments in global practices, particularly in relation to bribery, child labor, and environmental issues. (76 minutes)

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM: You Make the Difference: Today's Discoveries Inevitably Affect the Future
Call Number KF374.F88 S256 1997
The mentor, Dean Yvonne Cherena-Pacheco, introduces law students Antonio Fernandez, Yolanda Jarmon, and Adrian Jonrowe. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on projected developments in U.S. law. In Yolanda Jarmon's presentation, "You Make the Difference", focus is given to the current trend of using penal laws to punish rather than reform, and to the struggle of law enforcement to keep up with technology. In Adrian Jonrowe's presentation, "The Law in 2025: Trials on the Moon?", future trends to make the law more predictable to cope with increased litigation, mandatory computerized litigation in civil complaints, and increased use of mediation are hypothesized, Also discussed is the continuing conflict between the aspiration to serve and the incentive to profit. In Antonio Fernandez's presentation, "Minorities in the Law", the future of legal practice in the wake of the Hopwood decision is discussed. (107 minutes)

6:30 PM: Resolved: Humanity Must Make Drastic Changes to Ensure its Future
Call Number GE75 .S256 1997
The moderator, Anu Daniel, presents the mentor, Dr. Alan Cirlin, and the St. Mary's University debate team, Omar Cura, Martin Green, Joseph Hoelscher, Cesar Lozano, Pete Robledo, Shane McMahon, Kristina Rodriguez, and Nicole Savadin. The topic of debate is whether the rapidly growing global population and diminishing resources constitute a problem which must be attacked by a change in life style and a move toward conservation or whether future technological developments can be relied on to ameliorate current trends. (65 minutes)

Wednesday, October 22, 1997

9:20 AM - 10:10 AM: The Modern Muses: The Shock of the New
Call Number NX180.T4 S256 1997
The mentor, Dr. Laurel Thomas, introduces students Roland Suarez, Kelly French, and Julia Brooks. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on the arts, particularly music, art, and drama and on the continuing tension between reverence for what has gone before and innovation, often brought on by advances in technology. (43 minutes)

10:20 AM - 11:10 AM: The Impact of Engineering on Our Lives in 2025
Call Number T14.5 .S256 1997
The mentor, Dr. Roger Ford, introduces students Rose Quintero, Gian-Marco Russo, and Carlos Sierra. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on the engineering technology, particularly future developments, such as the neighborhood of the future, the house of the future, tracking system implants, and future developments in transportation, and their effects on life in the future. (34 minutes)

11:20 AM - 12:10 PM: The Poet as Visionary
Call Number BF408 .S2P64 1997
The mentor, Dr. Richard Pressman, introduces students Anita Carrillo, Shane McMahon, Maggie Solomon. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on the broader vision of the present embodied in poetry as a mode of perception of the now in order to foresee and change the future. Particular emphasis is placed on the need to act on social problems and leave sterotypes behind. (34 minutes)

12:20 PM - 1:10 PM: Families of the Future
Call Number HQ518 .S256 1997
The mentor, Dr. Dan Rigney, introduces students Jonathan Closner, Demori Currid, Fran Lopez, and Vanessa Manning. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on broader, more inclusive definitions of marriage and family. Particular emphasis is placed on 'families of the future', in contrast to 'the family of the future'. (52 minutes)

6:30 PM: Changing the Future
Call Number BF408 .S2C43 1997
Dr. Missy Tobias, Campus Minister of St. Mary's University, presents the keynote speaker, Dr. Betty Sue Flowers, Professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin, director of the UT Plan II Honors Program, poet, editor, and TV host, discusses the future. Dr. Flowers states that their are two approaches to the future: the logical and the creative. She advocates living creatively in order to create the future. (70 minutes)

Thursday, October 23, 1997

9:45 AM - 11:00 AM: Breaking Barriers: The Lives Touched by Science in 2025
Call Number RA413.5.U6 S256 1997
The mentor, Dr. Colleen Nolan, introduces biology majors Amanda Heinsz, Neetee Nadkarni, Aimee Aquino, and Joyce Heinsz. Each student shares her perspective on the future. The focus is on projected developments in U.S. health care and science in secondary school curriculum. The reasons behind current trends toward managed health care, the need for cost containment and the shift in focus from sickness to wellness, are discussed. Other topics raised include the merits of homeopathic medicine, the trend away from basic research toward clinical research, and the downside of magnet schools. (56 minutes)

11:10 AM - 12:25 PM: Education 2025: Utilizing Technology to Focus on Students
Call Number LB1028.43 .S256 1997
Jacob Padilla introduces his fellow education majors, Becky Lessing, Jeanette Palasota, and Terri Rendon. Each student shares his or her perspective on the future. The focus is on project developments in U.S. primary and secondary education, particularly the continued and expanding use of computers as education tools. Particular topics discussed are new Texas state guidelines of computer skills for elementary and secondary school students and the resulting necessity of teacher education, the effect of new technology on multiculturalism, how new technologies will be paid for, and the impact technology is having and will have on society as a whole. [The mentors, Drs. Dorothy Smith and Steve Johnson, do not appear in the video.] (58 minutes)

12:35 PM - 1:50 PM: Defining Global Security in the 21st Century: Can Our Generation Create a More Just and Peaceful World
Call Number JX1954 .S256 1997
The mentor, Dr. Larry Hufford, introduces international relations majors Hussein Saddrudan, Ami Dave, Sascha Kemper, Danielle Aholi, and Carlos Lopez. The students, born in Bangladesh, India, Germany, Ivory Coast, and Peru, respectively, each share their perspectives on the future. The focus is on projected developments in international relations. The first speaker states that 'justice' and 'peace' may, as in the Cold War, be diametrically opposed, but that, even though obtaining these ideals may be impossible, striving for them is nonetheless worthwhile. Ensuing speakers place particular emphasis on the need for greater education and tolerance, the way in which contention over scarce resources can ignite conflict, and the role non-governmental organizations, such as the United Nations, and smaller regional associations such as the Organization for African Unity, can play in conflict resolution. (48 minutes)

The Commission serves to create within the St. Mary's University community an awareness of the Roman Catholic perspective as a foundation for directing the dialogue among the broad and varied human and religious enterprises, themselves directed toward peace. It especially takes direction from the United States Catholic Conference and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

The Peace Commission, founded in 1984, is comprised of students, staff, and faculty, all with equal status.If you would like more information about the President's Peace Commission, please contact any one of its members:

Students: Vanessa Manning, Christina Montoya, Sarabeth Pridgen, Kristina Rodriguez

Staff: Cecilia Aguilar, Neomi De Anda, Judy Geelhoed, Missy Tobia

Faculty: Kenneth Craycraft, Diane M. Duesterhoeft; Sonia R. García, PhD; Larry Hufford, PhD; Alice Kersnowski, PhD; Richard S. Pressman, PhD

updated August 11, 2004
Thanks to Liza Sánchez for videotaping these sessions and to Trish Keogh for providing the contents notes and extensive cataloging of these videos.