President's Peace Commission

The host, Diane Duesterhoeft, Reference Librarian at St. Mary's University and member of the President's Peace Commission, introduces Mrs. Louise Locker Elliott, founder of Elf Louise, a program which provides Christmas gifts to needy children in San Antonio, Mr. and Mrs. Roy B. and Alice Kitty Hernandez, participants in Best Buddies, managers of a group home for and members of many other programs working with the developmentally disabled, and Mrs. Mary Patricia White Radle, a participant in Inner City Development, which provides emergency aid and recreational programs to San Antonio public housing residents and people in need. The guests describe their respective projects, discuss how they came to be involved with them, provide insights into the rewards of such work, and invite others to join. (75 minutes)

The host, Ms. Judy Geelhoed, Director of the Service Learning Center at St. Mary's University and member of the President's Peace Commission, introduces Dr. Maureen Ebben, Professor of English and Communication Studies at St. Mary's University, Ms. Carol Lee McLean, a senior undergraduate student majoring in Communication Studies at St. Mary's, Dr. Julie Dahlquist, Professor of Finance at St. Mary's University, Ms. Sara Schurtz, a junior undergraduate student majoring in English at St. Mary's, and Ms. Veronica Huerta, a St. Mary's undergraduate senior majoring in biology. Drs. Ebben and Dahlquist discuss their efforts to integrate service learning into their respective courses for the dual purposes of enhancing learning and bettering the community. The students, who have all performed community service as a component of coursework at St. Mary's, in settings such as nursing homes and homeless shelters, reflect on its usefulness and value. (65 minutes)

The host, Kristina Rodriguez, a student at St. Mary's University and member of the President's Peace Commission, introduces Ms. Faith Lytle of Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, Mr. Ernesto Nieto, Executive President and Founder of the National Hispanic Institute, and Ms. Gloria DeLeon, Executive Vice President of the National Hispanic Institute. Ms. Lytle relates her transition from vision to action in her work with Habitat for Humanity, an organization with the mission of wiping out substandard housing worldwide. Mr. Nieto describes life experiences which led him to found the National Hispanic Institute, an organization funded by the Latino community, which instills cultural pride, leadership skills, and community responsibility in young Hispanic Americans. He and Ms. DeLeon discuss their work with the Institute. (59 minutes)

The host, Dr. Charles Cotrell, Academic Vice President of St. Mary's, introduces Mr. Harris Wofford, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National Service and former U.S. Senator. Mr. Wofford, the leading advocate and implementator of service and citizenship in the U.S. in this century, who helped launch Peace Corps, contributed to the landmark study 'Youth and the Needs of the Nation', and, in 1993, co-authored the National and Committee Service Trust Act, proposes that citizen service become a normal expectation for all as part of one's coming of age, and says he would like to make service part of the definition of a successful life. He states that the era of big government is over, that it is time for the era of big citizens, and that a three-dimensional democracy, one in which self-government is real, has three aspects: the vote; the spade -- symbolic of taking action or constructive service, not waiting; and prison -- saying no to injustice. big government is over, that it is time for the era of big citizens, and that a three-dimensional democracy, one in which self-government is real, has three aspects: the vote; the spade -- symbolic of taking action or constructive service, not waiting; and prison -- saying no to injustice. Part of the Lin Great Speaker Series. (77 minutes)

Ms. Cecilia Aguilar, member of the President's Peace Commission, presents Ms. Eden Harrington, Director of Public Interest Law Programs at the St. Mary's University School of Law, and Dr. Miguel Bedolla, Chairman of the Bioethics Committee at the University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio. The speakers discuss the professional and ethical requirements to provide pro bono services in their respective professions. It is stated that one has the right to earn from one's profession only that which allows one to live in one's station and that the rendering of free services to those who are unable to pay is the first moral obligation of the professional. (46 minutes)

Dr. Missy Tobia, of St. Mary's University's Campus Ministry, introduces Ms. Melba Fisher, Co-Director of the Marianist Forum of St. Mary's, and Brother Robert Wood, Professor of History and University Archivist for St. Mary's University. Ms. Fisher, a lay Marianist, discusses the Marianist philosophy of service, of education as a means to serve others, and service in the context of spirituality. Brother Wood relates the history of the Society of Mary, as well as the Marianist imitation of Christ and Mary through service, rather than being served. (29 minutes)

Prof. Sondra Sugerman, Internship Coordinator for the English and Communications Studies Program at St. Mary's University, presents Ms. Barbara Gentry, Assistant Vice President of Community Relations for USAA and administrator of USAA's charitable programs, Mr. Jim Gerhard, President of the South Texas Chapter of the Southwestern Bell Pioneers, and Ms. Elvia Gonzales, Associate Directory of External Affairs in San Antonio for SBC. Representatives of prominent local businesses discuss the charitable works performed by their institutions, and the programs set up by these corporations to encourage their employees to perform volunteer work. (46 minutes)

Ms. Neomi De Anda, Member of the President's Peace Commission, presents St. Mary's University students Erika Borrego, Andrew Frame, Michelle Garcia, Matt Mann, and Jeanette Palasota. All of the students are involved with some sort of voluntary community service. Each responds to the questions about why they do service, what benefits those they work with receive, what the volunteers get out of it, what inspired them to become involved, how others can become involved, what vision each has for the future of his or her program, and what plans each has for continuing service after graduating from college. It is stated that knowledge is useless unless passed to younger generations. (42 minutes)

Dr. Charles Cotrell, Academic Vice President of St. Mary's University, introduces Dr. Jean Bethke Elshtain, Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor at the University of Chicago. Focusing on how Addams came to found Hull House, a settlement house for immigrants in turn-of-the-century Chicago, Dr. Elshtain discusses Addams' life, as related in 'Twenty Years at Hull House', the influence of her father in her non-religious upbringing in rural Illinois, and the resulting use of literary references where one might expect Biblical ones. Dr. Elshtain provides insight into the particular meaning that certain literary woks held for Addams and how the ideas in these works was reflected in her choice of life's work. (76 minutes)

Ms. Christine Andrews, Admissions Counselor at St. Mary's University, introduces Mr. Victor Garza, a former AmeriCorps member, Mr. Kevin O'Brien, Executive Director of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps for the southwest region, and Ms. Theresa Baird, a City Year San Antonio Corps member. The speakers discuss their experiences as volunteers, the missions of their respective organizations, initial motivations for volunteering, and the lasting effects that their experiences have left. Some contact information is also provided. (62 minutes)

Dr. Richard S. Pressman, Professor of English at St. Mary's University and Member of the President's Peace Commission, introduces Mr. Eugene Scassa, 35-year career diplomat in the U. S. State Department and the former U. S. Ambassador to Belize, Mr. Joel Mayer, a former Peace Corps participant in Niger, still active in Peace Corps affairs, and Dr. Ira M. Yount, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon who participates in South Texas Physician Outreach volunteer work in Honduras. The participants discuss their experiences in overseas service; qualifications necessary, positions available, the mission of the agency, and impressions of the country's conditions are described. Dr. Yount's presentation is accompanied by slides of Honduras. (68 minutes)