What does peacebuilding look like beyond diplomacy and conflict resolution? For Annie Boyd-Ramirez, it begins with accompaniment, opportunity, and hope. A 2007 Marquette graduate and co-founder of Programa Velasco, Annie joins host John Byrne to discuss how empowering women entrepreneurs, supporting families, expanding access to mental health services, and investing in children can help build more peaceful communities in El Salvador.

Drawing on nearly two decades of work, Annie shares the story of Programa Velasco's evolution from a small scholarship initiative to a holistic organization supporting economic well-being, trauma-informed care, and community resilience. She also reflects on the role of Marquette students, global citizenship, and why hope is not passive waiting but an intentional commitment to creating a better future.

Learn more about Programa Velasco and ways to support its work at Programa Velasco.

What if war is far less effective than we have been led to believe? In this episode of The Need for Courage, host John Byrne welcomes Dr. David Cochran, professor of politics at Loras College, co-director of the Peace and Justice Minor, and author of The Catholic Case Against War: A Brief Guide.

Drawing from both political science research and Catholic social teaching, Cochran examines the human costs of war, the limits of military power, and the growing movement within the Catholic Church toward a just peace ethic. He reflects on recent developments at the Vatican, his participation in a Rome conference on nonviolence, and what contemporary research reveals about the effectiveness of armed conflict compared to nonviolent alternatives.

The conversation explores just war theory, civilian suffering, international cooperation, the promise of active nonviolence, and the courageous individuals who have challenged cycles of violence around the world. At a time of global conflict and uncertainty, Cochran offers a compelling case for why peacemaking requires not naïveté, but courage, imagination, and a renewed commitment to building a more just and peaceful world.

Learn more about Professor Cochran's work here.

Artificial intelligence is transforming education, work, public policy, and daily life at a breathtaking pace. But how should we discern when these technologies serve humanity and when they threaten human dignity, privacy, and the common good?

In this episode of The Need for Courage, host John Byrne sits down with Michael Zimmer, director of Marquette University's Center for Data, Ethics, and Society, to explore the ethical challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence. Drawing on decades of research in privacy, surveillance, internet ethics, and technology policy, Zimmer discusses why human judgment must remain at the center of decision-making, the importance of cultivating ethical reflection alongside technological innovation, and how Marquette's new Discerning AI Community of Practice seeks to bring Jesuit values to one of the defining issues of our time.

Their conversation explores AI regulation, privacy, data centers, social justice, the enduring influence of media scholar Neil Postman, and the question facing universities, policymakers, and citizens alike: How do we harness powerful new technologies without losing sight of our humanity?

A thoughtful discussion about technology, ethics, and the courage required to navigate an uncertain future.