Marquez's Peacebuilding Vision Taking Shape

Marquez's Peacebuilding Vision Taking Shape

One year in, KSPS leader's ideas set to launch

Patricia Marquez Thumbnail

Patricia Marquez, PhD, is happy where she is. This month marks the end to Marquez’ first year as dean of the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies (KSPS). An avid proponent of collaboration and multidisciplinary learning, Marquez is bringing a new perspective to the Kroc School and encouraging the incorporation of the San Diego and Tijuana regions into the school’s mission.

 

A USD Opportunity

Originally from Venezuela, Marquez admits that leaving was difficult yet necessary, given the country’s political upheaval.

“I had a great opportunity at USD and it wasn’t just to be a faculty member. To me it was that USD had a new school of peace and justice. That was phenomenal,” said Marquez. “I thought, ‘wow, what a fascinating school that is trying to see how they can do all these things with the goal of producing societies that are more peaceful and socially just.’ I wanted to be part of this.”

For Marquez, the existence of the Kroc School signaled USD’s dedication to both the local and global community. “It showed immediately the commitment USD has to create societies that make more sense for the majority,” Marquez said. “[Societies] where people have access, where people figure out how to solve problems.”

The Experience So Far

Transitioning from being a School of Business Administration faculty member to the Kroc School dean wasn’t a large leap for Marquez. Having served as the director for the Changemaker Hub, the director for the Center for Peace and Commerce, and a strong proponent behind USD’s Social Innovation Challenge, Marquez was used to multidisciplinary approaches to applied peace learning.

For Marquez, one of the greatest achievements from her first year as dean has been the overall sense that the Kroc School is a team of innovators focused on the promotion and perpetuation of peace and justice.

“Even in the same unit, we occupy different positions,” she said. “But now what I see is a strong sense of belonging to an institution; an institution with the ultimate goal of being leaders in peace and justice.”

Next Generation of Peacebuilders

With this in mind, Marquez has big plans for the next generation of peacebuilders, and sees the work being done by the Kroc School as integral to lasting peace.

“Shaping the next generation of peacebuilders and leaders in social change requires a different type of academia, one that is fearless,” said Marquez. “Yes, we play by the rules of the game, but an academia that pushes the frontier of that game.”

For her, innovation, women, youth, and applied peace learning are taking the school further in establishing a more just world. “Innovation in our curricula, in our spaces, innovation in the type of research that we do,” said Marquez. “We are [also] going to offer a new course this fall that involves the Women PeaceMakers. In the past, the Women PeaceMakers came and did all these presentations. Now we are going to create a whole course [around] them.”

Concerning the youth population, Marquez sees opportunity for growth in the WorldLink program and the chance to include high school students in peacebuilding efforts. Along with this, Marquez is seeing the implementation of applied peace learning through the work being done at the Trans-Border Institute (TBI). With opportunities for collaboration between USD students and students in Mexico, Marquez sees the interaction as a win-win, with students learning in action.

The Multiplying Effect

During her first year as dean, Marquez saw the need for connection between the campus and surrounding community. Because of this, she formed the Women of Social Impact group, which is aimed at addressing women’s issues in the San Diego and Tijuana regions.

“What if the Kroc School could be a connector, a source of collaboration and a leader in how to gain knowledge and new tools to be better community advocates?” Marquez said. “So we started inviting the women we knew and we asked them, the multiplying effect, to bring other women.”

For Marquez, it was important for the group to engage women from different backgrounds and regions in order to fully address societal issues within the San Diego and Tijuana communities. “It’s about women for social impact and women have different ages, women have different backgrounds, women have different zip codes,” she said. “These women, no matter where they come from, young or old, dark or light, it doesn’t matter. They are all in the San Diego and Tijuana regions.”

Final Thoughts

For Marquez, the ability to shape a school and academia so that it addresses world conflict and moves toward a more peaceful future, is what makes her excited to come to work. “Every day I come and it’s like, ‘Wow, I’m so fortunate,’” said Marquez. “I have a huge task and are we there? No, but we’re going to be and I’m a part of this. How exciting is that?”

— Allyson Meyer '16