MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Spring 2008
Spring 2008 marks the completion of TBI's twelfth
year, and my fifth year as TBI Director. I am
very pleased with TBI's progress, thanks to
the efforts of its hard-working staff, students, grantees,
and other supporters. I especialy want to recognize and
thank our departing seniors: Analisa Franklin, Ruth
Gómez, Lorie Lopez, Carla Meyers, and Elise Vaughan.
Over the last five years, TBI and its staff have
organized over 100 conferences and events, worked
with more than 20 USD student workers and interns,
and provided over $200,000 in grant support to projects
on various border related topics. Throughout this
period, many of these TBI activities would not have
been possible without financial contributions from The
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Tinker
Foundation, Bank of America, the Open Society Justice
Initiative, and other donors.
This year, TBI had several major accomplishments.
In 2007-08, TBI hosted a range of programs on justice
reform, immigration, development, and legal ethics.
Notably, TBI's efforts contributed to the development
of the scholarly and public consensus on Mexico's
recently approved justice sector reform package. TBI's
April 21, 2008 conference on Justice in Mexico: Evaluating
National and Local Initiatives provided an important
opportunity to bring together leading scholars working
on this topic in Mexico and the United States.
Relatedly, TBI also organized a series of forums in
Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Nuevo León,
and Zacatecas on justice reform. In addition, as
Director I represented TBI in meeting with U.S.
Ambassador to Mexico, Tony Garza, and at conferences
and forums in Washington, D.C., Mexico City, Dallas,
Montreal, and Madrid.
This was also a year of transition for TBI due to its
integration into the new Joan B. Kroc School of Peace
Studies. TBI also began two important new initiatives
this year: conducting a micro-credit study with Los
Niños, and participating in a cross-border summer
immersion program with our partners at the Universidad
Iberoamericana in Tijuana. Looking forward to the
next five years, TBI will engage in a serious fund-raising
effort to strengthen and expand its programs and
offerings, and continue its auspicious development.
Sincerely,
David A. Shirk, Ph.D.
Director, Trans-Border Institute
