The Foster Center for Responsible Leadership at Bonaventure University hosted a conference April 8-9th to “explore the impact on society of our ever-increasing digital world”. Conference participants came from a variety of institutions including Cardinal Stritch U, St. Francis University, Wagner College, Harvard, and Maryville College, among others. Michael Gallagher, the director of the Foster Center planned and organized the conference. Being a Franciscan school, Bonaventure U is among more than 20 Franciscan universities across the US.

BFCGI director Andy Gustafson gave the opening talk on Friday night entitled ““Authentic Human Leadership and the Common Good (in an Age of AI, Zoom Meetings, and Virtual Society)”. He challenged the professors and administrators there to work to help re-establish strong community at their institutions very intentionally in the face of some of the bad habits many of us have probably fallen into during covid. He also challenged people to help students consider how to use social media, AI and big data for the common good and glory of God (AMDG). Gustafson also had opportunity to speak to about 300 students and faculty on Thursday, sharing how he tries to do good while making a profit with his property restoration and rental business in Omaha.