PACS
Alumni
1999, PACS
students pose for a photo.
Alumni
Stories
Jenn
Ungemach, Class of 1998
What
do you do with a peace studies degree if you are a farm girl from Pennsylvania?
If you are Jennifer Ungemach you combine your PACS degree with Spanish
and set off for Central America! When you talk to Jenn you realize immediately
that she has a couple of passions in her life, people and justice. For
Jenn, the two are inseparable and her ability to see the humanity and
needs of others drives her desire to create a more just and equitable
world.
While at Juniata, Jenn studied abroad on two separate occasions, first
in Mexico at the Instituto de Estudios Avanzados de Oriente in Veracruz
and then at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. These
experiences solidified not only her Spanish but her understanding that
the privileges enjoyed by those of us living in the first world are
both unequal and unfair. In her words, they are “distributed in
one gigantic human lottery system. Where you are born determines the
limitations or the opportunities you will see.” Through her work
Jenn “attempts to even the playing field so that all world citizens
share the same rights and opportunities.”
Jenn graduated from Juniata in 1998 and spent the summer after graduation
working as a program assistant on the Quest for Peace project at Quixote
Center in Maryland. At the end of the summer she packed her bags and
headed for Honduras. In Honduras she worked at Nuestros Pequeños
Hermanos, an orphanage that provides a home and family for children
of all ages. During her year in Honduras, Jenn was the English department
coordinator, taught english to the children, and helped take care of
50 children under the age of seven.
Her next move took her to Nicaragua where she worked for Witness for
Peace on their Cuba project. In this work she designed projects to further
understanding within the United States about Cuba and the history of
Cuban/US policy. Towards this end she organized and led eighteen two–week
educational experiences in Cuba aimed specifically at ending the US
trade embargo.
After a two year stint with Witness for Peace Jenn has returned to the
United States and is now living on Boston, still working on Cuba, this
time with OXFAM–AMERICA. She is currently the Program Officer
for Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean with special attention
to Cuba. Her work with Oxfam America involves coordinating their Cuba
projects which include a series of projects in sustainable agriculture/food
security and community development projects.
In all of her work Jenn tries to create change in two ways. Many of
her projects work to build relationships between and among individuals
and groups of people. She has organized tours, work camps, and educational
programs all designed to foster connection and understanding between
people who otherwise would remain distant and different. At another
level she works for change by creating new knowledge and building energy
and support for alternative models of development. Fundamental to both
approaches is an increase in U.S. citizen’s understanding of the
“structures and policies that cause poverty, create hunger, and
increase injustice.”
Chris
Whitman, Class of 1997
I don’t
know if Chris Whitman knew that his Bio I and Bio II classes would come
in handy once he changed his POE to Peace and Conflict Studies. However
this 1997 alum is putting his training in science and peace and conflict
studies in his current work.
After graduating from Juniata with a degree in PACS and International
Politics Chris went on to pursue his Masters from American University
in International Peace and Conflict Resolution. During his graduate
program he honed his skills and knowledge. While at American, Chris
worked with the International Labor Rights Fund investigating human
rights abuses in Burma.
Chris reflects that his Peace and Conflict Studies degree has given
him the ability to understand a broad range of issues and fields, communicate
effectively and write successfully. Having the ability to understand
a broad range of issues comes in handy for Chris as he trains US Military
and State Department personnel in issues of biological and chemical
weapons. Chris is the Program Manager for training at SAIC, Science
Application International Corporation. Through this work Chris has learned
about other perspectives in conflict resolution. The highlight of his
job is meeting interesting people with which he had never expected to
work.
During our interview Chris mentioned several Juniata alums, including
his wife, and others that he remained close to from his time at Juniata.
This is an aspect of life at Juniata that Chris remembers fondly, the
real community that was nurtured and sustained. In conclusion I asked
Chris to indulge a few fun questions, such as any advice he might have
for Juniata students. He suggested that he wish he had studied abroad.
And finally, his dream job would be to someday teach Peace Studies,
watch out Andy…..
If
you're a PACS alumni and you would like to add a story or photo to this
page (or to the Annual Report!), please email Liz
Widman.
Chris
Whitman ’97 is coordinating the establishment of the PACS Affinity
Group. Affinity Groups are ways to connect PACS alumni and people who
were interested in PACS, but finished with another degree, for purposes
of networking or grousing. He welcomes calls from people who want to
help with ideas or just get on the mailing list at 703.715.4920 or emails
to whitmancw@yahoo.com.
If you’re
trying to track down an email for a friend from Juniata, try the JC
Alumni page.
