Jennifer Gonzalez
Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights (MA) [SIS]
Degrees
American University - School of International Service • Master of Arts: Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights
West Virginia University - Eberly College of Arts and Sciences • Dual Bachelor of Arts: Political Science and International Studies
Favorite Spot on Campus
The Atrium
Bio
Jennifer Gonzalez is a Nicaraguan-American who was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. A first-generation college graduate, she graduated from West Virginia University where she double majored in Political Science and International Studies. Jennifer grew up on her parents’ stories about immigrating to the United States, as teenagers, to seek asylum during the Nicaraguan Revolution of the 1980s. Their bravery and sacrifice are what ignited her passion for service.
During her undergraduate career, Jennifer learned about European Union Institutions by traveling through France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Following that experience, she went on to study abroad in Hong Kong where she learned about the politics and government of the region.
After graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Jennifer joined the Peace Corps as a Secondary School Educator living and working in a rural village in Dedza, Malawi. She taught and improved English literacy among 400 students and implemented Grassroots Soccer, a program focused on HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness.
Following her Peace Corps service, Jennifer joined AmeriCorps VISTA as a VISTA Leader with the Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program, partnering with resettlement agencies, such as the International Rescue Committee, to address barriers to durable self-sufficiency for the refugee population. She implemented programs improving refugee housing and promoting women's empowerment.
After her AmeriCorps VISTA service, Jennifer was awarded a Fulbright grant to Costa Rica as an English Teaching Assistant with proposed research on the Nicaraguan migration/ refugee population in the region. She also conducted activities for 60 students in the ACCESS Micro-Scholarship Program, an international project created by the U.S. Department of State to help teens from economically diverse backgrounds gain educational opportunities.
Since being awarded the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship, Jennifer has gained experience with the U.S. Department of State at the Bureau of Population, Refugees,and Migration (PRM). She supported PRM in providing over $30 million to non-governmental organizations implementing projects for refugees and internally displaced persons in Iraq. She also joined PRM’s panel reviewing the first-ever NGO proposals specifically addressing LGBTQIA+ refugees; carefully read the proposals, contributed to the discussion of proposal merits/challenges, and helped select projects that would best address the needs of vulnerable populations.
Currently, Jennifer is focusing on Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights at American University. As she begins her graduate studies, she aims to apply her knowledge to her career as a Foreign Service Officer. Jennifer’s hobbies include traveling, salsa dancing, and learning new recipes.
