New Myatt Center Assistant Director Excited to Begin First Semester as a Member of Charger Nation

Meet Jennifer Thorndike-Gonzales, Ph.D., assistant director of the University’s Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion, who grew up in Lima, Peru. A published author and avid reader, she is already enjoying the many opportunities to learn and experience diversity on campus and in her new home state.

The lifeblood of the University of New Haven are the faculty and staff members who dedicate their lives to helping our students reach their goals. Periodically, we’ll introduce you to a member of the staff so you can learn more about them – beyond their day-to-day work.

Next up is Jennifer Thorndike-Gonzales, Ph.D., assistant director of the University’s Myatt Center for Diversity and Inclusion, who was the first member of her family to earn her doctorate.

Renee Chmiel: Where in Peru did you grow up?
Jennifer Thorndike-Gonzales, Ph.D.: I grew up in Lima, the capitol of Peru. It is a big city, colonial and modern, on the coast. We are by the side of the Pacific Ocean. I used to visit Peru yearly but have not returned since the pandemic. I came to the United States eleven years ago to pursue my Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

RC: What do you like best about Connecticut, so far?
JTG: I like the diversity you can see everywhere – listening to different languages, learning about diverse cultures and identities through events or festivals; and finding exciting places to eat. I am a learner, and it is great to meet people from different cultural backgrounds, connect with them, and learn new information daily.

RC: What inspired your interest in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion? How do these topics inspire your writing?
JTG: I was inspired by my desire to work on social justice and to help build a place where everyone feels valued and can access the resources they need to thrive. I am a woman, Latina, queer, first-gen, immigrant, a non-English native speaker, and I know by experience what it is to belong to several underrepresented groups. If I could help my students and colleagues to not go through the bad experiences and replicate the good ones that helped me grow, I would do it.

DEI has been present in my writing since I started being a writer. My books aim to show the injustices we face, especially regarding women-identifying characters from different backgrounds and the intersection of their marginalized identities. My research is also focused on these topics.

RC: What do you like to read?
JTG: I read everything I think I would like. I read the book description, and if it calls my attention, I will read it. I love different authors. My favorites are Luisa Valenzuela, one of the best Latin American authors, and her short stories are majestic; Audre Lorde, because she is a fighter, and she says everything she needs to say straightforward; Thomas Bernhard, a little dense, but so passionate and deep; Margaret Atwood, because I love dystopian literature, and so many more. I also love reading Political Theory: Foucault, Agamben, Mbembe, Arendt, Fanon, Quijano, and so many others.

RC: What were you like as a college student?
JTG: I went to college in Lima, Peru, and in the USA. I did my undergrad at the Instituto Peruano de Publicidad, and graduated with a degree in communications. I did my masters and Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. I was a very dedicated student, very obsessed with deadlines and my responsibilities. Not always healthy, I would say. I graduated with honors in my undergrad and grad programs. In Peru, the university experience is different than here. We don't have all the extracurricular activities that are part of the U.S. college culture, so they were no organizations or sororities to join.

RC: What do you consider to be your greatest professional accomplishment?
JTG: I'm the first in my family to get a Ph.D., and I'm very proud of that. Since I was 14 years old, I have wanted to be a writer. I have published five books that have several different editions. To publish was my dream.

RC: What about the 2022-23 academic year are you most looking forward to?
JTG: I want to know the University of New Haven community and be part of it. If I can help to build and make everyone feel included and valued, that would be a great accomplishment.