The Peace Corps Oral History Project: Record Your Journey

In this episode, Jodi is joined by two representatives from the Peace Corps Oral History Project — including Evelyn Ganzglass (Coordinator of the project), and Violet Esipila (fellow Interviewer.)  Also featured is RPCV Olivia Donaldson, PhD, who shares how she tapped into the Oral History project for her multimedia exhibit called Departures: Peace Corps Pandemic Stories. 

Guests discuss why your Peace Corps story is important and needs be recorded within the Oral History Project, how to request an interviewer who can help document your experience, and how to access the treasure trove of previously recorded Peace Corps oral histories.

PODCAST GUESTS:

Evelyn Ganzglass
Evelyn  is a seasoned Workforce Development and Postsecondary Education Professional who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Somalia from 1966-68, first as an English language teacher in an all-girls primary school and, during the second year, as deputy director of the National Museum.

After being interviewed for the RPCV Oral History Archives Project herself, she became a volunteer interviewer and now coordinates  the project.  She is a strong advocate of the project and is thrilled to play a small part in helping individual stories be preserved as a testament to the Peace Corps’ enduring impact. 

Violet Esipila
Violet is a Disaster Recovery Specialist at U.S. Small Business Administration. She’s responsible for responding to variety of clients inquiries, ranging from routine to complex, and providing detailed information to the public regarding President’s Federal Declared Disaster Programs. She served in Peace Corps Ukraine from 2017-2020 as a Community Development and PEPFAR Response Volunteer.

She is an Outreach Volunteer Chair for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of NJ, board member of Peace Corps Oral History Project, and Communications Committee for Black Professionals in International Affairs.  She holds a BA in Sociology from WPUNJ and MPS in Human Resources and Employment Relations from PSU.


Olivia Donaldson, PhD
Olivia is an RPCV (Benin, 2001-03), and a cultural studies researcher/professor turned UX professional. She is skilled at using stories to translate research (interviews, observation, generative research, surveys, competitive audits, literature reviews, focus groups, etc.) into insights that inform accessible and inclusive experiences. She is also author of the multimedia exhibit called Departures: Peace Corps Pandemic Stories, for which she tapped the Peace Corps Oral History Project. 


PODCAST HOST:

Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Jodi Hammer (Ecuador 1994–97), is a job coach and host of the Global Reentry's Jobs with Jodi Podcast. In her role as Global Reentry Career Support Specialist with NPCA, she develops and delivers individual and group programming to foster Global Reentry's mission of providing career and transitional support to RPCVs worldwide. 

Need help with your next career opportunity after service? With the Global Reentry Program, National&