Maintaining the Bennington Spirit: Jonathan Pitcher’s 20 Years at Bennington, a feature on Bennington’s Development, Latin American Studies and Ganas
Jonathan Pitcher’s journey did not begin with a clear path to Bennington. Growing up in England, speaking French with his mother and learning Spanish from his friends in Madrid, he went on to study Latin American studies and economics with the hope of becoming an international banker.
Overtime, he disregarded the pressure to find a “real job” and embraced his interest in Spanish and Latin American culture. The various countries he spent time in (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina) spoke to him in a way that the Western world didn’t: political action and theory were remarkably active, fresh and intertwined with everyday life.
In his mid to late twenties, Pitcher received a job at the University of Southern California while earning a master’s at King’s College London long distance. Right before coming to Bennington in 2004, he became the director of the Spanish program at the University of Miami, earning his PhD long distance from the University College London.
After earning his PhD, he sent applications to various respected universities, including Harvard, Penn State, and, Bennington. Although he received many acceptances, Bennington’s Spanish program at the time stood out to Pitcher: There weren’t many professors in the discipline, leading to a lack of consistency for the students to have a multifaceted experience with the Spanish language. The chance to take charge of the Spanish program was an incredible opportunity.
As a result of Pitcher’s dedication, students interested in Spanish are able to take courses not just on grammar and word memorization, but can learn about film from Spanish-speaking countries, math through Argentine text, Latin American art history, and experience co-taught courses with professors in similar or completely different disciplines. The courses Pitcher created for these students empowered them through an unconfined curriculum.
Around ten years ago, two students came to Pitcher themselves to create the Bennington community they envisioned, by inventing Ganas. When discussing the course, Pitcher said, “It is one of the best things I’ve done in my life, not just at Bennington.”
According to the Bennington Fall 2023 curriculum, Ganas is a student-led organization that focuses on engaging with the local Latine migrant work population through various volunteer projects. Services offered are: ESL and Spanish classes, farm visits, interpretation, transportation, radio programs, and social events. Students in the organization may also engage in political protests. The course promotes community action and discussion across cultures.
The course began shortly after Pitcher returned from a trip at the Sonora-Nogales border, as he describes in his publication: “Ganas Goes Legit.” One of the founding students felt as if these trips, whether or not for research and “the greater good”, were based in exotic desires, and the focus should be on the plenty of migrant workers in and around Bennington. From there, Ganas was born, evolving into the 15-20 people course it is today.
Recently, Ganas students have been working on their Vermont court interpreter licenses. The members with these goals help one another with interpretation exercises, advancing their language familiarity and practicing individual interpersonal skills. As the students, and Pitcher, get certified, they continue to provide valuable services to the local Spanish-speaking community.
Jonathan Pitcher’s work embodies the dynamic interdisciplinary and student-led Bennington spirit, melding student’s diverse passions and aspirations through the Spanish program and, of course, Ganas. Without his projects and the student work he has facilitated, the essence of the student-centered, transformational education that Bennington strives to cultivate would have a downright absence over the past twenty years.
This coming fall, Jonathan Pitcher will be teaching: Latin American Art Since Independence and GANAS.
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