Class of 2011 Graduate, Rachel Kunzen, Now Runs a Successful Photography Business

Since graduating from PA Distance in 2011, Rachel (Chick) Kunzen has been busy growing her photography business and raising her 1-year-old daughter, Jane. Originally from the North Hills area of Pittsburgh, Rachel and her husband, Kevin, currently live in Grove City, PA. Now a full-time business owner and photographer, Rachel values the education and skills she acquired that led her to where she is today: being her own boss while capturing her client’s happiest life moments. 

As the youngest of 8 children, Rachel enrolled at PA Distance when she was in 6th grade after following her older brother, Tim, when he expressed an interest in attending cyber school. 

“My parents told my brother, okay - then you find a cyber school that you like,” she said. “They thought PA Distance sounded good so they enrolled me too.” 

During her 6 years as a PA Distance student, Rachel remembers the relationships she made with her classmates and teachers. 

“I think PA Distance was a really good fit for me and my personality,” she said. “I enjoyed connecting with the other students and had several good friends. I remember having the same sense of comradery and relationships as I did in a brick-and-mortar school.” 

“I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. I actually felt like I had more time for things I wanted to do outside of school work, like getting involved in my local Youth Group,” she added. “I liked having the freedom to plan my day and organize myself so I was successful.” 

After graduating, Rachel wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her career. She earned an associate's degree from Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), wanted to travel, and help people at the same time. So, she left for a mission trip to Africa for 6 months. After getting away for a bit to clear her head, her plans for her future came more into focus when she returned stateside.

Growing up, she was always interested in photography. From taking photos of herself for social media to her brothers and sisters, to “Sunday Dinners'” with her large Italian family, she began honing her camera and editing skills throughout her everyday life. 

“People would see my photos and ask me if I was willing to take photos of their families,” she explained. “Of course, back then, I did it for free or almost nothing and never thought it would go beyond that.” 

So, after getting married in 2014 and while working a part-time job at Sheetz, she started her own business: Rachel Kunzen Photography. 

“One day, I said hey - let’s just try this,” Rachel said. “I had all of the equipment that I needed and knew how to do it, so I took the chance.”

Specializing in wedding and lifestyle photography, Rachel has photographed hundreds of weddings and family sessions throughout the greater Pittsburgh area, including in Ohio and West Virginia. 

“Somehow my big, loud Italian family shaped me into becoming a listener and questioner, curious about people’s stories and their beliefs,” Rachel explained. “ I discovered the value of listening from an early age and I carry this quality with me everywhere, and especially to a wedding day or family session.”

Funny enough, Rachel photographed members of the PA Distance family recently, including middle school social studies teacher, Mrs. Jones. 

“She said she worked at a school called PA Distance, and I said ‘hey I went there!’, so it was a funny coincidence,” she said. 

Now looking back on her experience at PA Distance over 10 years later, she notes that having had the ability to manage her time and flexible schedule helped her prepare for operating her business today.

“I learned valuable skills from having this type of learning environment. I could decide how I wanted to learn, take ownership over it, and it was personalized to me and not the other way around,” Rachel explained. “Even though it was all online, I felt that connecting with teachers and my classmates was easy.”

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