By Seona Summer
Two IVCC students will be attending classes this spring at Canterbury Christ Church College in Canterbury, England.
Freshman Mark Meyer of Ottawa and sophomore Jo Zulkowsky of Princeton will leave for England Jan. 4 and return April 8 with 12 credit hours earned through the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs.
Zulkowsky said she has had an interest in going to Canterbury since she read the "Canterbury Tales" in high school.
"When I saw the information about the program, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to go," she said. "It offers me an opportunity to continue my college education while also getting another education and learning about another country’s culture."
A total of 32 Illinois students and instructors will be participating in the ICISP program in Canterbury during the spring semester.
Meyer and Zulkowsky will be required to take a course on modern Britain and to choose between a survey of British history or a survey of British literature. They will choose the other two courses to take. Each class will meet for a three-hour session once a week for 12 weeks.
Zulkowsky said the cost for the semester is about $5,600, which includes airfare, tuition, books, and room and board with a local family. Requirements to qualify for the program are a minimum of 2.75 gpa and a C in English 101.
Political science instructor Joe Mikyska, who taught in Canterbury in 1994, described the program as "a wonderful opportunity for students."
Mikyska, who served as IVCC’s campus representative for the program for several years, said the junior college years are the perfect time for study abroad since students aren’t locked into degree programs yet.
"I wish more students would take advantage of it (program)," he said.
Mikyska estimated that 15 to 20 IVCC students have participated since IVCC became a charter member of ICISIP in 1987. The program is based at Illinois State University.
When the program was first offered, students studied in London. Mikyska said the program was moved to Canterbury because some parents had safety concerns. Canterbury, a town of about 36,000, is a little more than an hour from London. Enrollment at the college is about 7,500.
History instructor Steve Alvin is the current campus representative for ICISP and can provide more information about the program.
Alvin said he hopes to spend a semester teaching in Canterbury.