Headline
IV Leader Staff, Mar 15, 2007
IVCC students will be able to study in Costa Rica or
Australia this summer as a part of IVCC’s Study Abroad program.
As a part of the Costa Rica trip, students will travel to San
Jose and live with a host family for four weeks while learning Spanish. The
Australia trip includes living in a condo on a beach with three other students
for four weeks while taking a culture of Australia class and a history of
Australia class.
There are also full semester trips during the fall and spring
semesters in Canterbury, England and Salzburg, Austria. Students taking those
trips would stay with a host family and take general education classes as well
as cultural specific classes, such as German for the Austria trip.
“Once you transfer for your third year, study abroad is
difficult to fit in,” said Steve Alvin, director of IVCC’s study abroad program.
“By going now you’re able to fill your gen. ed requirements. That isn’t usually
possible while taking classes for your major.”
Alvin also said that the home stay program has also been very
successful, citing cases of students staying in touch with their host family and
in when case where a student’s host family eventually came to the wedding of a
student.
“I’m getting more students asking about the program every
semester,” said Alvin. He said that they’ve sent six students over the past
year, which is higher than usual.
He said that he hopes the number of students interested
continues to increase. The cost of going is dependant on the program.
The Costa Rica trip costs around $2,900 with all costs
included while the Australia trip costs $2,900 but the airfare is not included.
The semester long trips are more expensive: the Canterbury trip costs $8,000 and
the Salzburg trip costs around $12,000.
“While that’s expensive, programs at four year schools to
England are around $13,000,” said Alvin.
Alvin said that the program is a part of the Illinois
Consortium for International Studies and Programs, and it is celebrating its
20th year. Students interested in the program should contact Steve Alvin at
224-0423, in his office in room D-305, or via e-mail at steve_alvin@ivcc.edu.