IVCC student to study abroad in Spain next semester

IVCC student Drew Knipper may already be a seasoned international traveler, but spring will bring him an entirely new adventure. He’ll spend four months studying abroad in Seville, Spain.

He’ll room with a host family near the International College, where he’ll study Spanish language and culture. Seville will continue to be his home base between excursions around the country and to Morocco, just across the Strait of Gibraltar in North Africa.

That’s a trip he’s looking forward to. “I’ll be able to say I’ve been to Africa! I’m intrigued with the culture, which is different from where I’ve been. I loved Europe, and I just want to travel, everywhere!”

Since taking his first international flight at the age of 2, he's been to 11 countries – Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Mexico among them. The family enjoyed immersing itself for weeks in a town or village, “going to the grocery store, going to festivities, the traditional stuff, getting to know the places we went. You can experience more in that way.”

His father is flying over with him to get him settled, and they’ll enjoy a layover in Rome together. Knipper, who is from Princeton, will be back in Illinois in time to graduate with his IVCC class.

Travel “has given me a better appreciation for different cultures and has fueled an enjoyment of culture and history and geography. It’s helped me be thankful for things I do have and that I don’t have. I’m thankful for what I’ve experienced (on his travels), and thankful for things at home that you might not realize, like a nice bed or a soft pillow.”

He enjoys learning new languages, but was attracted to Spanish, the second most spoken in the world – enough to make it his major. Though he’s planning to pursue a law degree and use his language skills in practice, if he veers off that career path he’ll be able to incorporate Spanish in any field. “There are so many different options because I have a second language.”

Seville, Spain's fourth largest city, has a rich Moorish heritage and is filled with architecture and history and a palace -- “and a Star Wars movie was filmed there! It looks pretty cool!”

His previous travel experience has left him calm and confident. “I know enough Spanish to get around and hold a conversation – not a deep one, but I can ask directions!”

Knipper is active on campus as Student Government vice president, a 21st Century Scholar, a member of the Student Success Committee, a student ambassador and a guest on IVCC’s podcast. He’s also active in church and community in his hometown of Princeton.

The trip is made through The Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP). IVCC’s study abroad program is open to students over 18 who will earn college credit on their trip. Illinois Valley students have recently studied in Austria, France and Costa Rica, as well as Spain. Study abroad programs are also offered to England, Ireland and now Ghana, West Africa, and Canada.

Deadline for applications for summer study abroad is Feb. 15. Questions about the program can be directed to International and Multicultural Education Coordinator Amanda Cook Fesperman at 815-224-0203 or Amanda_CookFesperman@ivcc.edu.