New language professor looks to add culture to IVCC

The newest member of the IVCC faculty is world languages professor Andrew Seeger. He was drawn to teaching foreign language after growing up in a bilingual family.

Aside from spending a few years of his childhood in Oldenburg, Germany, Seeger grew up in southern Wisconsin, a small town that is “nestled between Madison, Milwaukee, and Rockford.” His father taught German and after retiring moved the family to Germany to teach English.

The immersion in German culture made Seeger appreciate and fall in love with foreign language and different cultures. The newfound fondness motivated him to study Spanish when he reached high school. In addition to Spanish and German, he studied some French, Italian, Russian, and Chinese.

From an early age, Seeger knew he wanted to become a college professor. Teaching was somewhat of a “family tradition.” He was inspired to pursue education because his “parents, siblings, and various aunts and uncles all are or were involved
in teaching.”

He obtained his bachelor of arts from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., then his Master’s at UW-Milwaukee in Wisconsin, and he received his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He has previously taught at Western Illinois University, UW-Madison, and Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., as well as a few years at Auburn University in Montgomery, Ala.

Before graduate school, he taught at a high school to gain teaching experience. In addition to teaching beginning to advanced levels of German and Spanish, he has taught Film and English Literature courses.

When asked why he chose IVCC, he said he was seeking a full-time position in the Midwest, close to the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, or Madison. He wanted to teach both Spanish and German, and other courses. The position at IVCC allows
him to teach those courses.

He says, “I also look forward to increasing course offerings and enrollments in World Languages at IVCC.”

As a self-proclaimed geek, Seeger mentions his clothing as a testament to his interest in attending concerts and other events. He is also fan of tennis, gaming, reading, and traveling.

Seeger replaces a faculty member who retired.