As most IVCC students pack their bags for summer break, some are preparing their passports.
Through Illinois Valley Community College’s study abroad program, students are trading classrooms in Illinois for cultural immersion thousands of miles away. During the upcoming summer semester, a record six students will travel to Austria, Costa Rica, France, Ireland and Spain.
For students like McKinzie Tarbox, who will be studying abroad in Costa Rica this summer, the opportunity feels especially meaningful.
“As a first-generation student, I didn’t even know studying abroad was an option at first,” she said.
Leading the program is study abroad coordinator Amanda Cook Fesperman, who has seen significant growth in both participation and campus interest. Since taking on the role, she said the program has expanded rapidly, with this summer marking a record number of students traveling abroad — more than were sent in the two decades between 2001 and 2021 combined.
Fesperman said one of the most rewarding aspects of this year’s group is its diversity. The group includes non-traditional and neurodiverse students, as well as individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, something she actively strives to achieve each year.
Her goal, Fesperman said, is to “get as many students studying abroad as possible… so people can experience the world somewhere else, because it does change you.”
Expanding access has been a key priority through classroom visits, informational meetings, and campus outreach. She added that the program’s growth has extended beyond students, with faculty and staff also showing increased interest in participating in traveling abroad.
“I want it to be the norm that people come to IVCC and know they’re getting a global experience here, whether they go abroad or are just sitting in someone’s classroom,” she said.
As interest grows, so do student questions, particularly regarding safety. Fesperman said one of the most common concerns she hears is whether it is safe to travel abroad as an American. While she reassures students that safety is not something to worry about, she encourages them to be mindful of their surroundings.
“They are ambassadors from IVCC,” she said, emphasizing the importance of cultural awareness and respect while abroad.
Beyond logistics, Fesperman stresses the benefits of studying abroad extend beyond the experience itself. Research shows students who study abroad are more likely to complete their degrees, successfully transfer and secure employment after graduation.
“It’s not just about changing your life personally,” she said. “There are real, tangible benefits for people who have studied abroad.”
She also encourages students to study abroad during their time at a community college, noting that it is often more affordable and easier to fit into an academic schedule before coursework becomes more demanding.
At its core, the program is designed to expand students’ understanding of the world. IVCC offers a variety of international opportunities that allow students to explore the cultural, economic, and political relationships between nations while earning academic credit. Through partnerships with the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs, students can study in locations across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, with both semester-long and summer options available.
Despite these opportunities, Fesperman said many students hesitate due to common misconceptions, especially cost. She emphasized that studying abroad is more accessible than students assume, with financial aid, multiple scholarships, and programs such as the Gilman Scholarship helping offset or even fully cover expenses for eligible students.
Other concerns, such as credits not transferring or requiring prior language experience, are also untrue. Courses are coordinated through the college to ensure transferability, and many programs do not require any prior knowledge of a foreign language.
Passion for international education is rooted in her own experience. Growing up in a rural town in Michigan as a first-generation college student, she was inspired after meeting people who had traveled abroad. Determined to pursue a similar path, she left college to teach English as a second language in Prague. Because her family could not financially support the experience, she worked to make it possible, an experience that continues to shape her advocacy today.
Now, she is committed to ensuring students at IVCC, especially those from low-income or first-generation backgrounds, know that these opportunities are within reach.
“Studying abroad opens doors for students that they didn’t know were closed,” Fesperman said. “Those doors are their minds, their experiences, and their understanding of other cultures.”
Tarbox hopes to improve her language skills through immersion rather than memorization. “I really want to get better at Spanish in a real way,” she said. “I want to joke around, tell stories and let people hear my personality in another language.”
She also looks forward to gaining confidence through the experience. “Coming back able to hold a conversation in Spanish and feeling more confident would be a huge win for me,” Tarbox said.
Although she describes the experience as outside of her comfort zone, she remains eager to immerse herself in a new culture and meet new people. Like many students, she views studying abroad as an opportunity for personal growth and meaningful connection.
While students like Tarbox prepare for their journeys, others have already experienced the impact of studying abroad firsthand. For Valerie Valdez, who studied in Spain last summer, the challenges proved transformative.
“It pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way,” Valdez said. “Living in another country made me more aware of my own culture and values. I started to appreciate things I had taken for granted.”
She added that the experience shaped her in lasting ways. “Personally, I became more independent, open-minded, and adaptable.”