Cristobal Trillo likes to say he came to Joliet Junior College by accident.
The Spaniard had only been in the U.S. for a few years when he came across a JJC ad seeking a world languages instructor to teach both Spanish and French. Since his recent master's degree was in Spanish and French translation and interpretation, it was something Trillo knew he couldn't pass up.
Though he had never heard of the college and had never been to Illinois, Trillo decided to pursue the opportunity.
That was in 1993. Fifteen years later, Trillo is not only a tenured faculty member in the English and World Languages Department at the college, but he is also the head coach of the men's soccer team—an athletics program that he began at JJC in 2002.
"I do my work at JJC willingly and happily," Trillo said. "The students have a lot to do with that—I have great memories of students that I've had over the years."
Trillo's first professional ambition was to work for an international organization as an interpreter, but as he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Granada in Spain and his graduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa, he realized how much he enjoyed the classroom. He also enjoys soccer—a sport that he has played since he was able to walk.
This year, Trillo is bringing another new program to the college: a study abroad program to Tangier, Morocco.
Trillo has a special connection with Tangier--he was born and raised in the city of nearly 700,000, which is nestled in the northern-most tip of the country. Trillo's parents, however, are from Spain. He grew up surrounded by Spanish customs and traditions, which he said allowed him a greater awareness of diverse cultures at a young age.
JJC is the only community college in the state to offer this study abroad opportunity. In addition to its World Languages program, the college offers various study abroad opportunities through the Illinois Consortium for International Studies & Programs (ICISP), including:
Semester Programs: Canterbury, U.K.; Salzburg, Austria; Seville, Spain; Xi'an, China
Summer Programs: Salzburg, Austria; San Jose, Costa Rica; Sydney, Australia; Dijon, France; Tangier, Morocco; Munich, Germany.
"There's a freedom here, a flexibility, that allows me to pursue different ideas," Trillo said. "Having that, you feel appreciated."