Faculty

Sections:

All language classes will be taught by Costa Rican faculty. The Culture and Civilization of Costa Rica class will be team-taught by several members of the College of DuPage faculty and other visiting scholars, as well as by the directors of the program, who are also available to counsel, supervise and assist students.

Director
Dr. Edith Jaco
Edith Jaco is a professor of Spanish at College of DuPage. A native of Arequipa, Peru, she holds a B.A. from the Catholic University in Arequipa, an M.A. from the University of Illinois-Chicago and a Doctorate in Education from the University Garcilaso de la Vega in Lima, Peru. She has taught at Millersville University (PA) and the University of Illinois-Chicago. Jaco has lived in Saudi Arabia, England, Egypt, Israel and Spain, and has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Latin America. She enjoys exploring new cultures and learning languages. Jaco has co-directed the College of DuPage Summer Study Abroad Program in San José, Costa Rica, Siena, Italy, and Madrid, Spain 14 times collectively. In addition to her academic interests, she enjoys music, art, architecture and travel.

Co-Director

Donna Gillespie

Donna Gillespie joined the COD faculty as a Spanish Instructor in 2012. She holds a M.A. in Spanish from Saint Louis University - Madrid Campus, and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Spanish Literature at the University of Florida. She has lived abroad in Greece, Turkey, Venezuela, Mexico and Spain, and has enjoyed traveling throughout Europe and Latin America. Before coming to COD, she taught Spanish for three years as a Graduate Assistant Teacher at the University of Florida and was chosen as the recipient of the 2011 Award for Cooperative Leadership in Teaching by the UF Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies. She studied abroad in her undergraduate and graduate career, and in 2011 was selected to teach for the UF Summer Study Abroad program in Santander, Spain. In addition to her academic interests, she enjoys a variety of music and film, traveling, exploring different cultures and the great outdoors.