Amalia Herencia
Amalia Herencia Grillo is currently finishing a PhD in Intercultural Education at the university of Sevilla, Spain. She holds a degree in English and another in Fine Arts, and a Masters degree in Education and another in School Management.
She has been a Resident Director for Academic Programs International (API) in Barcelona for eight years and in Spanish Studies Abroad (CC-CS) in Seville for four years. She has also worked as an educational consultant for the University of Barcelona, Development Coordinator for Morocco Exchange and teacher.
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Back in November 2000, I started working in a Study Abroad program in Barcelona, almost by chance. Did I have any experience with foreign students? No. Did I know much about the USA culture? Just a little. Was I aware of these students’ needs? Only those my common sense provided…
With the support and trust of that program, my colleagues and through the experience I gained day after day, I started learning the essentials of Study Abroad and knew more about what my students needed, expected and could achieve during their time in our country. As it happens to the big majority of my colleagues, anecdotes could make up a few books… But all together conformed a good amount of skills that I would have loved to have from the very first day.
In 2014 I decided to take a break from the professional activity and devote time to learn more about the theoretical part of this amazing world. Through this study, I became more aware of what had been in my head since the beginning: faculty and professionals involved in International Education need to acquire some basic knowledge before starting working in this field. Students go over a bridge on a big culture gap, and faculty and staff need to support this bridge with their own skills. Afterwards experience would mean a plus, but without those skills, the students’ way is slow, confusing and frequently frustrating, both for the student and the educator.
Despite, as I said, having arrived here by chance, I’m passionate about this world and all of the opportunities it offers. The main reward is see our students learn and grow as individuals, how they become conscious not only about the “other” culture but also about themselves, and how this awareness will be with them in the future.
Teachers
Reyes Aguilar García de Pesquera
Born in Sevilla, Reyes has had an international vocation since she can remember. She holds a Degree in Humanities by the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Sevilla, with an specialization in teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language.
Over the last 12 years, Reyes has worked as the Head of Studies for a Spanish school in Spain and has lead dozens of groups of foreign students while teaching Spanish. She loves to travel and is an excellent communicator. She always has a smile and a fun fact for her students and goes beyond her duties in every trip she enrolls. Reyes as extensively travelled to the USA and Europe and speaks fluent English and Italian.
Eduardo García Jiménez
Eduardo is a tenured professor at the University of Seville since 1984. He holds a PhD in Education and is the coordinator of International Relations of the Evaluation and Accreditation Department (DEVA), responsible for the accreditation of higher university degrees in Andalusia.
He has participated in over twenty educational innovation projects in higher education an written several publications (books and articles) on teaching methodology and on appraisal of learning in higher education.
He has been evaluated twice as an excellent professor by the University of Seville, after being evaluated by his students.
Ángeles Rodríguez Marañón
Ángeles thinks of herself as someone in love with her city, its culture and of course its gastronomy.
After many years involved in events planning for an important hostelry group, she decided to move on and work with an equestrian company and as a professor for catering and restaurant planning for College students.
She is passionate about sharing her passion with her students.
María Ferrera Ledesma
Founder of the Law company Avant-Garde Abogados and CEO of Lemoncrea Events, María has devoted her professional career to the intersection of Law and arts, mainly Intellectual Property and Industrial Property.
She has been a professor for over the last 10 years and is very interested and knowledgeable about everything that concerns the little details of Law applied to everyday life. She holds a multicultural perspective associated to Arts and is an excellent communicator highly valuated by all of her students.
Allen Hoppes
Peace Corps volunteer in Mali ’92-’94, traveller in 40 countries, organizing and leading trips to Morocco since 2005. Owner of I, Like You, Tours, a cross-cultural tour operator.
Originally from Pennsylvania, in addition to having been a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali,thus living and learning in another culture, Allen has travelled extensively & have always sought to get to know local people when he travels. He has been taking US study-abroad students to Morocco since 2005. He has led about 100 trips himself and has organized hundreds of trips to Morocco. The goal of these trips is to go beyond the normal tourist experience and get deeper into the culture. We ask questions and are questioned. Travel is a great teacher and the whole world can be a classroom.
Diana Rubio Calero
Diana holds a PhD in Communication and has a long career in Intercultural Communication and Protocol. Born in Granada, Spain, she has worked internationally as a consultant for different administrators and institutions, and is an expert in intercultural events.
She has worked as a professor of Intercultural Events over the last years and is founder and CEO of Little Etiqueta.
Frank García-Castrillón
Born in Montreal, Canada, but Spanish in essence and currently working and teaching in Sevilla, Frank holds a PhD in Psychology by the University of Sevilla.
Apart from keeping his professional career as a psychologist for over 30 years, Frank is currently teaching at University of La Rioja and different Study Abroad programs in Sevilla such as CIEE and St. John’s University overseas program.
He has always been very close to USA students and in an expert in adaptation issues, culture shock and emotional support and advice for young students. He is also a member of the research group Applied Linguistics and Cross-Culturality at University Pablo de Olavide in Sevilla.
Luis Laplaza Hernández-Franch
A passionate of learning and teaching, the history of Luis is deeply rooted into International and Intercultural Education.
With a major in Modern History and a Masters Degree in Spanish and Latin America Language and literature, Luis has been working with USA students for over 30 years. First as a resident Director for ISA and API, and now as professor for foreign students at the University of Sevilla.
From gastronomy to Art History to politics, Luis has a very broad knowledge of the Spanish culture and is eager to share it with students and take them beyond the traditional learning environments.
Adrián Yánez Romero
An enthusiastic and knowledgeable historian, Adrián has brought his passion to students as a professor since 2008. He is an expert in Andalusian art history having earned bachelor’s degrees in Art History and Journalism and a M.A. in “Andalusian Artistic Heritage and its Impact in Latin America” from the University of Seville. Dedicated to local history and culture, Adrián has managed a variety of local cultural projects and currently serves as the Director of the Association of Cultural Heritage Managers of Andalusia
Contact
Amalia Herencia Grillo
Phone: (+34) 670 445 406
Email: amalia@intercultural-school.org