Belgian family moved to Salem because of IB program
SALEM – When he was named vice president and plant manager of the Volvo truck plant in Dublin, Belgian nationals Patrick and Ann Collignon decided to move to Salem.
They chose Salem because Salem High School was the closest with an International Baccalaureate diploma program, and they wanted their twins, Maxell and Maxim, to be able to compete globally.
Belgian nationals Maxim Collingnon, next to his father, and his twin, Maxell, and their parents, Patrick and Ann Collingnon, moved to Salem because of the International Baccalaureate diploma program at Salem High School, which Belgian colleges would accept. Photo by Meg Hibbert
“For people that live an international life, IB is a good thing,” Patrick explained. The International Baccalaureate program at Salem High School and others across the United States and different countries is globally recognized as a rigorous program that prepares students for colleges throughout the world. It also gives enough credits for about two years of college for students who excel in the courses in high school.
Originally, the Collignons’ plan was to send their sons back to Belgium to university after a year in the United States, “because in Belgium, college is almost free,” their father said.
Because of his IB courses, after one semester at Radford University, Maxell is already a junior. Maxim is a sophomore.
Their parents changed their minds about sending them home because the family liked Salem and this part of Virginia so much.
“We love it here. It has a good climate and the people are so welcoming,” Ann said.
Maxim agreed: “I am happy in America.”
He is majoring in business management, and says someday he might like to do “The same job as my dad.”
Maxell is a physics major who is considering nuclear physics as a career.
The 18-year-olds found the schedule at Salem High School different from their school in Belgium.
“We don’t have sports after school, said Maxim. IB gave us a lot of work in the evenings.” He also managed to fit in practices and matches for the SHS teams he was on, lacrosse and swimming.
Maxell played tennis and swam, too.
“I think it’s really fun to combine academics and sports,” his brother added.
In September, the family moved to Radford, to cut down on the commute for the men in the family. The twins live at home in Fairlawn, about 10 minutes from the campus, their mother said.
The Collignon brothers graduated in June with the rest of the Class of 2010 at Salem High School, and officially received their IB diplomas and IB medals in a ceremony at SHS on Jan. 7 with the other two who earned a full IB diploma, Meg Beedle and Terae Harris.
It takes several months before the IB headquarters in Wales goes through the extended papers IB students across the world write, and approves their diplomas.
