Passing Along the Transformative Power of Study Abroad

^{Above: Ashley Pepin, the inaugural recipient of the Heather Hall Memorial Scholarship}

In 2025, beloved Department of Teacher Education instructor, Heather Hall ’97, died in a tragic funicular accident in Lisbon, Portugal, where she had been slated to speak at a conference. Hall, who specialized in literacy and special education, shared her passion for international travel with her students. For her, building cultural understanding began with stepping outside one’s own culture.

Hall practiced what she encouraged her students to do. She studied in England and Scotland, learned French in the south of France, received a Fulbright scholarship to Ghana and conducted study abroad trips to Europe and Central America. Before her passing, Hall was working on plans for student learning experiences in Iceland and Belize.

RELATED: Learn how study abroad shapes alumni careers.

To honor Hall’s dedication to her students’ education and international experiences, friends and family created the Heather Hall Memorial Scholarship. The first recipient, Ashley Pepin, a special education major and dance minor, attended the College’s Reggio Emilia program in Florence, Italy – a program Hall had been planning to lead.

Italian Lessons

Pepin always knew she wanted to work with special needs children in a high-dependency classroom. She also wanted to study abroad, but the demands for education majors made it challenging, that is until she found the Reggio Emilia program.

She enjoyed all aspects of the two-week program, from touring elementary schools in the morning to intensive Italian class in the afternoon.

“I loved seeing how the schools decorated their classrooms solely for the students,” says Pepin. “All the visuals were student eye level and age specific. Seeing the classrooms made me change my perspective on how a classroom should be designed.”

In Italy, special ed students are called special rights students. Like in the U.S., the schools have a sensory room to help students refocus. Pepin liked how the room was completely immersive and how it would change for the seasons.

The amount of time students spend outdoors also impressed Pepin, who hopes to incorporate this practice as a teacher.

“Going outdoors is not just to play,” explains Pepin. “Being outside and learning is always an option. The school’s outdoor area has tables and other resources for teachers.

“I also loved how the curriculum developed based on student interest,” she adds. “When some preschool students asked about how things grow, a room was dedicated to seeds and planting things in glass jars so students could watch the growth from inside the ground up.”

Impact in Perspective

In terms of gaining an understanding of the culture, Pepin found living with a host family to be the most impactful.

“I actually felt I lived in Florence,” says Pepin, whose host family had two teenagers. “I liked seeing what is similar and what is different.

“One thing that I found interesting is how high school is like a mini-college,” she continues. “Students focus on their area of interest and they attend school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. with no break for lunch.”

Pepin enjoyed the slower and more relaxed way of life.

“We would have a three- or four-course meal starting at 9 p.m. every night and would talk for a few hours about our day,” explains Pepin, who loved the connection during these meals. “I don’t know when they slept!”

Tracey Hunter-Doniger, chair of the Department of Teacher Education, accompanied Pepin to Italy and was thrilled with the impact the study abroad experience had on her.

“Ashley formed a meaningful connection with her host family, which deepened her understanding of culture, community and the lived experiences of others,” says Hunter-Doniger. “Beginning the program somewhat timid and reserved, Ashley grew in confidence and developed a deep appreciation for students from a variety of backgrounds and situations, gaining a life-changing perspective that she will carry into her studies and future classroom experiences.”

Pepin returned to the U.S. excited to apply what she learned.

Over the summer she is working at a summer school for special needs students in her hometown of Boston. When she returns to the College, Pepin will continue her work with high-dependency students at the N.E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center.

For certain, Hall would be proud of how much Pepin’s study abroad experience transformed her perspective both personally and professionally.