Hello! My name is Kristina Benoit. I am currently a Music Therapy Equivalency Student at the University of Georgia.

This program is located in Pisa and Tirrenia, Italy. This program offers a unique opportunity to engage with internationally recognized scholars who are pioneering advances in early childhood intervention and assessment.

We will get to explore the intersection of music therapy, neuroscience, and early childhood development through both theoretical foundations and hands-on observation.

I'll get the opportunity to study at the Stella Maris Infant Lab for Early-Intervention at the Stella Maris Research Institute in Tirrenia. There, I will get to see current research methodologies in action and observe how innovative early intervention strategies are being developed and implemented.

I'll also get to discover how the University of Pisa has successfully established a comprehensive transdisciplinary model that integrates multiple therapeutic approaches across these institutions.

Throughout this two-week program, I will attend in-person lectures on-site in Pisa, complemented by valuable observational experiences with pediatric therapists working in both the SMILE lab at Stella Maris Hospital and the University of Pisa Hospital. This bridges theory with real-world application.

I am fundraising to cover the costs associated with this incredible educational opportunity, including travel and program fees.