Returning to Regis College’s curriculum for the Spring 2026 semester was “Music Through Culture and Travel,” a 1-credit course that gives students the opportunity to explore their own cultural identities and learn about world cultures, particularly through music. 

 

In addition to coursework throughout the semester, students spend ample time rehearsing music they will perform as part of the course’s culmination: an education abroad program. 

 

Students traveled to Le Puy and Paris, France as part of the program this spring. The setting provided a unique opportunity for students to connect to the origins of the university by studying the work of the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

 

On May 10, the group of seven students boarded a flight to France. In addition to their rehearsals and performances throughout the program, students were able to soak in the sights.  

 

To kick off the program, students spent a day in Le Puy, a small town in southern France known for its green lentils, being a gateway to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail, and as the place where the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph was found in 1650.  

 

The group climbed the 268 steps carved into volcanic rock to reach the St. Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel, gave a choral performance for the Sisters of Saint Joseph at their retirement home, walked the first five miles of the Camino, and visited the Centre International St. Joseph, a hub for spirituality, reflection, and community. 

 

Regis College students, alumni, and other members of the Regis Community Chorus outside the St. Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel in Le Puy, France, where they traveled as part of an education abroad program.
Regis College students, alumni, and other members of the Regis Community Chorus outside the St. Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel in Le Puy, France, where they traveled as part of an education abroad program.

“Performing in the Sisters of St. Joseph’s kitchen, where they originated, was a very breathtaking experience. Being able to sing Sante Joseph was both humbling and inspiring. It was amazing to see and learn more about the Sisters,” shared Helen Brewer ‘26 in her reflection on Le Puy. 

 

From Le Puy, students traveled by bus to Paris. In addition to seeing the Eiffel Tower, cruising along the Seine, touring the Montmartre and Sacre Coeur, and visiting La Musée de la Musique, the students had the chance to perform for French locals at an iconic venue, the Église de la Madeleine. 

 

Students at La Musée de la Musique in Paris.
Students at La Musée de la Musique in Paris.  

"One memorable thing I learned about performing while on this program is the importance of learning songs in different languages,” one student shared. “When we sang our French-Canadian songs to our French audience at La Madeleine in Paris, it was touching to see some of the French people crying as we sang. I think it is thoughtful we learned songs in French because it helped us as a choir connect to the people in our audience. It is amazing how music can connect people, especially when the French people recognized the songs we were singing.” 

 

Students performed at the Église de la Madeleine in Paris.
Students performed at the Église de la Madeleine in Paris. 

At the core of this global learning experience was the exploration of music's ability to draw people together, even despite differences in language. Students completed reflections at key points of the program, where the topic of connection was a recurring theme.  

 

One student shared that, “Music can connect people even when they do not speak the same language. The emotion, rhythm, and energy of music can still be understood without words, and performing showed me how music can bring people together and bridge cultural and language gaps.” 

 

Regis’ Center for Global Connections has been working to develop and offer global programs that benefit all academic disciplines. For this program, all but one student is studying in the STEM and Health Sciences fields, disciplines that are typically underrepresented in education abroad. 

 

“From my view, the fact that the course enrolls students from across all four schools matters because this enables nuclear medicine, nursing, and biology majors, to name a few in this cohort, access to global learning they wouldn't otherwise experience in their degree program,” said Dr. Megan Gibbons, Director of the Center for Global Connections. “Add the fact that this is our first faculty-led program that has included Le Puy in the itinerary, and you have all the more reason to celebrate the deep dive the students took into Regis history and heritage as they visited the Sisters and their Centre.” 

 

Students who took part in the program included Sofia Piemonte ‘29, Melody Veliz ‘29, Anna Miles ‘27, Shannon Cunniff ‘27, Helen Brewer ‘26, Jennifer Jordan ‘26, and Alice Lawson ‘29 who were joined by Regis alumni and other members of the Regis Community Chorus. The program was led by Professor Dr. Heather Josselyn-Cranson.