![\"Carola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Pedreschi-With-Bird24.webp\")
<\/a>Animal Lover: Carola Pedreschi hugs a white cockatoo at a farmer\u2019s market in Homestead. PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROLINA PONCE<\/p>\nShe inherited that instinct from her father, Carlos Alberto Pedreschi, who was a respected doctor devoted to treating indigenous and low-income families in the countryside. Her passion for advocacy came from her mother, Brittmarie Janson, who was a sociologist and author.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At 16, Pedreschi moved on her own to Georgia in the United States to attend boarding school.<\/p>\n
She earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology at the University of Georgia and a master of science degree from the University of Central Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In 1986, she started working as a bilingual school psychologist for public schools in Orlando, supporting students\u2019 mental health and their educational placement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Three years later, she moved to Miami, where she had her children, Carolina and Andr\u00e9s Ponce.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Career At MDC\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pedreschi began her journey in academia at North Campus in 1989 as an adjunct psychology professor. She became a full-time faculty member in 2005 and continued there until her retirement in May of 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For nearly four decades, she was dedicated to shaping future psychologists, therapists, nurses and teachers in her classroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her students and colleagues described her as a \u201cstoic\u201d professor with a funny bone.<\/p>\n
Pedreschi regularly taught psychology, social and behavioral science and development psychology courses, some of which she also taught in Spanish for the dual language program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Pedreschi did not like teaching from the traditional textbooks; she curated her classes to include real life lessons with a twist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The professor constantly engaged students in conversations about advocacy, service-learning projects with the Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy (iCED) and the Earth Ethics Institute and presentations at the Miami Book Fair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Above all, she was a humanitarian at heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She also donated to the food pantry at North Campus, introducing students she knew were struggling financially to the services they provided.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At national and international conferences, including Ashoka and UNESCO, Pedreschi advocated for student rights and educational innovation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Changing The World One Student At A Time<\/p>\n
Beyond the lectures, Pedreschi played a motherly role in the lives of her students.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCarola had a keen sense of knowing how and when to show [up] to help,\u201d said science professor Jorge Obeso, her friend for more than 15 years. \u201cShe had that human connection that very few people are born with.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maria Claudia Couyutas met her in 2013 during a difficult time in her life.<\/p>\n
When she was 18, she lived in Miami with her grandmother, while her parents were going through a divorce in Venezuela.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The two instantly bonded after Couyutas joined the psychology club, which Pedreschi advised.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe really became more of a mentor to me than just a professor,\u201d Couyutas said. \u201cSomebody that I felt really believed in me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pedreschi pushed her to become more involved. In 2014, Couyutas participated on one of the yearly service trips the professor led in Panama with a group of students.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group built houses in impoverished rural areas of Panama. For about five days, they also camped outside a local school, building a road to improve access to the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a challenge. But, Couyutas learned many valuable lessons that led her to be a mental health therapist today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t think I would have necessarily achieved the things I have, had I not met her,\u201d Couyutas said.<\/p>\n
A Full Circle Moment<\/p>\n
In retirement, Pedreschi moved back to her hometown to build her own \u2018casita\u2019 in the land she inherited from her family in Volc\u00e1n.<\/p>\n
During that new era of her life, she devoted her days to walking in nature, enjoying the peacefulness of birds singing at sunset.<\/p>\n
She also planned to help improve the lives of underserved families in the area, get involved with the local government and empower young women.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy brother and I are planning on building her house for her,\u201d\u00a0 her daughter said. \u201cI think [it\u2019s] a beautiful way to honor her dream.\u201d<\/p>\n