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Welcome To Mansfield Hall
Over a decade ago this project started with the realization that college-capable students were falling through the cracks in higher education due to challenges with executive functioning, social development, self advocacy, and living skills, as well as challenges with isolation and overwhelm.
We set out to build a comprehensive living and learning community designed to celebrate neurodiversity and support non-traditional learners on their journey into college, independence, and healthy interdependence as emerging young adults with the belief that people do well when they can, that a social community built on unconditional positive regard can support students to be and become their best selves, and the belief that inclusion in an immersive and authentic college experience is a rising tide that lifts all ships.
This journey has been nothing short of amazing, and since 2013 Mansfield Hall has grown from a dozen students in rented house in Burlington, VT, into a thriving community which now serves over 150 students each year, spread across the country and into the UK. Mansfield Hall has helped hundreds of students achieve not only their dreams of collegiate success, but has empowered them to become the active and engaged authors of their own life story and participants in, and contributors to, meaningful community.
While The Hall has grown, developed, and continuously improved over the years the things that I am most proud of are the things that have stayed the same: our team’s genuine appreciation of our students, a culture of inclusion and a belief in their abilities, and our value for and participation with the wide range of stakeholders (including parents!) who have helped our students make it this far – and will undoubtably continue their journey with them beyond Mansfield Hall.
We are committed to a student-centered, relationally-based model of coaching support because we know that meaningful growth happens for individuals in the context of a caring and supportive community based on both support and accountability. We do this work in large part because we love getting to know our students. We love the interesting, smart, hilarious, serious, dedicated, earnest young people that make up the heart of our community.
Whether you are a student, a family member, or one of our professional colleagues in the field, Thank You for taking the time to explore our website. I hope your visit here adds to your understanding of who we are, what we do, and how we do it – and I encourage you to reach out to our Admissions Team so that you can continue learning about Mansfield Hall.
Warmly,
Perry LaRoque
President & CEO
Where The Mission Began:
Dr. Perry LaRoque has always viewed education as a community endeavor and his life’s work as a form of social justice reform. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to improving access, opportunity, and understanding for diverse learners — believing that inclusion and belonging are at the heart of meaningful education.
After earning his doctorate in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and serving as both a special education teacher and a college professor, Perry recognized a profound gap in services for students with disabilities once they finished high school — and the lack of meaningful opportunities for college study. Guided by his belief that all students can succeed when given the right opportunity and support, he brought together a small group of dedicated people to launch Mansfield Hall in Burlington, Vermont. The goal was simple yet transformative: to provide students with the opportunity to truly thrive in college.
As the program quickly grew, Mansfield Hall expanded to Madison, Wisconsin, where Perry formally joined forces with his brother, Dr. Sean LaRoque. Together, they built upon the original mission, expanding programs and services to new locations, including Eugene, Oregon, and creating Canopy College Coaching to support students across the country.
A serial entrepreneur and passionate advocate for neurodiverse learners, Perry is the author of Taking Flight: College for Students with Disabilities, Diverse Learners and Their Families. He also co-founded Canopy College Coaching (Mansfield Hall’s sister organization) and developed Tanglio, a mobile-based app designed to support executive functioning, goal setting, task completion, and college success.
Now based in London, UK, Perry continues to expand his mission globally as the Founder of Oak & Ivy Coaching, a London-based academic and executive functioning coaching service, and Advancing Neurodiversity International, a consulting firm dedicated to creating inclusive systems in education and business. He also works closely with Mansfield Hall’s Study Abroad partners, helping students pursue meaningful international experiences while building independence and confidence.
Based near Madison, Wisconsin, Dr. Sean LaRoque earned his doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Arizona and served for over 20 years as a school psychologist before joining Mansfield Hall. A former college professor, Sean created the Pathway to Independence Inventory and remains deeply engaged in research, including a long-term study of adaptive life skills in conjunction with the University of Oregon. He continues to play an integral role in the development of Tanglio and oversees the Pathway to Independence Inventory, which is licensed for use by schools and organizations nationwide.
With the help from countless dedicated professionals, Perry and Sean have built Mansfield Hall into a thriving, mission-driven organization grounded in the belief that every student deserves the chance to pursue higher education, independence, and a meaningful life. Today, that vision continues to be realized through the extraordinary leadership and talented staff who carry the mission forward — embodying the values, innovation, and commitment that defined Mansfield Hall from the very beginning.
Dr. Perry LaRoque
Dr. Sean LaRoque
The semester is over, the summer is starting, and Core Term at Mansfield Hall is just beginning!
What is it?
Core Term rounds out and deepens the college experience by focusing on service learning, internships, social and life skills, friendship and fun and the incredible summer opportunities all our small cities offer to college students.
Students- what are you most excited for?
There are great supports in college—but they only work if you can access them.
That’s where self-advocacy comes in.
It’s a skill. And you can build it.
Visit the link in our bio to learn more 🔗
#SelfAdvocacy #CollegeSuccess #NeurodivergentStudents
Graduation celebration in Madison this week — the theme was Medieval 🏰
Fun fact: We reached out to 10+ falconers in hopes of securing a live bird for the event, but we settled for inflatables since all the live falcons were booked.
Eugene got spring-ready with a repainting of the rocks in our garden area.
Happy Friday, everyone!
Living it up in Mockaritiaville on this fine Friday!
This week our Burlington students wrapped up their finals and bid Spring semester adieu.
Madison students enjoyed mocktails for study hour and learned about `The Art of Gong Fu Cha` or `the art of tea` - which is the practice of traditional Chinese tea pouring.
Students in Eugene celebrated May 4th in style with an incredible cake created by chef Sam.
#collegesupport #executivefunctioning #neurodiversity
“Just communicate your needs.”
Sounds simple… but no one teaches you how.
Self-advocacy isn’t something students magically arrive with- it’s a skill.
And for many college students (especially when everything is new and stressful), it can feel overwhelming to:
• figure out what you need
• say it clearly
• follow up when it matters
If that feels hard, it’s not a personal failure- it’s something you learn with practice and support.
The good news? It can be built!
At Mansfield Hall, we help students develop the tools to understand their needs, speak up with confidence, and navigate college more independently.
Want to learn how to build self-advocacy? Check out our latest blog (link in bio) 🔗
What’s one situation where self-advocacy feels hardest for you?
An incredibly good week all around, with President, Jasmine Lamb and Madison Executive Director, Kirstin Bowes making a guest appearance in Eugene for some quality time with staff and students. Burlington students are soaring towards the end of the semester. And our Madison students are enjoying the finer things in life- good weather, a trip to the museum, and a little open mic maddness.
