Within a few days of beginning an internship at the Thompson Center as a part of her undergraduate degree, Brittany Schmitz knew without a doubt that she wanted to be a behavior analyst.
“I just loved being able to use effective interventions to make a meaningful impact on the individuals we work with, as well as their caregivers,” Schmitz said. “Seeing the changes and growth in the individuals we work with blesses me every single day. Every milestone achieved, no matter how big or small, is something that we celebrate.”
Fast forward just a few years and Schmitz is now a member of the first graduating class from the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) master’s degree program at the University of Missouri.
The program, which began two years ago thanks to financial support from the Thompson Foundation, trains students in evidence-based, science-driven behavior analysis techniques in order to help individuals with a variety of developmental and behavioral disorders, including autism.
Not only do students in the ABA program receive classroom instruction, but they also receive valuable experience working directly with patients at the Thompson Center under the supervision of some of the leading behavior analysis experts in the country.
“I feel like the program really improved my confidence in my clinical skills,” Schmitz said. “It is one thing to understand the concepts and principles on paper, but totally different to apply them to real life situations involving real individuals whom you are there to help. The courses provided me with the knowledge I needed and the practicum provided me with a supportive environment and supervisors to navigate challenging clinical situations.”
The first graduating class included four members, all of whom graduated on schedule and are either already employed or are being aggressively recruited by employers from around the country. As the ABA program begins its third year, it continues to grow. The newest incoming class is double the size of the first class.
“Prospective students have seen the success of, and received good feedback from, our current students, which will help shape our program to meet the needs of future students,” said Dr. Casey Clay, an assistant professor of health psychology who runs the ABA program at Mizzou. “Because we have prepared strong behavior analysts in this first class, the University of Missouri and the Thompson Center now have connections to these students as they go on to be leaders in their careers.”
The graduating students, and their teachers, are confident that they are now well prepared to provide the best possible services to people with autism and other developmental disorders not just here in Missouri, but around the country as well.
“I believe this first class will be excellent,” Clay said. “They have received cutting-edge and top-of-the-field training that will set them apart. They are already working and making improvements to the standard of care of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities in the state of Missouri.”
Now that she has graduated, Schmitz accepted a full-time behavior analyst position at the Thompson Center. She will be able to continue her passion right where it began.
“I am extremely excited and honored to be offered this position at the Thompson Center,” Schmitz said. “I am able to wake up in the morning and actually look forward to going to work. It changed my life in more ways than I am able to describe.”