In 2016, Assumption launched Master of Arts and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) programs in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to meet a growing need for behavior analyst services. In December, the first cohort of six students (five of whom are pictured above) graduated from the program.
“The first graduating class comprises a group of very strong and motivated students who are poised to become excellent behavioral clinicians,” said Karen Lionello-DeNolf, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LABA, director of the ABA programs.
“They have met all of the requirements to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam and become licensed in Massachusetts, which will allow them to meet the increasing need for behavioral services in the Worcester area and beyond. I am excited to see all of the good work they will do to make meaningful improvements in the lives of their clients.”
ABA is the science of learning and behavior used to solve socially significant problems. Assumption’s program gives students the tools needed to effectively create positive and significant changes in the lives of their clients and their families.
Anthea Oikonomou-Savvidis G’18, who finished the M.A. program in December and works as an ABA teacher at the Crossroads School in Marlboro, said her experience at Assumption was “exceptional. It provided me with the appropriate knowledge and skill set needed to provide effective services to meet the needs of my students,” she said, adding that she learned the “techniques and the skills to research and implement effective interventions that enhance the independence” of her students.
Joshua Jenness G’18, who works as a clinician at Community Resources for Justice in Shirley supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, said the coursework and knowledgeable instructors helped make him a more well-rounded clinician, especially the practicum courses. “These courses allowed us to take what we were learning in the classroom and apply it directly to our work in the field,” said Jenness, who finished the M.A. program in December. “It was great to see results in the individuals I was working with, while also learning at the same time.”
In addition to Oikonomou-Savvidis and Jenness, Candice Diaz-Hunter G’18, Maria Kean G’18, and Cynthia Rielley G’18 also completed the M.A. in ABA. Stephen Blaisdell ’11, who graduated from Assumption with a degree in psychology, earned his CAGS in ABA in August. Completing either the M.A. or CAGS program enables these students to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam – a credential that is in great demand among behavior analyst positions – which Blaisdell passed in August. Four students sat for the exam in February, and one will take the test in May.
