Experiential Learning Opportunities
Under the guidance of Dr. Turko, professor and director of the Spectrum Education Center I have received training and education as an autism studies minor. Dr. Turko teaches the Intro to Autism as well as the Intro to Developmental disabilities courses which provided a foundation of understanding. However, her 40-hour Registered Behavior Technician class was very important in preparing me for the RBT certification exam. After successfully passing the exam, I earned the credential of "Registered Behavior Technician". This achievement led to an internship at an ABA therapy clinic in Canton, OH. At the clinic I completed my semester internship, but have continued to work at the clinic for about a year and a half and counting.
Changing Majors
I initially chose Mount Union for its engineering program because my older brother attended UMU, and his positive experience influenced my decision. He emphasized how he enjoyed Mount's proximity to home and the tight-knit community it offered. However after some time, I realized my true passion was elsewhere. I ultimately landed on Neuroscience as it felt like a good fit for someone like me who wanted to implement hands-on work with patients. Neuroscience allows me to have a psychological AND biological understanding of functions and behaviors, which will help me foster more effective and insightful treatments to my future patients.