May 7, 2015 – “Four years ago I came to High Point University as a Psychology major knowing I wanted to work with children with Autism but unsure of how to make this a career. In my junior year at HPU I spoke with Dr. Sarah Vess, chair of the Department of Special Education as we had some of the same interests. After speaking with her I decided to keep my Psychology major but pick up a minor in Special Education. Through the Special Education minor I received hands on experience such as getting trained in the HELPs Reading Fluency Intervention and writing IEPs and lesson plans, learning about all types of disabilities, experience writing behavior intervention plans and techniques to help problem behaviors. Not only did the Special Education minor accompany my Psychology courses but it also lead me to the career I have today. Last summer I interviewed for a Behavior Technician position at The Integrated Learning Academy Newton in Massachusetts where I administered 1:1 Applied Behavior Analysis to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I had never felt so prepared for an interview thanks to the Special Education department at HPU. I fell in love with being an ABA instructor and recently accepted a job as a Behavior Therapist at Little Star Center in Carmel Indiana.
I highly recommend this special education minor to anyone majoring in, but not limited to, psychology looking to work with children or adults with disabilities, exercise science who want to go into occupational or physical therapy, and to those majoring in non-profit. This minor truly compliments all of these majors!”
-Amanda Uminsky, Special Education Minor, Class of 2015
