Maximize Opportunities

July 18, 2022

5 Distinctive Factors

There are several factors that make a graduate school applicant distinguishable amongst a pool of candidates. These main factors reflect the competitiveness of a student and the successfulness an individual has in completing a graduate school program. Institutions consider academic records, personal statements, letters of recommendation, research experience and clinical experience. Whilst all factors play important roles in shaping the qualifications and legitimacy of a potential candidate, my main focus is to develop my research and clinical experiences during the summer and upcoming year. It's through my experiences that McNair offers as well as other associations that give me insight to develop my skills and further my involvement and knowledge geared towards the preparation process for graduate school.

Research Experience

During the course of the summer of 2022 I have immersed myself into my summer research work which began my search for opportunities to build my resume and CV. Dedication of time towards developing a comprehensive literature review throughout the course of the summer has been a primary focus. Alongside McNair responsibilities such as presenting research during the research summit and ongoing commitments such as a public presentation, and paper for publication during December of 2022 and May of 2023. My hope is to develop my comprehensive literature review ongoing into the fall semester, working alongside my mentor Dr. Muehlenkamp to develop a structured and well developed review of what is already known and what is yet to be discovered.

Clinical Experience

During my several years of working at the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Chippewa Valley - Lee & Mary Markquart Center I developed skills of working one-on-one with children through ensuring programs, services, and activities that prepared youth ages of 8-18 for success, promoted safety of members and quality in the programs, and provided guidance and role modeling to the youth. It's through such experiences that I learned what working with children and solving problems behaviorally looked like.

In addition to my time at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, I've become a student clinician while working as a family assessment intern where I learned the skills to interview clients and families to see evaluation procedures to address referral concerns, presented results of evaluations and developed recommendations for clients and parents at a multidisciplinary conference and used referral to services, programming, and agencies. It's through this work that gave me skills within the line of work with children and families that provided insight of the skill set to perform well around such behaviors.

An important opportunity I was able to obtain to develop my clinical experience includes a position with Ignite Child Development Services as a Behavior Treatment Therapist. I get the opportunity to work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, work closely with Licensed Professionals (BCBAs, LMFTs, OTs, etc.). I have the opportunity to provide one-on-one behavior therapy with the goal to use behavior therapy to teach clients new skills, decrease challenging behaviors, and improve their every day interactions. I have development opportunities which include Sensory Integration Therapy, Applied Neuroscience interventions, Trauma-informed ABA, Art Therapy interventions, Conscious Discipline strategies, Early Childhood play plans. This is an import opportunity for me as I get to work with different fields as well as work with children one on one and apply the training that I was given to help children and their well-being.