Kinney Autism & Support

Top Reasons to be a Kinney Center SCHOLAR

The Kinney Center is hiring SCHOLARS to work at Camp Kinney this summer. The 2025 Camp Kinney season will take place from June 9-July 31 and it is for sure an amazing experience! Are you still thinking about the reasons why you should be a SCHOLAR? Kinney Center staff, Graduate Assistants, and former SCHOLARS share the benefits of the position.

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by Sean Beers - Kinney Center

The Kinney Center is hiring SCHOLARS to work at Camp Kinney this summer. The 2025 Camp Kinney season will take place from June 9-July 31 and it is for sure an amazing experience! Are you still thinking about the reasons why you should be a SCHOLAR? Kinney Center staff, Graduate Assistants, and former SCHOLARS share the benefits of the position.

  • Jordon Constantino, Graduate Assistant: Being a SCHOLAR gives good practical experience if you are working in psychology or Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). There is a sense of community at the Kinney Center and people enjoy spending time with each other. 
  • Victoria Priest, Assistant Director of Community Outreach: The SCHOLARS position provides students with a way to shape their own path. From leadership positions, professional development and networking, SCHOLARS can take advantage of the opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. 
  • Theresa McFalls, Executive Director: People learn about ways to support the neurodiversity community and also meet new friends.
  • Alli MacNamara, Director of College Support: The SCHOLARS position allows students the opportunity to gain valuable, hands-on experience supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder. SCHOLARS are provided with over 20 hours of training initially, with opportunities for additional training throughout their time at Kinney. 
  • Tate Fryczynski, SCHOLARS Alumni: This position helped me achieve my goal of helping people and working in healthcare. Being on the autism spectrum made me want to give back to the community, and the Kinney Center had a supportive staff and was filled with great people. 
  • Peyton Nelson, SCHOLAR: Being a SCHOLAR is incredibly rewarding as you watch the clients gain more independent skills through your implementation! I enjoy giving back to the community in a way that feels both personal and analytical!

Interested in learning more? The Kinney Center will be holding Information/Open Hiring sessions throughout the semester. You can learn more about the Camp Kinney experience by attending a session. RSVP for a session by visiting the Kinney SCHOLARS page and clicking on "Apply". Watch a video about the Camp Kinney experience here. 

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Kinney Autism & Support

The Journey to Becoming a BCBA

The path to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) can be a long one and requires lots of dedication. Aspiring BCBAs must complete Graduate Level coursework in Behavior Analysis, complete 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork, pass the BCBA exam, and become licensed in the state that they wish to practice in. Later this year, three of our Graduate Assistants will take the final steps in this process and sit for their exam. Clare Peropat '20, '22 (M.S.) started her training when she worked at the Kinney Center as a SCHOLAR and now shares her story as she looks back at her time at the Kinney Center. 

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Kinney Autism & Support

Reasons to Become a Kinney SCHOLAR

From leadership roles to appreciation events, there are many reasons to become a SCHOLAR. Megan Armbruster gives her reasons why she loves her job as a Kinney SCHOLAR! 

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Kinney Autism & Support

Finding and Obtaining Employment for Neurodiverse Individuals

Securing and retaining a job are some of the biggest hurdles facing individuals on the spectrum today; employment rates are estimated to be around 20% (Austin and Pisano, 2017). However, did you know that roughly 81% ASPIRE graduates have secured employment after leaving SJU? Read on for some tips that neurodivergent candidates can employ to obtain employment.