The day before commencement in May, nine students and their family and friends gathered in the Joe Crowley Student Union for a pinning ceremony. The students would be graduating from an undergraduate program in the Department of Psychology accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International. Behavior analysis is a field that seeks to understand why people behave as they do.

The pinning ceremony began with introductory remarks from Professor Ramona Houmanfar, director of the Behavior Analysis graduate program, Associate Dean Sander van der Linden, and Teaching Associate Professor Genevieve DeBernardis.

"Congratulations to each and every one of you,” DeBernardis said, addressing the students. “We celebrate you today and look forward to the impact you will continue to make in the years ahead.”

Following the introductory remarks, each student was pinned by a faculty member, family member or friend of their choice. The cohort’s valedictorian, Zoey Keely-Busboom, gave a speech about how the students were brought together by the program and the opportunities their degree affords each of them. The program ended with celebratory cake.

“These students completed a rigorous training program, one of only four in the world accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International,” DeBernardis said. “These students have completed a major step toward meeting the growing global need for highly trained professionals equipped to deliver behavior analytic services grounded in evidence-based compassionate care.”

The graduates have big plans for careers in the field, with many of them going on to pursue their master’s or doctoral degrees in behavior analysis. Many of the graduates will work with the autistic community, but the career prospects for behavior analysts are wide ranging, from organizational behavior management to addiction treatment.