Matthew Newquist
- La Crosse, Wis.
- Bachelor of arts in psychology, with a behavior analysis emphasis
- What's next: Graduate school in behavioral psychology at the University of Kansas
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UW-Eau Claire photo by Rick Mickelson |
Matt Newquist took advantage of numerous opportunities offered by the psychology department while working toward his degree at UW-Eau Claire. He served as a student academic apprentice for several professors and gave lectures in a few classes. He worked on research projects with peers and faculty members and is writing a manuscript for publication with associate professor of psychology Kevin Klatt.
But of all the opportunities during his career at UW-Eau Claire, a highlight was the three semesters he spent working with the Campus Autism Program, Newquist said.
CAP brings together UW-Eau Claire psychology students, children with autism or similar pervasive development disorders and their families for an intensive behavioral intervention under the supervision of Klatt, a board certified behavioral analyst. The approximately 20 students who work for the project each semester are required to maintain a high grade-point average and encouraged to pursue a professional career in behavioral psychology.
Working for CAP was both very rewarding and challenging, Newquist said.
"I had the opportunity to learn how to teach skills to children with autism, and in the process I was able to see my hard work pay off," he said.
One child in particular stood out to Newquist: "In my time at CAP, I was able to help teach a child to begin to talk, and that is an experience I will never forget."
The experiences he's had with the UW-Eau Claire psychology department will help him in his immediate future while he works toward his doctorate in behavioral psychology at the University of Kansas. Additionally, his CAP experience has helped him meet some of the requirements for becoming a board certified associate behavioral analyst. He will have met the 500-hour practicum requirement upon graduation.
"Matt takes advantage of as many learning opportunities as he can fit in his schedule," said Klatt, Newquist's mentor and CAP coordinator. "This has resulted in him getting a wide variety of experiences in several areas within psychology."
Newquist urges new students to take advantage of every opportunity available at UW-Eau Claire: "The more experiences you can gain as an undergraduate, the more marketable you will be to a graduate school or a future employer."
More on Matt Newquist
Future plans: This July I will be moving to Lawrence, Kan., to begin graduate school. I will be working toward a Ph.D. in behavioral psychology at the University of Kansas.
Unique aspects of his UW-Eau Claire experience: As a psychology student in the behavior analysis emphasis, I have had the opportunity to conduct research with a couple of faculty members as well as complete an internship at the Campus Autism Program. I am in the process of working on a manuscript for publication with Associate Professor Kevin Klatt, who is the CAP coordinator. Working at CAP has provided me with excellent experience and training in how to use behavioral principles to teach skills to children with autism.
What he liked most about his UW-Eau Claire experience: I enjoyed having the opportunity as an undergraduate to conduct research with professors. I also enjoyed the many professional development opportunities provided by the behavior analysis emphasis, such as presenting research at professional conferences, in-depth student academic apprentice experiences, developing research ideas and presenting in front of classes.
Highlights of life at UW-Eau Claire: While at UW-Eau Claire, I have had the opportunity to be involved in several different research projects that have all been a great experience. I have also had the opportunity to work with several professors as a student academic apprentice. As an SAA I have learned how to help other students learn material without just giving them the answers. Watching people develop the skills to teach themselves is a very rewarding and challenging experience that I really enjoy. Another highlight of my time at UW-Eau Claire was working at CAP. I had the opportunity to learn how to teach skills to children with autism and in the process I was able to see my hard work pay off. In my time at CAP I was able to help teach a child to begin to talk, and that is an experience that I will never forget.
Proudest college accomplishments: My proudest accomplishments while at UW-Eau Claire were developing a research project that I am going to be presenting at a national conference and getting accepted to graduate school. The experience of developing a research project and running it to completion is something that will help me tremendously in graduate school.
Advice for incoming students: My general advice would be to take advantage of every opportunity available to you. The more experiences you can gain as an undergraduate, the more marketable you will be to a graduate school or a future employer. Your time at UW-Eau Claire will pass quickly, so make sure to take some time to have fun with friends.
My specific advice would be to take a variety of courses your freshman year and try to find something you are passionate about. Once you have found something you are passionate about, try to find at least one if not a few professors you can work closely with as your mentor(s). From there I suggest finding out what those professors’ research interests are and getting involved in the research they are conducting. As you get more involved in research, try to develop your own research interests and ideas that you can suggest as projects to work on with your mentor. I also suggest that you be an SAA for several of the classes that you liked. Once you have been an SAA a couple of times and you are more familiar with the area that you are passionate about, I suggest that you ask your mentor how you can further develop your skills. For example, you might want to ask about more in-depth SAA experiences. I also suggest seeking out every opportunity you can to speak in front of large groups so that you can practice public speaking. The more you practice, the better you will get. The last piece of advice I have is to beat your professors to school in the morning and be there until after they go home. They have put in their time already; you are just beginning.
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