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Director’s message: Highlights from the past year

Keith Allen, PhD, BCBA-D, director of MMI Academic Affairs

Editor’s note: Keith Allen, PhD, is the director of Munroe-Meyer Institute Academic Affairs.

The Munroe-Meyer Institute annually trains more than 350 students from more than 40 colleges and universities across the country, including all four University of Nebraska campuses. 

Highlights from the past year include:         

  • The annual MMI Student Poster Session, in which 40 students presented their research projects to faculty and staff in the fourth-floor lobby.
    • Outstanding Poster Awards went to students from iCASD, pediatric feeding, physical therapy, psychology and the severe behavior departments.
  • Faculty and staff teaching awards went to:
    • Catalina Rey – UNMC Student Senate – Distinguished Mentor Award
    • Jeena Kouris – Phoenix Staff Educator Award
    • Kerry Miller – Phoenix Faculty Educator Award 
    • Maggie Neujahr – Creighton University Social Work Program – Supervisor of the Year Award
    • Bethany Hansen – UNMC Graduate Faculty Mentor Award
  • Our ABA PhD Program received a No. 1 ranking for accredited programs in applied behavior analysis.
  • MMI Academic Affairs launched a formal mentoring program for junior faculty at MMI to receive support in career and professional development by senior faculty at MMI. More than 50 faculty are participating.
  • The MMI Department of Speech Therapy established a new partnership with the College of Saint Mary’s nursing school for interdisciplinary collaboration with student trainees.
  • The MMI Department of Education received funding for an NU Advance Course, “Introduction to Program Evaluation.”
  • The MMI Department of Occupational Therapy offers one of only nine accredited Fellowship programs for pediatrics in the nation.
  • Our ABA masters program has 100% employment rate for graduates of the program, most of them in Nebraska.