ABA Alumni Spotlight - Tyler Morris

Tyler Morris graduated from UWF in August of 2021 and was one of the first alumni members to complete both the undergraduate minor in Behavior Analysis and the Master's degree with ABA coursework. Tyler worked as a graduate assistant at the Center for Behavior Analysis, and as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) while completing her Master’s. She currently works as a BCaBA with children ages 3-21 at the Lakeview Center’s Autism Clinic. 

Tell me about how you discovered the field of ABA and how it led to where you are today?

I was working in retail when I applied for an open position at an ABA clinic. At that point, I only had my high school diploma and no prior knowledge of ABA. I never expected to work with kids, but I really enjoyed what I was doing. My supervisor encouraged me to continue my education. I enrolled in the undergraduate course sequence at UWF and continued through the Master's program. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences with a minor in Behavior Analysis and later earned my Master's in Exceptional Student Education with a Specialization in ABA. 

What does working in the field of ABA mean to you? 

I love being able to teach new skills to individuals so they can live their best life possible. ABA is so versatile and can be applied in so many different fields including working with animals or in law enforcement. I am so interested in all the applications in day-to-day life.

I was originally an occupational therapy major then I was planning to study hippotherapy—using horses for muscular development with those that need muscle support. I hoped to do equine therapy with kids or those dealing with trauma one day. Working in ABA has allowed me to serve and support people.    

What advice would you give to those entering the field who aspire to follow a similar career path?

One of my favorite quotes from B.F. Skinner is, “When you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.” That’s pretty much what I did when I found ABA. Once I discovered behavior and all the different ways you can apply the knowledge, I dropped everything and never looked back. I find myself using it daily and constantly learning new things.