McNeese Autism Program

02/04/2026

Due to campus power outage, MAP will be closed today, 2/4/2026.
We apologize for any inconvenience and will reopen on Thursday.

02/01/2026

Going into another fun-filled week at MAP, we wanted to share our amazing time at the Brodeo! We are so grateful for the opportunity to participate each year, and our clients had a blast going through all the stations in the arena!

Thanks to Brody Meaux Memorial Rodeo for having us and to all the volunteers who made the day special for all of the kids. We appreciate it more than you all know! 💙💛

01/27/2026

MAP will be closed Tuesday 1/27/26. Unfortunately, our pipes did not withstand the weather. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing our families tomorrow!

01/26/2026

📢 Attention MAP alumni, community providers, & students!

On February 6, 2026, the Interbehavioral Research Lab (IRL) at McNeese State University will be hosting the first International Congress of Interbehaviorism in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The goal of the Congress is to advance interbehavioral psychology and adjacent fields by sharing and discussing contemporary research, theory, and obstacles.

Everyone is welcome to register for and attend the conference on the first day of the Congress. You can attend in person or online, but seats for both modalities are limited.

Invited speakers include:

• Linda J. Parrott Hayes
• Mitch J. Fryling
• Dermot Barnes-Holmes
• Colin Harte
• Emmanuel Tourinho
• Aecio Borba
• Emily K. Sandoz
• K. Kate Kellum
• Miguel Abdala
• Will Fleming


A 7.5 Learning CEU package for BCBAs is available through our ACE Provider, the McNeese Autism Program (Provider #: OP-15-2540; ACE Coordinator: Taylor DeWoody, MA, BCBA, LBA). At the end of the conference, attendees will be able to (1) understand what interbehaviorism and intebehavioral psychology are, (2) identify contemporary issues in interbehaviorism and interbehavioral psychology, and (3) describe how interbehaviorism and interbehavioral psychology can inform basic research and applied practice. See our Congress page (https://www.ibxrl.com/congress) for more information, registration, and updates.

Feel free to contact IRL Co-Director Will Fleming (wfleming@ibxrl.com) if you have any questions.

01/26/2026

MAP will align with the university and re-open tomorrow, 1/27/2026. We look forward to seeing everyone and hope you all stayed safe and warm!

McNeese campus will return to regular operations on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Classes will resume meeting at their normal time and location, all campus offices will reopen at 7:30 a.m.

01/23/2026

Important note!
In alignment with the university's closure, the McNeese Autism Program will be closed on Monday. We will continue to monitor weather conditions over the weekend, and we will post an update about Tuesday by Monday at the latest! Check back here for any additional information, and please stay safe!

12/02/2025

Giving Tuesday is a wonderful chance to support programs that directly impact SWLA. A small gift to the SWLA Out of the Darkness Walk can help expand su***de prevention education, resources, and healing across our community.

Please support the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention to help save lives and bring hope to those affected by su***de. Donate or register to walk!

11/19/2025

Tonight’s the night! Dine in at Jason’s Deli on Ryan St to support the McNeese Autism Program! You can also order online and use code FUND20.

Thank you in advance for supporting the work our BCBAs, Interns and RBTs do to impact lives. 💛

11/19/2025

MAP November News:
✨ Staff Spotlight: Sofia Melville ✨

💙💛 Sofia’s journey with us began when she was still an undergraduate student, but it didn’t take long for her to prove that her presence at MAP was more than a passing step. In a remarkably short time, she graduated and fully committed to joining the Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis program, choosing our clinic as her clinical home this semester. That decision alone speaks volumes about her dedication to the science and to the families we serve.

What truly sets Sofia apart is the intentionality she brings into every space she enters. She is exceptionally caring, deeply thoughtful, and impressively well-read. Her observational skills are central to competent behavior analytic practice. It shows up in the way she notices the small but meaningful behavioral shifts in our clients, attends to subtle environmental variables, and responds with clinical precision rather than assumption.

But beyond her technical strengths, Sofia is simply a kind person. She chooses her words with care, interacts with both clients and colleagues with respect and humility, and brings an unwavering diligence to everything she touches. Even in high-stress, fast-moving situations (the ones we know all too well in this field), she adapts with grace, flexibility, and a quiet confidence that strengthens the teams around her.

Sofia’s growth has been beautiful to witness. She is perfectly captured in these photos: confident, poised, and aligned with her path. And she is more than perfectly positioned on her route toward genuine professional greatness.

Sofia, we are proud of you. We admire your loyalty, your consistency, and the heart you bring to this work every day. Should you ever need us the way you have so effortlessly shown up for MAP, please know the feeling is mutual, and we are here for you just as fully.

Thank you for being an integral part of our mission, our culture, and our future. 💙💛

11/12/2025

MAP November News:
✨Staff Spotlight: Malik Scott ✨

Let’s shift the focus to someone who has truly grown alongside the McNeese Autism Program—Malik Scott!

Malik has been part of the MAP family ever since he began his undergraduate degree at McNeese, and from day one, he’s been one of the kindest souls you’ll ever meet. His compassion radiates not only through the way he supports our learners during sessions, but also in how he interacts with every single person around him. There’s a calmness and understanding in the way he approaches people that reminds us what it truly means to connect before you correct.

Over the years, Malik has assisted on multiple direct client care teams, contributed to data collection and target development, and even participated in programming meetings—offering thoughtful insight on what he’s observed in sessions. He’s also been an invaluable member of our Super Start Social Skills Team, where his natural empathy and patience have helped create meaningful moments for so many of our learners.

If you ask any of our Behavior Analysts, they’ll tell you the same thing: Malik is a natural. In fact, we have been gently (…while some more aggressively) trying to convince him to join our Applied Behavior Analysis graduate program here at McNeese! However, Malik’s heart is currently set on counseling—and honestly, we can all see why. His ability to listen deeply and create safe, supportive spaces is something truly special.

Still… we can’t help but imagine what a superhero he’d be if he were both a Behavior Analyst and a Counselor—and if anyone could pull that off, it would be Malik!

As he prepares to graduate this December, we’re all feeling that bittersweet mix of pride and disbelief. It’s hard to imagine MAP without him, but we know that wherever life takes him next, he’ll bring the same kindness, intelligence, and dedication that have made him such an integral part of our team.

Malik, thank you for everything you’ve done—for our learners, for your colleagues, and for the energy you’ve brought to MAP. We’re endlessly proud of you and so excited to see all that you’ll accomplish. And hey… we still have a couple of months left to convince you to come to the dark side—er we mean Applied Behavior Analysis (just kidding… mostly).

Here’s to you, Malik—you’re not just good at what you do, you’re great. 💛

11/10/2025

MAP November News:
🍂 Falling for Progress—One Smile at a Time 🍂

This season, our learners reminded us that change can be beautiful—especially when it’s measured in growth. Fall is a time for transformation, and that’s exactly what we celebrate every day at the McNeese Autism Program. Each picture captures not just a moment, but the outcome of countless moments of teaching, learning, and connection.

Behind every joyful laugh and leaf toss, there are carefully crafted behavior-analytic goals being met—skills like attending, imitation, communication, social interaction, and life skills—all embedded naturally through play and positive reinforcement.

We’re grateful to our families for trusting us with these incredible little humans, and to our staff and interns whose compassion and science-based dedication make days like this possible.

Because here at MAP, progress doesn’t just happen—it’s shaped, nurtured, and celebrated. 🍁💛

11/08/2025

✨Ended the Week on a High Note! ✨

The McNeese Autism Program (MAP) had such a wonderful end to the week as we joined Freshman Foundations—a fantastic opportunity to connect with brand-new Psychology majors beginning their academic journey!

Together with our colleagues from the Kay Doré Counseling Clinic (KDCC) and several of our instructors and faculty members, we were able to share insight on the many directions a Psychology degree can take you—from counseling and clinical psychology to the ever-growing field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). We also discussed how thinking about graduate school pathways early on can make a world of difference, and our faculty shared some of their own experiences and advice for success.

At MAP, we were especially excited to highlight that students don’t have to wait until graduate school to gain real-world experience—our program offers undergraduates the opportunity to work directly alongside graduate students and Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). Through supervised, hands-on training with clients, students see firsthand how the science of behavior is applied in a clinical setting to create meaningful, measurable change. For many, this experience helps clarify whether they’re ready to contribute to a field dedicated to understanding and improving human behavior.

A huge thank-you to Dr. Matzenbacher for organizing this event and for inviting us to share both our knowledge and our passion for this field with McNeese’s newest Psychology students.

And speaking of gratitude—a warm thank-you also goes out to Ms. Angela Leonard from Frazar Memorial Library, whose generosity and kindness, alone, will make such a difference for our learners. Ms. Angela donated beautifully illustrated oversized books, a bookshelf, tables, chairs, and even a bright frog-themed rug—all perfect for our Super Start social-skills and language groups.

These large, vibrant books don’t just make story time more engaging—they serve as behavior-analytic teaching tools, helping our learners build foundational pre-verbal and language skills such as receptive identification (learning to recognize and name objects like “hippo,” “anaconda,” or “penguin”)—skills that later evolve into more complex language and concept formation.

Ms. Angela, your thoughtful contributions will bring joy and learning to so many young minds, and we can’t wait to see our learners’ excitement when they discover everything in place on Monday! 💛 (as you ca see the adults are clealry excited for the big books here too)!

We are endlessly grateful for our campus partnerships and the support that allows our program to keep doing what it does best—changing lives through science, compassion, and collaboration.