Southeast Missouri State University 1873

May 27, 2024

SEOnline: Like Mother Like Daughter

  • Your Best Years

Laura and Sarah share more than just that mother-daughter bond. They share a love for helping others and an online masters degree in applied behavior analysis.

Laura Stroud was working with children in Puxico, Missouri when she heard of a new program being offered at Southeast Missouri State University.

"When I started out, I was working with kids in special education and with kids with disabilities so I really felt drawn to it. And it was the first year they were offering the program. So I went ahead and got my BCBA and worked as a behavior analyst in the school district."

The first cohort of students to graduate with their online master of arts in applied behavior science included Stroud and 12 other online students. She immediately began work as a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst in the Puxico school district. Stroud later took her skills to a local clinic where she now serves as the Clinical Director at Morningstar Bahavioral Associates.

Fast forward a few years and Laura's daughter Sarah showed interest in the same program. Laura says Sarah was exposed to classroom work and working with children early on when she helped her mom in her Puxico classroom.

My undergrad was in professional writing, but I ended up working as a classroom assistant and really loved working with students with disabilities. We encountered a lot of challenging behavior and so I would ask mom lots of questions about how to respond. As I started asking these questions it just lead into pursuing a career in applied behavior analysis.

Sarah Harp

SEMO Alum

Sarah worked through her degree online from her home in Chicago and came back to Cape Girardeau to walk in the commencement ceremony on May 11, 2024. She and her mom say they have no regrets about the career they both chose to pursue.

"I absolutely love what I do. Sometimes its challengeing but it's definitely rewarding to help those who need it."

After graduating, Sarah plans to use her new degree to advance her career within the Chicago Public School system or check out the clinical side of behavior analysis. Laura says she couldn't be more proud of Sarah and that sharing this experience has allowed them to learn and grow together personally and professionally.

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