Bright horizon: Jacquelyn Neuner ’25 always knew she was interested in psychology, but her experience at Saint Mary’s helped her realize behavioral therapy was an ideal fit. Working in the field, she’s set to pursue a PsyD in Clinical Psychology this fall. / Photo by Ethan Watts
In Their Own Words: Behavioral Technician Jacquelyn Neuner ’25 on Finding Purpose and Building a Career
Professors like James Macaulay and SMC’s Career Center helped Neuner find her path to MeBe, a behavioral therapy clinic in San Jose, where she works closely with young children on the autism spectrum. “When one kid succeeds, everyone’s happy,” she says.
In Their Own Words is a series in which we introduce you to the Gaels you need to meet—students, alums, faculty, and staff—and let them tell their stories, in their own words.
Today, we’re highlighting Jacquelyn Neuner ’25, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology last May and immediately stepped into her current role as a behavioral technician at MeBe, a behavioral therapy network with a location in San Jose. As a technician, she works closely with students on the autism spectrum, helping them achieve their developmental milestones. This fall, Neuner will begin a PsyD in Clinical Psychology program at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, deepening her understanding of behavioral therapy and contributing to research in the growing field.
From LA to the Bay
Growing up in Los Angeles, Saint Mary’s wasn’t initially on my radar. But my dad is originally from Lafayette and loved this area, which led him to encourage me to consider SMC. So in 2021, my family and I drove up to take a tour together. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there weren’t many in-person school tour options. Saint Mary’s definitely made an impression by giving us a tour. Nothing beats getting on campus and getting a real feel for what the college is like.
Another, even more pivotal aspect in my coming to SMC was the Student Disability Services, or SDS. I met with someone from SDS before committing to the college to ask about accommodations, and they were so incredibly welcoming. For students who struggle to take tests in a classroom environment, I was encouraged to see the many options SDS offers. Their overwhelming support from the beginning confirmed that Saint Mary’s was the right choice.
Narrowing the Focus and Jumpstarting Her Career
I’ve always been very curious and introspective, which built my interest in psychology early on. I knew, coming into college, that I wanted to major in Psychology, and Saint Mary’s program felt like the perfect fit. I was so excited to learn from all the incredible professors within the program.
During my first year at SMC, I took an Introduction to Psychology class and found that it was a lot of information. I started questioning whether this was truly the path for me. But, as I dove deeper into classes, I started to find my niche. Family Psychology was a pivotal class for me in deciding what I wanted to focus on. James Macaulay, who is now an associate professor, was incredibly engaging and supportive, and his class piqued my interest in therapy.
During my final year at SMC, I was browsing LinkedIn for behavioral technician jobs, when I saw an opening at the MeBe campus in San Jose. I knew I wanted to stay in the Bay Area, so it felt like a good option. I decided to go to the Career Center for help with my application, and they played a pivotal role in helping me get the job. From helping me reformat my résumé to conducting mock interviews, the Career Center offered me so many resources.
After a few rounds of interviews, MeBe ultimately hired me three months in advance. That worked out well for me, because I was able to wrap up my studies and graduate with a job waiting for me after college.
“I decided to go to the Career Center for help with my application, and they played a pivotal role in helping me get the job...I was able to wrap up my studies and graduate with a job waiting for me after college.”
Celebrating Successes
As a behavior technician, I work closely with young children on the autism spectrum. My supervisor conducts the assessments and creates the treatment plan, while I work hands-on with two kids with very different abilities and skill sets, implementing strategies to help them reach their developmental milestones. Throughout my sessions with the students, I collect data on their behavior and how well they perform on certain tasks. Then I collaborate with my supervisor to see the next steps towards meeting their goals.
I’ve been at this job for almost a year now, and every day there is something to look forward to. Just last week, one of my nonverbal students made incredible progress. We’ve been teaching him sign language and focusing on getting him to advocate for himself by signing “my turn.” It has been a struggle for many months with little progress, but it finally clicked for him, and he signed my turn completely independently. Everyone was so excited for him.
It was heartwarming to see all the staff celebrate one kid’s accomplishment. The culture is really amazing to be a part of. When one kid succeeds, everyone’s happy.
Next Steps—and Advice for Graduating Gaels
Looking ahead, my plan is to obtain my PsyD in Clinical Psychology. Starting this fall, I’ll be attending The Wright Institute, which is a psychology graduate school in Berkeley. That vision began to take shape during my last two years at Saint Mary’s as I took higher-level psychology classes. I enjoy working with my clients and seeing their progress and the goals that they reach, but there is a lot more that I want to do.
I want to focus on the therapy and assessment aspects: providing diagnoses for clients, developing individualized treatment plans and staying involved until clients have enough coping skills to be independent. A doctorate in Psychology will open the door for me to do that.
For a student coming into Saint Mary’s, I would say take it slow and have grace for yourself. For me, it was overwhelming when I didn't do well on an exam or didn’t understand the material in a class. I would start to doubt whether this was the right direction for me. But eventually it all clicked, especially when I started working at MeBe and gaining hands-on experience.
You likely don’t know what you want to do until you get out there and start getting experience, so go out there and start looking for any relevant opportunities. Those experiences will help you figure out where you can go next.
(This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.)
Maddy Hunter ’27 is a student writer in the Office of Marketing & Communications. Write her.
