Alumni Using Skills Learned at Assumption at New England Center for Children 

For years, Assumption University and the New England Center for Children (NECC) have partnered to provide support and education for children with autism and their families. With 34 Assumption alumni currently working across NECC’s multiple programs (and 85 additional alumni have worked for NECC in the past), the partnership provides a unique opportunity for Assumption students and alumni to make a positive impact on our local community.  

NECC, whose headquarters are located in Southborough, is an organization that provides care and services for children with autism through a network of educators, professionals, and researchers. NECC works to help children with autism to live and learn in rewarding and productive ways through a variety of different programs and research. 

Students in Assumption’s Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program have the opportunity to become research fellows at NECC to pursue a Master of Arts in ABA while completing a research thesis. Many students have also had the opportunity to intern at NECC during their time at Assumption. Often, students who have benefitted from this collaboration have been inspired to remain working at NECC after their time at Assumption has ended, emphasizing the strength of the partnership and the call to serve communities in need that both organizations share. 

“My time at Assumption prepared me for my role by giving me the opportunity to start as an intern at NECC during my senior year,” said Amanda Albanesi, a member of the class of 2020, who now works as a residential coordinator at NECC. “I think being an intern has helped me be a better supervisor in a way that I can connect and relate to new interns on my team in ways that other supervisors may not be able to.” 

“The number of Assumption alumni who work here…it just shows a great partnership, great connection,” said Jared Bouzan, a member of the class of 1997, who has been Chief Development Officer at NECC since 2016. “So many want to go to Assumption to learn how to work with people who are less fortunate, and their passions for working with them are molded in those four years. It is a privilege and an honor to work in the nonprofit sector.” 

As the parent of a child on the autism spectrum, Bouzan’s passion for working with children with autism is personal. 

“Our children are in need of a lot of support, but so are the families,” Bouzan said. “The child has the diagnosis, but it also affects mothers, fathers, siblings…it’s challenging for the entire family. When you work at an organization like NECC, you serve more than just direct challenges. You want to help support the parents and their close immediate family as well.” 

“I think the number of alumni who have come to work here shows the incredible importance Assumption puts on students to learn, grow, be a part of a community, and support others,” said Bouzan. “It just shows that our alumni really care about the community and really care about supporting others.” 

This article originally appeared in Assumption’s 2022-2023 Community Benefits Report.