Elms College Partners with Beacon ABA Services and Evergreen Center

CHICOPEE — Elms College and Beacon ABA Services and the Evergreen Center, a Worcester County organization providing intensive behavioral services to people with developmental disabilities, are entering a partnership that will allow employees with Beacon and other affiliated organizations to pursue degrees at Elms for a reduced cost.

Elms College President Harry Dumay and Bob Littleton, founder and president of Beacon ABA Services and the Evergreen Center, will ratify the partnership with a signing ceremony planned for Monday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. in the Gaylord Mansion Living-Learning Community and Cultural Center at the Elms campus.

Under terms of the partnership, employees of Beacon ABA Services and the Evergreen Center of Milford are eligible for discounted tuition in master’s programs. Beacon ABA Services is based in Milford but operates field offices across the state, including in Chicopee.

The partnership is a natural fit and mutually beneficial. Elms offers a number of in-person, online, or hybrid undergraduate and graduate programs, including a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis. It is also exploring the creation of a doctoral program in applied behavior analysis.

Beacon ABA Services and its affiliates have, for some time, provided opportunities for their employees to further their education, in particular in the area of applied behavior analysis. Also, several senior staff with Beacon ABA Services have specialized knowledge and certifications within the field of applied behavior analysis and are willing to serve as adjunct faculty at Elms.

“I am pleased to say that this partnership represents a bona fide win-win scenario,” Dumay said. “Through this partnership, Beacon ABA and the Evergreen Center employees can further their education and boost their careers by enrolling in Elms classes, and Elms gains by attracting new students from a broader base, as well as by tapping into the professional expertise and experience of Beacon ABA and Evergreen Center senior staff. Elms College, in its nearly 100 years, has placed great value in going beyond our campus to engage in the greater community. This is another example of that philosophy in action.”

Littleton added that “it has long been our desire to train future generations of behavior analysts so that all families with individuals on the autism spectrum will have equal access to science-based treatment. Our partnership with Elms will ensure the achievement of this goal for years to come.”