Alumni Profiles
Meet our alumni!
Taylor Waddell, Class of ’26
- B.S. in Human Development and Family Relations, SUNY Plattsburgh
- Caseworker, County Department of Social Services
- Master’s Student, Social Work, SUNY Binghamton
“Being an HDFR student not only gave me the knowledge needed for human services, but also the chance to apply those skills in a variety of settings. Between volunteering at a local food shelf, assisting the activities department at a nursing home, and interning with children’s services caseworkers, I graduated feeling both well prepared and even more passionate about human services. I highly recommend this program to others and feel grateful to have gotten such a fulfilling college experience.
“The HDFR program provides an abundance of knowledge in varying areas of human services, hands-on experience through field placements, and a chance to apply that to the real world through the senior internship. This program is a great choice for anyone looking to go into the human services field!”
Safiyah McLean, Class of ’24
- B.S. in Human Development and Family Relations, SUNY Plattsburgh
- Behavior Support Specialist
“As a student in the HDFR department, I graduated feeling well-prepared, especially for all types of fieldwork. I will forever remember my professors; the knowledge and experiences they shared over my four years in the program continue to be extremely helpful.
“Currently, I work full-time as a behavior support specialist with children ages 0–21. I manage a caseload of 12–14 clients and provide in-home counseling. We develop treatment plans and meet with clients at least weekly for six months, to help them reach their goals. Everything I learned as a student has been invaluable in my work as a graduate.