Tara chose to pursue her undergraduate degree in social work because she wanted to "pay it forward" in a way that helped people and made a difference in their lives. Her ideal world would incorporate social workers into clinical settings for families that utilize applied behavior analysis interventions, more commonly referred to as ABA.

Tara's inspiration comes from work she is currently doing with Bright Behavior Incorporated and Autism Vision of Colorado. She is currently a registered behavioral technician for Bright Behavior Inc. providing direct one-on-one behavioral interventions to teach communication, social, and daily living skills to children on the Autism spectrum. She has also stepped up to advocate for policy change to help families access resources. Tara sits on the board for Autism Vision of Colorado, a non­profit organization that seeks to educate the community and create a safe place for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. Her focus is on providing resources to families while simultaneously building their support system.

Academically, Tara is just as motivated. She received her associate degree in psychology before working for a few years. When she returned to school, she did so part-time. Tara took on a full course load after being awarded a Kane Scholarship. Kane Scholarships are only awarded to top-performing students that hold a 3.5 GPA or higher and show consistent, long-term extracurricular involvement. Tara helped create the Delta Kappa Phi chapter of the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society and currently holds the secretary and treasurer positions.

Tara will be pursuing her Master of Social Work in the fall of 2024 as an advanced standing student. She feels honored to be awarded as the "BSW Student of the Year" for the fall 2023 graduating class and says that it feels as though the small, intentional steps she has taken over the last several years have finally paid off. Her advice to fellow students:

"Bring your vulnerability to the table, don't be afraid to ask for help and use campus resources."