My experience at Nisonger as a GRA and student was the foundation of my entire professional life. My work with Barb Edmonson was incredible and introduced me to the world of individuals with disabilities who lived in institutional settings. Our research and programatic interventions transformed the lives of individuals who were living on a locked unit with few options for socialization. I will never forget when we brought 8 individuals to Nisonger to film our socialization groups. They all had behavioral challenges and had never been to the university! We were nervous that individuals would have difficulty coping with the studio and filming but they were all so happy to be there.and performed brilliantly. I sincerely appreciate the many special people who contributed to my amazing experiences including Dr. Leland, Bill Loadman, Dave Hammer and many other staff and students.