Psychology Major Attends Best Buddies National Leadership Conference

GMercyU’s Best Buddies Club Chapter President and Psychology major Angel McHugh ’25 attended the 2025 Best Buddies Leadership Conference at Indiana University last weekend.

The conference, themed “Wickedly Inclusive,” hosted 2,200 other attendees from chapters and communities around the world. Angel attended breakout sessions and met other inclusion leaders, both local and international.

Angel also got to meet Tanner Smith, a fan favorite from the hit Netflix series, Love on the Spectrum.

“As a Psychology student pursuing a career in the special needs community, this conference has given me the opportunity to make incredible professional connections and learn so much about supporting and advocating for the special needs community,” said Angel, who graduates this December.

“I am looking forward to coming home with ideas and information to share with GMercyU’s Best Buddies Chapter, our campus as a whole, and the other communities I am a part of as a part-time behavior therapist and staff member at a special needs non-profit,” Angel said.

For more than year, Angel has worked as a part-time behavior therapist at KW Behavioral Consulting in Newtown, Pa. She is also currently in training to earn her Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification.

Angel also volunteers as a staff member for Athletes Helping Athletes (AHA) of Richboro, Pa., which connects local athletes with special needs with mainstream student-athletes in a spirit of friendship for their mutual benefit, inspiration, and respect.

“Specifically, I cover AHA's website and social media management, as well as photograph events. I have been volunteering with them since 2017 as a high school buddy and was asked to join the staff in 2023,” said Angel. " My hope is that AHA, at some capacity, will always be a part of my future career.”

About Best Buddies

Best Buddies is an international non-profit organization that established a global volunteer movement creating opportunities for 1:1 friendship, integrated employment leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

GMercyU's Best Buddies' chapter was founded in 1996 and helps break down barriers and creates connection for people with and without disabilities.