im足足pact im足足pact Feature Story
Advancing
Southern New Hampshire University Advancing
Southern New Hampshire University
Bill William Gillett Gillett
The New Dean the SNHU Welcomes theof New School of Business Dean School of Business
Secondary Michael DeBlasi
Subhead A Life for this of Service story here. Volume Two
Fall 2010 Fall 2010
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Letter from ... SNHU Students President: Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc Editor: Jennifer Hallee Contributors: H attie Bernstein Stephanie Couturier Gail Dexter Kristi Durette Michelle Dunn Gregg Mazzola
Your gift has impacted our SNHU experiences! As proud members of the SNHU student body, we would like to thank you for your generous support of the university. Without the contributions made by alumni, staff, faculty and the surrounding community, students like us would not have the opportunity to further our education. Your gift has made this possible!
Graphic Design: Karen Mayeu Photography: J eremy Earl Mayhew Helena Parrish
SNHU offered each of us a financial aid package that could not
Printing: Printers Square
scholarships that were partially funded by your donation. Over 90
Cover: Bill Gillett, SNHU School of Business Dean
percent of the university’s students receive some type of financial
be turned down. This financial aid was made up of grants and
assistance, and the average financial aid package exceeds $16,000. With your help, SNHU will continue to provide quality education
Impact magazine is published yearly by the
and unlimited opportunities for all of its students.
Office of Institutional Advancement Don Brezinski, Vice President. Changes of address may be sent to alumni@snhu.edu or to the
Office of Institutional Advancement Southern New Hampshire University 2500 North River Road Manchester, NH 03106 Visit us online at snhu.edu for more university news and information about upcoming events.
Again, we’d like to thank you for your continued support and the impact you have made on our educational experiences. We are so fortunate to be a part of the SNHU community, and we look forward to joining the alumni ranks! Sincerely, SNHU Students
Alumni, tell us your story Alumni@snhu.edu. You can now follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or join us on LinkedIn.
Pictured: Student Telefund callers
inside
impact Advancing
Southern New Hampshire University
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Andre Hawaux On Leadership
Campus Update Supporting Our Growth. 10 Alumni News Engaging Alumni. . . . . 11 Student Profile Real Experiences. . . . . 15 President’s Circle Membership. . . . . . . . . 16 Annual Report Letter from the President. . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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William Gillett A Fresh Perspective The New Dean of the School of Business
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Sustaining Ethics Dr. Goldsmith Awarded the Papoutsy Chair in Ethics
Money Matters . . . . . . . 19 How It All Adds Up. . . . 20
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Michael DeBlasi A Life of Service
Andre Hawaux on
Leadership
By Gregg Mazzola
After more than 25 years with PepsiCo, where he rose to chief financial officer for Pepsi-Cola North America, Andre Hawaux is now president of Consumer Foods for ConAgra Foods in Omaha, Neb. Before speaking with a business strategy class on our Manchester campus, Hawaux sat down with Impact to discuss his career, his SNHU education and keeping balance in his life.
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impact on STUDENTS
Tell us about your time at SNHU. What impact did the institution have on you? Andre Hawaux: I was an M.B.A. student at night, so I was typically going through what many people do when they go to school at night. I had a challenging job in Waltham, Mass. I knew going back to school was going to be very important. I wanted to make sure that I could find a program that had a good reputation and that was flexible enough to meet my needs because the week and weekends were pretty hectic, from a work standpoint. When I got into the program, I found that the students were a lot like me. There were people who had day jobs; they were working to further their careers, if you will. They were from all walks of life, largely from Massachusetts and New Hampshire. I found the quality of the students to be pretty good; they were relatively mature — not chronologically, necessarily, but mature in the sense that they had work experience.
So to me it’s just the understanding that you have to have a destination in mind; you have to be fairly focused and pretty brutal about it, too, and make sure you eliminate some of the distractions. And also realize that sometimes there are going to be some roads that you will take that will also provide some perspective as well.
Provide an example of a possible distraction. I’ve had employees tell me that they want to go back for an M.B.A. and they also want to be involved philanthropically with their community, and at the same time are raising two small boys. They’re doing this, that and the other thing. And when I hear that coming from them, my first comment is, “Do you really want to go back and get an M.B.A.?” Because you’re going to have to be relatively singleminded about that pursuit in order to do it with any sort of excellence. I’m not suggesting you can’t have a life and do these things as well; you just have to set your priorities.
We’re all interconnected and I think understanding the broader international implications for students is really important. The faculty was very good. I was taught by many adjuncts, which some people would turn up their noses to, but many of the adjuncts that I found myself working with really had the experience of that space, whatever space they happened to teach. It was actually pretty refreshing to have people who were also fairly mature on that end as well, so they understood where we were coming from relative to workload and course load and also what was relevant to us as we moved forward. It turned out to be a great experience.
What are some of your educational take-aways? Having a destination is important. I think the notion today that you can go out and earn an undergraduate degree and be done with school is archaic. I think you have to become a lifelong learner. Being focused and having strong time management skills are really important. It’s being able to compartmentalize and focus for periods of time to get certain things done. It’s also important to know that it’s not always going to be a straight line to that destination. There are going to be times when you take a side road or even potentially go astray.
Can you discuss the importance of earning international work experience in our global environment? We have a country of roughly 300 million people. There are just so many more people that live outside the U.S. If you take a look at a company being exposed to the growth rate that exists in emerging markets such as India and China, there become a wealth of opportunities and experiences from an international business perspective. That doesn’t mean that you have to live abroad. Those experiences can be had through a lot of various ways. One of the ways I try to tell folks is to be more well-read. It sounds fairly trite, but staying on top of global economies is important. Understanding why certain countries are growing the way they are, knowing what some of the problems they’ve had with growth (are), what multinationals are doing, is important. It’s said all the time, but it truly is a global marketplace now, where the Internet and other things have allowed us to resource a lot of our material from overseas; we export products as well. We’re all interconnected and I think understanding the broader international implications for students is really important. Fall 2010
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impact on STUDENTS
What does being president at ConAgra entail? My No. 1 responsibility is to develop the three-year strategy for where we are going to take the consumer business and then to share that with the board of directors to ensure we’ve set the right course of actions. Also, because we’re a publicly held company, we have to have quarterly goals and we have to dial in almost by brand, by manufacturing platform, etc. We then put together annual operating plans and lead people to buy into that vision and, by the way, help draft that vision. We come up with the strategy as a team. I then lay out those guidelines and strategies, empower them, give them the resources to drive that business, and then make sure periodically that we have checks and balances in the system to measure that success. As a leader of an organization of any size, once it gets to be as big as ConAgra or even a midsize company, your job as a leader is to provide some perspective and let your people loose to go ahead and execute a lot of the strategy. One of the things we’re thinking about now is how to continue providing growth opportunities for leaders at ConAgra. So, for instance, we have a leader that has grown and is really doing well in his business; how do we make sure that individual is engaged every day? He or she wants to be the next president of ConAgra foods, but I’m going to be there awhile longer, so how do we motivate them and grow them as leaders in the organization? That’s an area I pay a lot of attention to. I also fulfill a lot of external responsibilities. Believe it or not, there are some regulatory elements that we’re required as a public company to fulfill. Earnings releases, a meeting with Wall Street analysts, etc. I recently attended a food summit at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and I was speaking to alumni and students. Why do we do that? Well, one reason is St. Joseph’s has a food marketing program and we recruit their students. We want ConAgra’s image on campus to be better so we bring ourselves there to not necessarily market ConAgra but to indirectly market ConAgra. 4
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How big a budget do you oversee and how many individuals do you manage? I manage an organization that has an $8 billion budget. I oversee about 15,000 associates in total and have a direct reporting organization under me that’s about 10 people and they manage the other members of the traditional supply chain. I also have a sales organizations and division presidents that run the food groups. I’m also responsible for the IT functions at ConAgra, so we touch the lives of those roughly 15,000 associates. Every day is different, which is what makes it great. I have the privilege because of my position that I get to do things like I did today (speak to students), which you could argue isn’t really working — you’re not doing anything for the shareholders other than building goodwill
What makes it easy, probably first and foremost, is that I don’t think of it as work. for ConAgra which has some intangible benefits that pay off. It’s great work, it’s a lot of fun, but you’re on every day. There are no holidays, there are no weekends; you’re on pretty much every day, thinking about the business, whether it’s reading a paper and taking away some things that you can apply to the business.
Can you give a sense of how you keep your life in balance? What makes it easy, probably first and foremost, is that I don’t think of it as work. I’m not sure I would be a role model for the work lifestyle, but nonetheless, I feel I do a reasonably good job. I don’t get as stressed out as most people, but I think you really have to be passionate about what you do, because then everything else falls into place. So if you like the food industry, which I happen to love, going into a supermarket on weekends to check out other brands is part of my day-to-day work. To me that’s fun, and for some people, that’s not really their deal. But I get to see what people are buying, what the trends are, what new products are out there, and what is capturing consumer’s interests and things like that. So I get to play in a space that is very interesting. n
on STUDENTS
Andre Hawaux:
Mastery.
Keys to Success
Rather than trying to be a generalist right away and trying to know everything, be a master at something.
When I was a CFO I would tell finance people, get your discipline in order, meaning if you’re going to be an accountant,
be the best you can be. Spend the first couple of years really getting that down. So step one is be functionally excellent.
Knowledge. The second piece is to know the industry and know your space. The combination of those two things,
if you’re really good, gets you a seat at the table, so now all of a sudden you’re in where the decisions are being made.
Passion. Too often today I see kids that want to be good at a lot of things but are not really good at anything
because you can’t point to their specialization. They don’t particularly know their space if you push them hard. So
knowing your brands is really important as opposed to making generalizations about things. A former CEO at PepsiCo
once said a point of view is worth 50 IQ points because too often people just sit in the back of the room and don’t say
a thing. I don’t know if they’re really smart or if they’re dumb as a doorknob. Give me a point of view, tell me something. Fall 2010
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William Gillett A Fresh Perspective
By Hattie Bernstein
William Gillett, the new dean of the School of Business, comes to the university as an outsider, something he sees as an advantage. “I don’t have a history or experience with the organization,” he says. “I’m coming from the outside with a completely fresh perspective but also with a steep learning curve. I need to develop my own understanding of my role and the operations of the school with help from the faculty and administration but also on a ‘trust but verify’ basis.” Gillett, whose name rhymes with “Bill it,” moved into the Dean’s office in Webster Hall on June 1st with his sleeves rolled up ready to get to work in the top leadership post in the School of Business, SNHU’s largest and oldest school, given the university’s beginnings almost 70 years ago as a business college. “My role is to enable the faculty to do as great a job as they can, by taking and dealing with the issues of administration and managing the school, so they don’t have to,” Gillett says during an interview at his office on his third day on the job. Gillett started his career as a lawyer, working in private practice, moving to a corporate, in-house
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counsel role and eventually making the transition to executive management. He went to work for a small, private law firm in his native Detroit after graduating from the University of Michigan Law School and spent five years primarily engaged in a series of substantial insurance coverage cases involving the Dow Chemical Company. Success with the Dow case opened the door to an opportunity in New York at Shearman and Sterling, an international law firm where he made the transition into securities, finance, and mergers and acquisitions. At Shearman and Sterling, Gillett was part of a Merger & Acquisitions group that represented heavy hitters like Merrill Lynch and Citigroup, and he was among the attorneys involved when KKR purchased RJR Nabisco, at the time, the largest leveraged buyout in history. He was also involved in the legal aspects of KKR’s acquisition and subsequent public offering of American Re, one of KKR’s early and successful investments in the insurance industry. From New York, the attorney took a position in Seattle with Talegen Holdings, overseeing the legal and regulatory aspects of selling off seven insurance and reinsurance company groups
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and the exit of Talegen’s parent company, Xerox, from the insurance business. “It was a small holding company overseeing a large insurance group and the CEO wanted us all to do things outside our areas. The smaller size allowed us to employ a number of alternative management techniques and working styles as well as letting each of us work outside of our immediate areas of expertise,” Gillett says, crediting Talegen management with preparing him for the position he took with The RiverStone Group, one of the operations that Talegen had created and subsequently sold.
in the direction we all want. We need to establish and promote our unique identity as the School of Business at Southern New Hampshire University”. That shouldn’t be difficult. The new dean compares his role to that of a senior manager in business: the School of Business is the product to be developed,
At RiverStone, first in Chicago and later in New Hampshire, Gillett served first as general counsel with an emphasis on the assessment and structuring of acquisitions of insurance companies and portfolios. “I had primarily a legal role with Talegen, but I became part of the senior management team at RiverStone with broader direct responsibilities for the future of the company,” he says. By the time Gillett moved to London to run the firm’s European operations in the United Kingdom, France, and Sweden, he had left his legal roles completely for an executive leadership role.
We’re all here on the same team,” Gillett says, describing his style as “not overbearing or aggressive but demanding of excellence and honesty.
Altogether, following his ten years in private legal practice and four as in-house counsel, he has spent eleven years in management roles with seven in executive leadership, experience he is already drawing on at SNHU.
“My focus as a manager, because of the nature of the companies I was involved with, is strategic and developmental,” Gillett says. “I bring that same focus to the dean’s office.” The new dean also brings a commitment to collaboration and the belief that work is best accomplished in and success flows from commitment to mutual respect in the organization, fairness and ethical behavior. “There needs to be a shared vision,” he says. “My job is to help people, to coordinate and organize to move us 8
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Christos Papoutsy congratulated and welcomed Bill Gillett.
tested, improved upon, and marketed. “We must also be rigidly focused on serving the students, our ‘customers’, to the best of our ability and in a manner that fully prepares them for the business world and their chosen discipline.” Not surprisingly, a business focus means decisions and initiatives will depend on numbers. “I’m very interested in data, in understanding the numbers and ensuring that they make sense and support our actions,” Gillett says. “I’ll be asking: ‘Why? Show me what you mean and show the support.’” n
impact on the UNIVERSITY
Sustaining
Ethics Dr. Goldsmith Awarded the Papoutsy Chair in Ethics.
Dr. Michele Goldsmith is highly regarded worldwide for her contributions in science, especially in the field of primatology. As a biological anthropologist Goldsmith has been studying gorilla behavior and well-being in Africa since 1991. For her doctoral research she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to examine poorly known populations of western lowland gorillas in the Congo Basin. Later, as a National Geographic researcher, she was the first primatologist to analyze the impacts of ecotourism on mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Always interested in ethical issues surrounding conservation, her most recent publications explore the impacts of habituation (reducing animals’ fear towards humans) for both research and tourism. Goldsmith, whose work has been featured in the media, has published many scientific articles and her edited volume, Gorilla Biology: A Multidisciplinary Approach, published by Cambridge University, is used in universities across the globe. Goldsmith joined the Department of Science at Southern New Hampshire University as an Associate Professor of Science in the fall of 2008. The Papoutsy chair was established in 1999 by Christos and Mary Papoutsy to assist students in learning about and leading ethical professional and personal lives, drawing upon the works of ancient Greek intellectuals whose teachings have shaped the history of Western civilization from antiquity to the present. Mr. Papoutsy partly attributes his successful career in the electronics industry to the education he received at SNHU, where he earned a B.S. degree and later was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Through his keen interest in Greek history and culture, he met his wife, Mary, a classicist by training. Together the Papoutsys encourage the study of classical antiquity and Hellenism, pointing out their lasting impact upon Western development and thought.
SNHU’s educational philosophy challenges students’ intellectual potential and prepares them for professional lives in an everchanging and increasingly interconnected world. It provides Left to Right: Dr. Michele Goldsmith, Mary Papoutsy, Christos Papoutsy, Dr. Patty Lynott, a supportive and close-knit William Gillett and Don Brezinski. learning community, delivering engaging instruction in a flexible variety of formats. Students develop the knowledge to understand a complex world, the skills to act effectively within that world and the wisdom to make good choices. They do so within a community of teachers, staff and peers that is encouraged to add its scholarly, creative and pedagogical contributions to the larger good of the community. n Fall 2010
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impact on CAMPUS
Supporting Our Growth John C. Miles When the new dining center opened in January 2010, there were some very special names on the wall. The John C. and Betty J. Miles Function Room provides a space that can be closed off for private functions or can remain open for students to dine during regular meals. “In naming the room, I wanted to make sure that my late wife Betty, was remembered because, like me, she was always very supportive and proud of my job and the university and its accomplishments.” Dr. Miles retired from Southern New Hampshire University in 2007 after 21 years with the university. In his role as VP for Finance and Operations and CFO, Dr. Miles saw the institution through many periods of growth and expansion. He is a Trustee Emeritus and a member of the Southern New Hampshire University President’s Circle and Founders Society. In addition, the Miles Scholarship Fund has assisted students with scholarships for many years.
The University has been and still is a very important part of my life,” Miles said. “Most of my best friendships were formed at SNHU. 10
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Engaging Alumni
Panelists from the Business Indicators Series, Seacoast, April: (left to right) Christopher Wolfe ’84, MBA, President & CEO, MultiNational Resources, Inc., Susan Losapio, School of Business Faculty, SNHU, Pamela Morrison ’92, BS Finance, Director, SVP & CAO, Optima Bank & Trust, and Tom Proulx ’94, MBA, Vice President & CFO, Proulx Oil & Propane.
The Alumni Association strives to provide relevant programs and opportunities for alumni to connect and engage with each other. Alumni experts and faculty members provide insight into business trends and ideas for professional achievement.
Senior Business Executives — The Business Indicator Series and Independent and Family Owned Business Forum provides alumni executives the opportunity to learn about business trends and best practices. “ In a challenging economy where everyone has a story, it is comforting for business owners, like me, to see that we are not alone. Your panel gave us insights on how they ran, run and will, in the future, navigate their businesses. Their insights provide additional motivational fuel to stay the course in one’s own business. As a business university, SNHU understands that bridging classroom theory to practical application in the marketplace is the ultimate in business knowledge.”
– Richard Lowney ’74 & ’77, BS & MS Computer Information Systems, Owner, CEO, Clearview Software International
AlumNET Night — This program provides networking and professional development opportunities for alumni. “ Participating as a presenter at a SNHU alumni event was an amazing experience! It was a great opportunity for me personally to give back to the school and community. In addition these SNHU networking events are a great way to network with fellow alumni and learn from their experiences. I encourage all alumni to take advantage of great networking opportunities like this, as you never know what you will learn and how these relationships might help you in the future!” – A manda Arria ’08, MS OL, Sr. Talent Acquisition Manager, BAE Systems
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Michael DeBlasi A Life of Service
Graduation Portrait New Hampshire College Torch Yearbook, 1970
When he retires in August after 40 years, Michael DeBlasi, the director of alumni and major gifts, will be leaving a career that has always been more than a job. “SNHU has been my life!!!” he wrote in a resume under the heading of “Previous Work History.” He wasn’t exaggerating. DeBlasi’s current position is his eighth with the university since his graduation in 1970 when the school was New Hampshire College. He spent 22 years in admissions, as counselor, associate director and assistant director. In 1992, DeBlasi made the transition to director of alumni and community relations; in 2005, he became director of alumni and donor relations; and in 2007, he was named director of alumni and major gifts. “My friends tell me I’m a relationship builder,” he says over coffee at a campus café near his office.
“Behind the Scenes” New Hampshire College Enterprise Yearbook, 1984
As director of alumni and major gifts, DeBlasi worked with the university’s Institutional Advancement Division, raising more than $250,000 annually. He managed a donor prospect portfolio of 150 people, created START, Students Today Alumni Relations Tomorrow, developed an Alumni Class Agent Program which had more than 150 alumni volunteers, and coordinated the SNHU President’s Cup Scholarship Golf Tournaments which has raised more than $500,000. The PC Tournament has been renamed the DeBlasi Cup in his honor. DeBlasi first saw the college in 1967 when it was located in several old buildings on Hanover Street in downtown Manchester. “We left Philadelphia at 1 a.m. to drive to New Hampshire for registration, and when we got there, we said, ‘Where’s the college?’ There was a small building with a narrow entryway and my parents asked me, ‘Are you sure you want to stay here?’ I’d come here sight unseen,” DeBlasi says. In his first years in Admissions, DeBlasi understood the importance of building relationships and reaching out. Robert Finlay, now head of R.J. Finlay & Company, says DeBlasi took a chance on him. “I met Mike DeBlasi when he was in admissions at New Hampshire College in 1989,” Finlay says. “I told him, ‘I don’t have the grades, but I promise if you give me a chance, I’ll do well.’” DeBlasi gave Finlay an ultimatum: take three summer courses and get Bs, or you don’t get in. “He tracked me down. He’d be chasing me, asking, ‘How are you doing in class? I owe the world to him,’” Finlay says. “Because I really believe it was because of that opportunity, that chance. There was a person who said, ‘I believe in you.’”
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“
He’s one of those guys that never says ‘no,’ and he will do whatever he can to help you. He has a great sense of humor, and he’s always positive, never down. Beverly Joyce ‘87 -Former Publication Manager, SNHU President and Owner, Joyce Design Solutions
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“The N.H.C. Community: The Admission Office Staff” New Hampshire College Mixing Business With Pleasure Yearbook, 1990
Colleagues and friends say DeBlasi grew with the school. “He’s been all about the individual and that connection,” says Doug Blais, a sport management professor and department head at SNHU. “Because of him, I got involved very early in giving back to the school,” says David Bellman, a 1992 alumnus, who for 30 years has owned and operated Bellman Jewelers, repeatedly voted the region’s best jeweler. Bellman, a longtime supporter of New Hampshire College and SNHU,
He took us around the campus, and it was as if he was showing off his house and talking about his two kids. Bill Tummillo ‘70 -Retired Owner, Bill’s Automotive
”
enrolled at the college 1982, dropped out after two years to start his business, and might not have completed the work for his degree if it wasn’t for DeBlasi. “The reason I finished was Mike. He said, ‘Your diploma is not up on the wall. You gotta get this done,” Bellman said. “He pushed me to finish up and graduate, which I did and it was a thrill.” DeBlasi credits mentors like the late Dorothy Rogers, vice president of institutional advancement, for his success in raising money to support the university. “She was a relationship builder. She made it happen. She had energy and passion,” he says. 14
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In 1992, after Rogers was tapped to organize the institutional advancement office, she went to then-President Richard A. Gustafson to make a pitch for hiring DeBlasi. She was organizing SNHU’s first fundraising campaign, a Diamond Jubilee celebration to mark the school’s 60th anniversary, and she had set a goal of $5 million, to be raised over five years. DeBlasi remembers the visit he made with Rogers to alumnus Michael Brody, a vice president of sales for M.S. Walker, Inc., in Boston. “She had a way of encouraging you,” he says, recalling his hesitation after Rogers suggested that he make “The Ask.” But he couldn’t say no. Neither could Brody. “How much do you want?” the businessman had asked. DeBlasi says that visit taught him two lessons that would guide his career over the next two decades: personal visits are better than a letter or a phone call; and you don’t know until you ask. It is hard to imagine the university without the man who has been its face for four decades. Some say it will be impossible for DeBlasi to walk away from an institution that he has nurtured as if it was his family. And others are certain that the SNHU community won’t let him go. “He’s alumni, They’ll go after him,” says former President Gustafson. “His relationship with the university will continue in a different way. He’s connected forever.” DeBlasi wouldn’t have it any other way. Please help us demonstrate our collective gratitude for all Michael has done for SNHU students and all that his legacy will continue to do by making a special gift to Southern New Hampshire University. The Michael DeBlasi Scholarship, once endowed, will be awarded to an undergraduate student based upon financial need. If you would like to contribute to the scholarship, please contact Institutional Advancement at 603.645.9681 n
impact on the FUTURE
Matthew Morin Real Experiences
By Stephanie Couturier
Matthew Morin has positioned himself for great success as he enters his senior year at Southern New Hampshire University. An accounting and finance major, Morin has kept his nose to the grindstone for the past three years, and has taken advantage of each and every opportunity that came his way. “Everyone’s getting a degree nowadays,” says Morin. “It’s what you do outside the classroom that sets you apart from everyone else.” To set himself apart, Morin is involved on campus as next year’s Student Government President. Morin understood that finding valuable work experience prior to graduation would be a big benefit to his future career. According to the results of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2010 Student Survey, 35-60% of all internships end up being converted into full-time positions. In a tough economy, this additional experience will likely give Morin the edge against his competition after graduation. Morin began his internship at the footwear company, ECCO, then moved to his current stint with Putnam Investments. “Both of these companies really do a great job with our students,” according to Chance Clutter, Assistant Director of the Career Development Center (CDC) at SNHU. “Their training programs provide great structure, support and opportunity for our students to expand upon their classroom knowledge.”
“ It’s what you do outside the classroom that sets you apart from everyone else.” At Putnam, Morin took part in a competition researching a fund and presenting a case on why one should invest in that fund. After the competition with 30 interns, Morin was announced as the winner. Through his hard work, he proved himself to the company, resulting in them asking him to extend his internship through his senior year. Morin’s supervisor, Andrea DeRosa, states that he “takes his role at Putnam very seriously and always maintains the highest ethical standards and professionalism in his day to day interactions.” Clutter adds, “Matt exemplifies that go-getter persona and has maximized the opportunities at each of his internships. Winning the Pitch-Contest, and subsequently, being the Career Center’s Featured Intern of the Month demonstrates what a tremendous person Matt is both at work and on campus.” If you feel your company would benefit from our diverse and eager student population, please do not hesitate to contact the Career Development Center by calling 603.645.9630 with internship and job opportunities. You can also find more information about Matt Morin and the CDC’s Featured Interns on their website: www.snhu.edu/10114.asp. n
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President’s Circle Mission To honor and recognize those alumni, parents and friends who have demonstrated exceptional interest and tangible support for Southern New Hampshire University and a desire to become more closely associated with its mission.
Why I give... “One of the reasons I give back to the university is to help provide students with the same opportunities I had. Without the support of scholarships and other financial aid, I would not have been able to go to a school that fit my personality as well as SNHU did.” Matthew Doggett ’03, ‘06 Financial Analyst, Darling Consulting Group Newburyport, Massachusetts
Privileges of Membership • Recognition: President’s Circle members are individually acknowledged as leading supporters of the university in the Honor Roll of Donors and in mailings during the year. • Invitations: President’s Circle members receive exclusive invitations to special receptions throughout the year. • Involvement: President’s Circle members receive a special newsletter that includes fundraising accomplishments and articles designed to foster a better understanding of today’s Southern New Hampshire University experience.
We invite you to grow with the President’s Circle Your annual gift of $1,000 or more brings you into a community of like-minded donors.
President’s Circle Leadership Levels Quill Society - $50,000 and above Richard Gustafson Associates - $10,000 to $49,999 John Miles Patrons - $5,000 to $9,999 William Green Partners - $2,500 to $4,999 Shapiro Society - $1,000 to $2,499 Note: Graduates of the last decade are invited to join the President’s Circle at the reduced rate of $500.
President Paul J. LeBlanc 16
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“SNHU is a progressive institution with skilled and dedicated instructors, vast resources, and accessibility. The university has equipped me with the tools to advance my career and the instructors and classmates inspired and challenged me to develop academically and professionally. My experience with SNHU has helped develop my leadership and networking skills and enabled me to build long lasting friendships. Contributions to SNHU keep it a top university benefiting current and future alumni. I’m truly grateful for my education and appreciate the ability to give back for the benefit of others.” Laurie Chandler ’89, Trustee Managing Director, CFP Vigilant Capital Management, LLC Portsmouth, N.H.
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Letter from the President
Budget Challenges
and Change
Over the past year we were inundated with stories of colleges and universities wrestling with the impact of the economic crisis. Brandeis University announced major cuts in programs, faculty ranks, and staffing. Purdue announced a major early retirement initiative as it tried to head off an enormous projected deficit in the years ahead. The California public system, once the envy of 49 other states, has been decimated by massive budget cuts and responding with equally massive tuition hikes. Almost every college and university falls into one of the following three revenue models: • (Publics) Tuition Revenue + Taxpayer Support • (Wealthy Privates) Tuition Revenue + Endowment Earnings • ( Tuition Dependent Privates) Tuition Revenue + Non-Traditional Revenues (such as Continuing Education and Online) In a reversal of traditional missions, the tuition dependent privates often have students with lower average family incomes than do the public institutions. We privates often offer more aid. Also, tuition at many publics is not the bargain it was in the past (ex: an out-of-state student will be able to attend SNHU for less money than UNH if the latter’s tuition goes up even modestly next year). Our budget challenge is not a complicated question if you stand far enough back. We must trim costs, be more disciplined about poorly performing programs (especially if they are not core to our mission), push hard to grow where we can, and build in some safety net for an uncertain fall.
Fall 2010
Impact
17
impact on the UNIVERSITY Of course, once we dive into the details the work gets enormously more complicated, painful when the focus turns to personnel, and oftentimes a balancing act and judgment call. Adding to the challenge is that the work runs through multiple time frames:
Davis Foundation serves to illustrate the Committee’s forward thinking. • Online is working on an ever richer model of instructional delivery and building tools that get courses online faster and more effectively than before.
• The short term (we hope!) in which we need to get through the worst economic recession since the 1930s; • The medium term in which we are trying to build capacity, increase program offerings, aggressively expand COCE (College of Online and Continuing Education), and make investments for long term growth; • The long term for which we are trying to reposition the university. Institutions that only frame the challenge in the short term have the luxury of simpler choices, though many of them are being dangerously nearsighted.
I think we have an opportunity to re-invent what an institution like ours can be and not remain bound to old and tired assumptions.
Looking ahead to that long term, someone earlier in the year complained to me that he would give up on his “hope that we would someday become the Bentley or Babson of the North.” It’s not a hope I share for SNHU. I don’t want us to be some paler (or poorer) version of another university. I think we have an opportunity to re-invent what an institution like ours can be and not remain bound to old and tired assumptions. We are a long way from realizing that possibility, but I see the seeds of it in much of the work now underway. Some examples? • The General Education Committee is working hard to develop a General Education Program that goes well beyond the hackneyed “everyone with a flag in the ground” territoriality that, at institution after institution, provides a little bit of everything and little of anything substantial. That it was successful in landing a major grant from the 18
Impact
Fall 2010
• We have retooled our marketing and recruitment to be the equal or better of any for-profit provider and certainly non-profit institutions. The result is the largest student intake in the university’s history for September 2010. • Expanding our well proven three-year program, introducing the Advantage program, and launching new degree programs such as Social Media and Marketing speak to a kind of creativity and willingness to try things that are rare in our competition and largely absent in those schools that some wish we would emulate.
We have a chance to break away from the pack of nonselective, tuition dependent institutions and do something innovative and on our terms. This is a point of necessity, and necessity may indeed be the mother of invention. SNHU has responded to the economic downturn by being innovative and aggressive. While others hunkered down, we opened new buildings, announced new programs, increased our marketing, and improved our operations and our quality. We are coming out of the recession stronger than when we went in.
Paul LeBlanc For a complete listing of Annual Donors please visit http://alumni.snhu.edu/ donors. (password protected, you will be prompted by login screen)
on the UNIVERSITY
Money Matters Statements of Financial Position | Fiscal years ending on June 30, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007. Assets Cash and cash equivalents Short-term investments, at fair value Student accounts and other receivable, net Other assets, net Contributions receivable, net Student loans receivable, net Deposits with trustees Long-term investments, at fair value Property and equipment, net
2010 $609,835 $26,051,892 $3,695,636 $2,778,854 $176,841 $3,785,064 $9,175,538 $28,506,852 $71,041,639
2009 $1,531,658 $23,508,072 $3,345,938 $3,048,017 $210,552 $3,834,613 $17,189,042 $18,449,087 $66,320,959
2008 $2,267,699 $16,889,064 $3,271,077 $2,833,753 $226,496 $3,869,927 $13,593,894 $16,549,248 $52,654,860
$145,822,151
$137,437,938
$112,156,018
$107,730,083
Liabilities and Net Assets Liabilities Accounts payable and accrued expenses $12,501,767 Student deposits and advance payments $12,758,852 Interest Rate Swap $1,142,867 Notes and bonds payable $66,611,597 Refundable advances – U.S. Government grants $3,141,449
$9,841,940 $10,947,800 $81,447 $68,339,002 $3,205,177
$8,747,833 $8,764,699 $0 $57,306,407 $3,279,371
$10,163,367 $6,172,903 $0 $58,798,812 $3,275,900
$96,156,532
$92,415,366
$78,098,310
$78,410,982
$35,671,283 $4,114,362 $9,879,974
$34,354,435 $2,145,694 $8,522,443
$25,779,935 $1,621,418 $6,656,355
$22,361,465 $2,267,578 $4,690,058
Total assets
2007 $2,297,538 $14,706,143 $1,604,269 $3,018,200 $148,238 $3,737,698 $13,688,671 $16,092,678 $52,436,648
Net Assets Unrestricted Temporarily restricted Permanently restricted
Total liabilities
Total net assets
$49,665,619
$45,022,572
$34,057,708
$29,319,101
Total liabilities and net assets
$145,822,151
$137,437,938
$112,156,018
$107,730,083
Financial Position
$160
(in millions)
$140
145.8 137.4
$120 $100
112.2 96.1
107.7
92.4
$80
78.4
78.1
$60
49.7
45.0
$40
34.1
29.3
$20 $0
2010
2009
2008
2007 Fall 2010
Impact
19
impact on the UNIVERSITY
How It All Adds Up Statements of Unrestricted Revenues and Expenses | Fiscal years ending on June 30, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007. Operating Revenues Tuition and fees Residence and dining Less student aid
2010
2009
2008
$98,674,871 $10,264,500 ($20,207,359)
$89,890,935 $10,684,078 ($18,211,471)
$81,103,743 $13,489,545 ($16,329,857)
$74,156,065 $12,356,927 ($14,766,248)
$88,732,012 $1,359,314 $833,413 $1,748,218 $135,301 $379,298 $446,591 $849,996
$82,363,542 $1,440,428 $653,788 $4,201,190 $392,728 $575,740 ($1,044,053) $2,849,973
$78,263,431 $1,992,584 $1,035,448 $2,001,444 $1,223,545 $554,580 ($232,816) $2,029,415
$71,746,744 $1,602,141 $685,623 $2,387,754 $1,267,303 $588,919 $139,829 $1,367,237
Total operating revenues
$94,484,143
$91,433,336
$86,867,631
$79,785,550
Net assets released from restrictions Endowment Spending Total operating revenues and net assets released from restrictions Expenses Instruction Academic support Student services General institutional Auxiliary enterprises
$0 $587,052
($11,541) $587,052
$406,464 $0
$71,029 $0
$95,071,195
$92,008,847
$87,274,095
$719,856,579
$36,441,155 $6,907,939 $14,556,771 $21,697,352 $10,358,445
$35,697,651 $6,754,045 $12,951,819 $17,748,855 $11,758,338
$32,482,585 $6,891,932 $11,636,345 $16,106,778 $14,708,456
$30,336,176 $6,098,674 $11,012,498 $15,397,877 $14,004,888
$89,961,662 $5,109,533
$84,910,708 $7,098,139
$81,826,096 $5,447,999
$76,850,113 $3,006,466
$1,273,778 $49,900 ($1,061,420) $637,216 ($231,472) $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ($1,134,488)
$1,846,299 $33,858 ($81,447) ($1,563,601) ($50,702) $4,594,579 $0 $0 ($923,802) $11,541 $0
$0 $0 $0 ($665,974) $0 $0 ($1,000,000) ($363,555) $0 $0 $0
$0 $0 $0 $861,862 $0 $0 $0 $0 ($336,286) $0 $0
($466,486)
$3,866,725
($2,029,529)
$525,576
$4,643,047
$10,964,864
$3,418,470
$3,532,042
Tuition and fees, net Other auxiliary enterprises Contributions Grants and contracts Long-term investment income Other interest income Gain (loss) on sale of investments Other income
Total operating expenses Increase in unrestricted net assets from operations Nonoperating Contributions for long-term investment Investment Income Net unrealized loss on interest rate swaps Unrealized gains (losses) on investments (Loss) gain on sale of assets Gain on redemption of bonds Settlement expenses Write off of accounts receivable – other Extinguishment of debt Net assets released from restrictions Board Designated Expense Increase (decrease) in unrestricted net assets from nonoperating revenue (expense) 20
Increase in unrestricted net assets Impact
Fall 2010
2007
on the UNIVERSITY Alumni Corporations and Organizations Faculty, Staff, Parents and Friends Foundations
Investment in $581,892 come
din g S p en t n e 52 owm 5 8 7 , 0 d n 1 .8% .9% E $ .4%
fees and 12 ,0 tion Tu i 8 8 , 7 3 2 $
93.4%
93.4%
df f ene sa n a n du i t i o 7 3 2 , 0 1 2 t i o n T , 08182, Tu i 8 8 , 7 3 2 $ $
ees
2008
(in millions) 2009
2010
2010
40 %
$8
4%
Tuition and Fees
2007
2009
Studen t
2008
$14,55 service 6 , 7 7 1 Stusden t $14,55 service 6,771 s
2007
port ic sup dem 9 Aca 6,907,93 $
Studen t $1614%,55 service 6,771 s
12%
port ic sup dem 9 Aca 6,907,93 $
a tion Tu i 8 8 , $
$0
2010
uction Instr 441,155 $36,
$15 $0
2009
16% 8% ort p ic sup % dem 9 8 Aca 6,907,93 $
2008
$15
52
24%
General institutional $21,697,352 24%
24%
General institutional $21,697,352
General institutional $21,697,352
To t a l
2007 $30
rirsiseess nteterprp 55 5588,4,44
16%
To t a l a u x a u x i l i a r y e i l i$ 1 n , t a 3 e r 5 $ 1 , 3 5 y e9n,t3e1 4 r p r i s e 9 r , 3 1 4 prise s s
ses
rises nterp e y r 445 $45ia uxil 10,358, A$30 $
$0
$89,961,662
$60 $45
$15
2010 Expenses 2010 Expenses $89,961,662
8%
To t a l a u x iliar $1,35 y ente 9,31 rpr 4 i
s
71.7
12% 2010 Expenses $89,961,662
12%
uction Instr 441,155 $36,
78.3
Decrease in unrestricted net assets from operations
88.7
es terpris
rises en nterpxiliary 358,445 e y r u ilia 8A,445 $10, Aux $10,35
uction Instr 441,155 $36,
$30
$60
$75
71.7
82.4
$2,581,631 % uction 40 Instr 441,155 $36,
$75
set
$45
82.4
78.3
12%
2009-2010 Constituent Giving and Government Contributions Total:
40 %
$90 $90
28.3
Decrease Decreaseininunrestricted unrestrictednet net 88.7 assets assetsfrom fromoperations operations
Decrease in unrestricted net assets from operations
40 %
i n c o m ee aa n d OO tt hh ee rr i n c o m n d rr ee l e
$60
me and r e $849,9 leased 96 as
71.7 $105 $105
$75
88.7
82.4
% 32.6
ets
Other inco
78.3
Increase Increaseinintotal totaloperating operating revenues revenues2009 2009toto2010 2010
28.3
Decrease in unrestricted net assets from operations
Government Grants and Contracts
rises nterp e y r 4 ilia 8,4 5 Aux $10,35
Increase in total operating revenues 2009 to 2010
28.3
Increase in total operating revenues 2009 to 2010
$1,705,629
ets
tions r i b u 1i3b u t i o n s t n C o 8 3o3n,t4r 4 1 3 $C 33,
93.4%
27.5 3.34
%
2010 Revenues $95,071,195
27.5 3.34
Decrease in net receivable contributions 2009 to 2010
e
.6%
Decrease in net receivable Increase in total operating contributions 2009 toDecrease 2010 in unrestricted revenuesnet 2009 to 2010 assets from operations 20.3
Int
2010 Revenues $95,071,195
Decrease in net receivable contributions 2009 to 2010
3% 32.
e
Other income and re $849,9 leased 96 ass
.6% .4%
Int
.6%
.6%
$876,012
com
.9 $95,071,195 .4%
27.5 28.33.34
t in
.9% $ 5 8 1 , 8 e 92 t Sp 2 n e m 7,05 w o 1 .8% .9% E nd $ 5 8 2010 1 .4% Revenues %
ncom
Increase in total operating revenues 2009 to 2010
14
e s t h e r9i8n c o m e a n d r e income and er O 79,2 rele lea Other s $ 8 e $ 8 49,99 ased a $3 6 ss
ndin g
ets
ome inc st 98 ere 79,2 $3
Decrease Decreaseininnet netreceivable receivable contributions contributions2009 2009toto2010 2010
$90
22%%
din g S p en t n e 52 owm 5 8 7 , 0.6% .4% .6% d n 1 .8% .9% E $ 1 .4% I n v e s t m e n t i
27.5 3.34 28.3
$105
Decrease in net receivable contributions 2009 to 2010 .8%
Investment in $581,892 come
da ss
Int
.9%
4 9e, 9 com 96 t in es 98 er 79,2 $3
me
27.5 3.34
Int e com t in es 98 er 79,2 $3
Grants and c tions u b i $1,748 ontract tr 413 n ,218 s o C 3, G r a n t s$aG8n3rd a nc t s $ 1 , 7 4 8 o n t raancdt c o n t , 2 1$81 , 7 4 s 8,21 racts 8
1
$282,530 $177,929 $285,699 $129,854
Fall 2010
Impact
21
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID MANCHESTER, NH PERMIT NO. 6025
2500 North River Road Manchester, NH 03106-1045 Address Service Requested
“
“
I was the first person in my family to go to college. While I wasn’t a particularly strong student in high school, I found the environment at the then New Hampshire College to be very nurturing and supportive. Today, I am proud to have three degrees from Southern New Hampshire University. Throughout my life, when I have faced challenges and adversity, I have made my way back here and excelled more than I could have expected when I needed to most. My decision to include SNHU in my will is to make sure students like me have the opportunity to be encouraged to achieve success too.” — Shelley Proulx ’83, ’93 & ’96 Vice President for Development, NH Association for the Blind President’s Circle member, Founders Society member
Become involved in Planned Giving! FormoreinformationcontacttheOfficeofInstitutionalAdvancement at603.645.9681orbye-mailatalumni@snhu.edu.
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