Take a walk through history as we celebrate 90 years as an institution, 50 years on campus, and 20 years as a university.
An innovative program to empower campus students in high financial need is being renamed to honor SNHU alumnus and Trustee Ed Wolak ’74.
Meet some of our new alumni and learn how their SNHU experiences have inspired their next steps.
Over the past 90 years, SNHU has reimagined and reinvented education with a commitment to accessibility, affordability and helping students succeed. We have so much to celebrate this year, and this issue is bursting with news of students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors making an impact on the SNHU community — and the world around us.
In these pages, you’ll read about our latest Global Days of Service efforts, in which more than 1,200 SNHU community members contributed over 5,500 hours of service worldwide. The Learning Fellows — an innovative program on campus to empower students to act as peer tutors in challenging courses — is being renamed to honor SNHU alumnus and Trustee Ed Wolak ’74. We welcomed more than 15,000 new graduates to the alumni community this year, and we’ve shared just a few of their inspiring stories here. You can also take a tour through history as we celebrate 50 years on campus and 20 years as a university.
We’re also proud to introduce an updated logo for Southern New Hampshire University. We’ve undergone great change as an organization in the years since we introduced our last logo back in 2002, and we’re excited to update our look and feel to match.
and academic reputation. Our traditional quill icon has evolved to convey more dimension, color, depth, and movement, outlining the many paths our students take to write their own stories. And the primary color of the logo is called “ink blue,” a reference to our Penmen roots. I’m grateful to the SNHU creative team that developed this updated logo and to the students, alumni and employees who shared their feedback throughout the process. I’m excited by this new look and the many ways it inspires us to celebrate our past while embracing our future.
I hope you enjoy this latest issue of Impact magazine. As we celebrate our many milestones and accomplishments this year, I am most honored to celebrate you – the alumni, donors, volunteers, faculty, staff and students who contribute to our extraordinary community.
With gratitude,
Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc President and CEO
Southern New Hampshire University
Our new logo is meant to show people who we are – a diverse, innovative, mission-driven university dedicated to increasing the amount of equity, opportunity and hope in the world. The shield is pulled from the university seal to honor our heritage, tradition,
04 SNHU Lawn Party
08 Global Days of Service
12 Support In Every Corner
14 MFA Alumni Spotlight: Cait Marie Haines
16 Match Point
18 Skating on to Success
21 Active Citizen Network
22 Unlocking Opportunity Through Sponsored Scholarships
24 Investing In Our Future: Engaging Young Alumni
25 SNHU Surprises Walmart Employee
26 Dream Big, Work Hard, Give Back
28 Leadership Through The Years
30 Welcome SNHU’s Newest Grads!
32 SNHU Surprises Broadway Star
34 50 Years on Campus
36 Engagement Report
Alli Pudvah
Bourque
Melanie Drolet ’16
Katie Dugan ’20G
Wolak Learning Fellows
Giving
Day Giving Challenge
LeBoeuf
Siobhan Lopez
Jennifer Salafia ’11
Lisa St. Hilaire
Victoria Webb ’22
Jessica Winter Ann-Marie Yerks
Krystal Siemon Printing RC Brayshaw
Impact is published by the Office of Institutional Advancement
Kristi Durette, Associate Vice President
Changes of address may be sent to alumni@snhu.edu or to:
Office of Institutional Advancement Southern New Hampshire University 2500 North River Road Manchester, NH 03106-1045
Visit us online at alumni.snhu.edu for more university news and information about upcoming events.
Join the conversation online with #SNHUimpact
After being socially distanced for more than two years, the Office of Institutional Advancement was overjoyed to welcome SNHU alumni, donors, volunteers, other special guests and their families back to the Manchester campus on June 4. The last time people were invited to gather on the campus was for Homecoming in 2019, prior to COVID-19 pandemic. The recent group was invited to a festive lawn party during which their contributions to the university were celebrated and updates were provided on how the university community persevered throughout the pandemic.
Through food, libations and lawn games, such as cornhole and giant Jenga, guests reconnected with each other, offering many smiles and laughs. For some, like two-time SNHU graduate Michael “The Duke” Williams ’16 ’18G, who traveled to the event from Orlando, Florida, with his wife and daughter, it was simply great to be back in New England. “It’s always nice to be back here,” said Williams. But he quickly followed up that comment with a tonguein-cheek lamentation that he didn’t get an opportunity to be involved in esports during his time at the university. “I’m jealous,” he teased.
Southern New Hampshire University was the first school in New Hampshire to offer competitive college esports when the program was launched in 2018. The university’s esports arena opened in October 2021. Tours and demonstrations of the arena were offered as part of the event’s program. Guests were also invited to explore the School of Engineering, Technology and Aeronautics (SETA) facility, which opened in 2020 and provides space for students enrolled in SNHU’s many STEM-related programs to experiment, collaborate and learn. Guests expressed their amazement of these new facilities.
In addition to acquainting guests with some of the physical changes that have taken place on campus throughout the pandemic, an important part of the event was to impress upon donors and volunteers the impact of their support
for SNHU’s students and programs. For Stephen Burkhart ‘16 ‘19G ‘22G, a simple decorative element of the event drove home the impact. Each table on the lawn included a centerpiece with a photo of a scholarship recipient and their quote.
“I love this,” said Burkhart referring to the centerpiece on his table. “It helps us reflect on where our donations are going and reinforces that we’re paying it forward.” Throughout the pandemic, the generosity of the SNHU community remained strong. Since last summer, SNHU has awarded more than half a million dollars to support students receiving 238 donor-funded scholarships; $3.4 million in donations helped change the lives of SNHU students; 155 volunteers gave nearly 600 hours of career assistance to students; and more than 14,000 alumni engaged with SNHU through volunteering, events, social media and more.
A more formal part of the event included a program of reflective and gratitude-filled remarks from alumna and Vice President of Student Affairs and Campus-Based Initiatives Heather Lorenz ‘98G, Director of Campus Career and Professional Development Center JoAnna Luiso, Associate Vice President of Office of Institutional Advancement Kristi Durette and President of SNHU Alumni Association JR Ristaino ‘82, who concluded the program by leading the traditional presentation of SNHU’s Alumni Awards.
The last in-person recognition of award recipients took place at Homecoming in 2019. The 2020 recipients were recognized through taped presentations that were aired during that year’s virtual Homecoming festivities. And the 2021 recipients were unable to be brought to campus until this event. Past honorees were asked to stand and be recognized, and each of the 2021 recipients was called forward to be handed their award. Read more about the remarkable achievements of 2021 Alumni Awards recipients Aarron Dupuis ‘19MBA and Michael Williams ‘16 ‘18G (Emerging Leader
Centerpieces displayed the faces and voices of scholarship recipients. Guests mingle as the SETA facility stands tall in the background.“As SNHU celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2022, the alumni community boasts more than 190,000 Penmen worldwide,” said Durette. “We’re proud of our relentless focus on student success and commitment to transforming lives through education. Our donors and volunteers are critical partners in this mission.” We celebrate and are thankful for each of them every day.
Homecoming
celebrate at SNHU! Join alumni, students, families, faculty, and friends of the University for in-person and virtual events throughout the weekend.
Award), Helena Iaquinta (Distinguished Service to Alumni Award), Polly St. Hilaire ‘76 ‘84MBA (SNHU Distinguished Alumni Service Award) and Gary St. Hilaire ‘86 (SNHU Alumni Hall of Fame Award).
(Left to Right) Gary St. Hilaire ‘86, JR Ristaino ‘82, Polly St. Hilaire ‘76 ‘84MBA, Edward Shapiro (son of SNHU founder Harry Shapiro and past president of then New Hampshire College) and Wayne Robinson ‘81.
More than 1,200 Southern New Hampshire University staff, faculty, students, alumni and volunteers contributed more than 5,500 hours of service to more than 135 organizations through SNHU’s seventh annual Global Days of Service.
This year’s annual community service initiative spanned two months – March and April. While the Global Days of Service planning committee once again encouraged do-it-yourself (DIY) projects, this year also welcomed the return of several in-person projects.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced all in-person projects to be postponed during the previous two years, creating a 100 percent DIY initiative. This opened the opportunity for increased participation by the global SNHU community and was seen as a valuable component to the annual initiative. It is an element that will be kept into the future. This year’s volunteer leaders and staff organizers created 10 DIY (global) and 24 in-person (local) projects. These opportunities for engagement resulted in an increase of 150 more volunteers than in the prior year, with geographic representation from 46 states in the U.S., plus D.C. and Guam, and five countries.
1,200 SNHU Community Members Support More Than 135 Organizations During Global Days Of Service“We’ve been working hard to rebuild the movement after the pandemic,” says staff organizer and Senior Associate Director of Alumni Engagement Sara Telfer. “We were on a trajectory to reach 10,000 service hours in 2020 when the pandemic hit, and we saw a backwards slide that resulted in only 1,500 hours served that year. With our remarkable community, we’ve been rebuilding momentum through the pandemic, bringing our service hours back to where they were just a couple of years before the pandemic. I know we’ll continue to regrow the movement.”
Global Days of Service is a global movement that cultivates local impact. The annual initiative aligns with SNHU’s core value to “do the right thing every time.” Through this value, we encourage the SNHU community not only to demonstrate a strong commitment to integrity and ethics, but also to do the right thing for our learners, employees and communities.
and wellness, food banks and many more. One of the do-from-anywhere projects was “Bee Buddies: Planting for Pollinators.” You’ve probably heard that we face some serious bee issues around the world. As of this writing, several species of bees are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Pesticide usage, extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change, natural disasters and deforestation are all contributing factors to the decline of bee populations. Bees are a vital part of the ecosystem and essential to the pollination of our food crops. But we can help and that’s what this project was all about!
The Global Days of Service initiative helps us to fulfill our commitment to local communities, while offering SNHU community members the opportunity to serve the causes they’re passionate about.
This year’s projects provided service to a breadth of causes – veterans, animals, the environment, health
More than 200 SNHU community members participated in the Bee Buddies project. They planted their own indoor and outdoor bee gardens. Some coordinated with local organizations in their areas to plant bee-friendly plants in community gardens and common spaces. Many participants completed their plantings on or around April 22, in honor of Earth Day.
Southern New Hampshire University online student Brandon Bolton of Kenosha, Wisconsin, who was one of the project organizers, said his favorite parts of the experience was assembling a diverse group of students, planning the planting events and conducting them. “Using skills and knowledge that I learned both at SNHU and in my work positions, and applying them to a charitable event, made everything better,” says
We believe our responsibility to be active community members, volunteering where we live and work, is an opportunity for organic learning, relationship building and making a positive impact.
Bolton, who was inspired to participate in Global Days of Service because it mixed things up for him a bit. “I volunteer a lot with nonprofits,” he continues. “Those are normally in the civic tech scene, so it was refreshing to be involved in a new type of project. But I could still rely on my tech skills that I developed over the years. Starting at ground one with creating the project, planning everything and being a leader was an amazing experience.”
Bee Buddy packages containing bee friendly seeds were sold out on the Bee Buddies website. The organization also hosted an educational event at the Hands Together preschool in Santa Ana, California, on Earth Day. More than 70 children learned about how to plant for pollinators and be a buddy to the bees.
The origin story of Bee Buddies and efforts of SNHUperstars like Key pay the highest compliment to SNHU’s Global Days.
One of the best parts of this project’s story is that its site leader, Cassi Key of Garden Gove, California, was so inspired by her involvement in Global Days of Service that she founded a new nonprofit organization, aptly named Bee Buddies, as a result of her participation. Key has aligned her organization’s model with the Global Days calendar. The nonprofit will focus on education and fundraising in early spring (when Global Days starts), and then participants will plant seeds on Earth Day Weekend.
The SNHU Partnerships team’s purpose is to connect organizations with America’s largest private nonprofit university to provide educational opportunities for their students, employees, clients and members. The team is fully remote and works across the entire U.S. to best support the academic, military and corporate organizations with whom SNHU partners. Being geographically dispersed, the team looks for opportunities a couple of times throughout the year to bring all team members together in one physical space. Their time together typically includes training, a full-day team meeting or community service. They do their best to schedule these visits around SNHU’s Commencement celebrations to participate in the festivities from a volunteer standpoint, but also to be
“Our goal is to educate and motivate our communities to protect and preserve pollinators,” says Key.
reminded of why they do what they do each day and witness our learners’ most special day.
The nearly 40 members of the SNHU Partnerships team are no strangers to community service. All SNHU employees are encouraged to support SNHU’s commitment to making positive social impact in the communities where we live and work – year-round, not only during SNHU’s Global Days of Service. But this often takes the form of a single employee volunteering at a local homeless or animal shelter, school, hospital, community garden or any number of other places they can make an impact.
They’re encouraged to connect with their local communities through service. This year’s meeting of the SNHU Partnership team brought everyone together to participate in two Global Days of Service projects, each supporting the New Hampshire Food Bank – the only food bank in New Hampshire. The multi-day, multiopportunity projects enabled the team to pack food in preparation for distribution and work in the food
bank’s production garden. They helped with spring gardening tasks, such as flipping the beds, preparing the fields and digging new beds.
”Being a fully remote team that is dispersed across the US, getting together and bonding as a team can be a real challenge,” says Senior Director of Strategic Implementation Krista Leidemer. “Participating in a service project allowed us the opportunity to spend some quality time together outside of the normal dayto-day virtual work environment that we’ve become accustomed to, all while giving back to the community. We had a lot of fun and it was a great reminder to all of us how fortunate we are to be a part of this team and the SNHU community.”
To learn more about how you can get involved with Global Days of Service, visit alumni.snhu.edu/serve.
GJ Morris of Manchester, New Hampshire, always knew she wanted to attend college, but when unexpected health problems arose, her medical bills began to pile up. Thanks to the generosity of donors, Morris received scholarships that would help her navigate a tough financial situation.
“The scholarships I have received have helped me put more financial focus on paying [medical bills] without having to stress about paying for school,” Morris said. “It’s truly amazing to know that there are people so passionate about higher education that they are willing to donate to the next generation of college students, even ones they haven’t met face to face.”
For the past three years, Morris has been part of the Alumni Engagement team as a student worker. In her role, Morris contributes to efforts that work to foster the SNHU alumni community. She has had a hand in running major university events like Global Days of Service and Homecoming Weekend. Between her
personal health struggles and a global pandemic, Morris had a lot on her plate in addition to classes and work. Regardless, Morris was able to press on with encouragement from her supervisor, Alli Pudvah ’16, Associate Director of Alumni Engagement.
“Whenever I’m given a new project to work on, Alli explains how my work will have an impact on the wider goals of our department and the university,” Morris said, “That has really cemented my passion for working with Alumni Engagement, and why I have stayed in this position throughout my time at SNHU. I feel that I am
contributing to SNHU and giving back to a university that has provided me with such great learning opportunities.”
Not only has Pudvah helped Morris to see the value in their everyday work, but she has also remained a support system for Morris through each season of life as a college student.
“Alli has been the most impactful person during my time at SNHU. I really see her as more of a mentor than anything, because she has been there for me for nearly every big decision or difficult period. Whether it’s helping me decide which residence hall to move in to, cheering me on before a final presentation for a class or helping me stay optimistic when I struggled with major health problems. Alli has just been so encouraging and understanding.”
Thanks to scholarships and SNHU staff like Pudvah, Morris has been able to focus on getting the most out of her work with the Alumni Engagement team and taking advantage of all the opportunities that come her way.
As she enters her senior year, Morris is already thinking about her post-grad life, hoping to use the tools she has learned in her coursework and with Alumni Engagement.
“After graduating, I want to use the skills I’ve gained from my business degree to work for a company or agency that benefits my community. I’ve recently taken interest in government jobs and nonprofit organizations, and I believe that’s what I’ll be most passionate about going forward.”
Once she graduates, Morris will always have the Alumni Engagement team in her corner as she enters the working world. Luckily for Morris, she’ll also have support from fellow alumni even closer. Her mother, Aleshia Morris ’20, recently earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology online.
“My mom has this innate ability to remain positive and stay optimistic in almost any situation, and I think that, alongside her hard work and dedication to continuous learning, that attitude allowed her to achieve such a big thing while also taking care of everyone at home,” Morris said, “She deserves all the praise in the world. She taught me to work hard throughout challenging times, because it always ends up being an even better learning experience, and I will always be grateful for that.”
Morris said, “Working with Alumni Engagement played a huge role in helping me realize that because I was able to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that contributes to fostering the community that SNHU has built. My experience here really shows the value of work-study jobs on campus.”
The SNHU Alumni Board of Directors created this scholarship in 2017 to recognize outstanding students who have displayed proven leadership skills, meaningful involvement in student life, committed to academic success, and a demonstrated appreciation for the power of the SNHU network. Online and campus students are eligible.
Learn more and make your impact at alumni.snhu.edu/alumni-leadership.
“I believe it’s important to be involved with SNHU as a student because you’re going to get so much more out of your experience if you view SNHU as a community.”
Cait Marie Haines ’20 ’22MFA has a foot in many aspects of writing and publishing – she’s a YA/NA author, book blogger, reviewer for YA Books Central, SNHU peer mentor and more. But no matter what she’s doing, she always has a story to tell.
A recent SNHU MFA graduate and Indiana native, Haines began her writing and publishing endeavors during her SNHU undergraduate program in forensic psychology. “I’ve always loved to read, and one day, while living at home, unsure what to do with my life, I started writing my own book when one I’d read didn’t end how I’d hoped. It was a moment of, ‘I’ll just write my own story and put everything I love in it.’ That book ended up being my thesis project, though it massively changed from when I initially began writing it.”
The past few years have been a whirlwind of publishing and blogging for Haines. She’s the author of The Nihryst series, a YA/NA fantasy trilogy, as well as The Last Summer, a contemporary romance, and has earned two Amazon best-seller badges. “I cried both times,” she said. “The first time was with my YA
romance “The Last Summer”, which released in June 2020. I hadn’t expected that book to do well because I’d released my debut fantasy, “The Lost Legends”, three months earlier, and many of my followers were only fantasy readers. But many of them tried it just because it was me, which was a strange thing to hear, and now they read all my contemporary romances, despite supposedly never reading that genre. To this day, it’s still my best-selling book, which really means a lot to me because I adore the story and characters. I put a lot of myself in it, and it makes me so happy that people love it.”
Learning the craft of writing and editing helped her develop confidence, Haines said. “Prior to the SNHU Online MFA program, I didn’t have any formal education on writing-related topics. I jumped into this career headfirst, hoping my time as a book blogger and editor was enough to go on. And while those things helped immensely, I felt like I needed the education. If anything, I needed it to help with self-doubt.
This program taught me a lot and gave me even more to think about, especially on the business side of writing. Most importantly, it assured me that I had finally found the right path and that I was doing well. For someone who hated writing growing up, who hadn’t tried writing fiction until 2015, this was a big deal.
I wasn’t entirely sure I knew what I was doing; I was constantly telling people that I was just winging it. To be so encouraged throughout this program, to be given the confidence to continue, made such a difference.”
Haines is open about her physical disability, spinal muscular atrophy, which she manages along with typical obstacles such as time management. “I released eight full-length books and several short stories in two and a half years, and it took everything I had to balance it all. I tend to stay up reading until 3 or 4 a.m. more often than I should. However, I am working on a new schedule, where I only work on certain types of jobs on certain days and then schedule blog and social media posts a week at a time.”
Now that she has graduated, Haines is focused on finishing book four of The Nihryst and beginning some new projects. “I’m also using this time to reorganize the behind-the-scenes stuff, like my ARC team and social media calendar. There are a few spin-offs coming, in both genres, and I’ll be exploring new genres soon. As of right now, I have several releases planned for 2023. I also have a book with an agent right now -- my thesis novel -- so I’m eager to see what she thinks of that. I have so many books started or planned, countless ideas, and I look forward to focusing on them and making them come to life. I’m very excited to see what the future holds.”
Haines has some advice for SNHU students starting out in the publishing world. “Sometimes, it’s a really slow game, and you can’t let that discourage you. Also, remember that everyone has a different writing and publishing process. There is a lot of advice out there telling you that this is the correct way or that is the best way, and while those resources can be helpful, it’s important to find what works best for you.”
For many international students like Magdalena
Hubickova, playing sports in college isn’t an option in their home country.
“It’s either go to work or play sports professionally,” said Hubickova of Prague, Czech Republic, “I love playing tennis and I wanted to study in college.”
As young as 14, Hubickova knew she wanted to attend college in the United States and be a student athlete. When exploring options, Hubickova had never heard of SNHU, as she originally was interested in attending college nearly 1,500 miles away in Palm Beach, Florida. When that opportunity fell through, Hubickova heard SNHU was looking for tennis players. “I almost signed right away. I didn’t even look at the website.”
Hubickova had considered transferring to Palm Beach Atlantic after a year, but quickly learned that he had found a community at SNHU as soon as she stepped onto campus in 2019.
“After less than a month, I knew that I wanted to stay. The community here at SNHU is amazing. I love being with people, I love making friends. I met the captain of the tennis team, and she is now one of my best friends.”
Hubickova not only found an excellent group of friends, she also felt embraced by the SNHU athletics department.
“The tennis coach, Gregory Coache, is a great guy. I’ve never met a more genuine coach in my life. All the athletic directors really helped me to have the best oncampus experience I can ask for.”
With the support from her teammates and her coaches, Hubickova quickly excelled in tennis, being honored with the coveted title of the 2021 Northeast-10 Conference Vern Cox Women’s Tennis Player of the Year when she was just a sophomore. This fall, she will lead the women’s tennis team as captain to wrap up her senior year at SNHU.
Most students would be content with a busy practice schedule, but not Hubickova. In addition to tennis, Hubickova has taken on a handful of part-time roles and internships in the Athletics Department and in the Office of External Affairs where she puts her Communications major to work with graphic design, videography, photography and more.
“I really wanted the experience. I know my life as an athlete is slowly coming to an end and I’ll need to start a new chapter,” Hubickova said, “I was going to be a junior and needed to start looking into the working field.”
She was apprehensive about taking on yet another responsibility, but her advisors and professors told her that she could do it.
“It is out of my comfort zone, having to work using the English language, but it’s been a great thing for me. I love a challenge. I am here for the learning experience,” Hubickova said, “I was so lucky to have all these professors who are motivating me to do internships, to work on myself. They always try to push me a little bit harder.”
While being an international student didn’t always come easy, Hubickova found support in her peers who were also from other countries.
“It helps to see how diverse SNHU is and how many other international students are here. We are in it together and we know that we miss our food, we miss our culture. We can vent with each other about missing home and then after an hour, we love America again,” Hubickova laughs.
Hubickova believes that the community she found on the SNHU campus has molded her into a better version of herself. Her gratitude for her life at SNHU makes those challenging moments worthwhile. “There are so many people that I met here that impacted my life. I’ve changed completely since
freshman year. I became more responsible. I met so many people here that inspired me to be better. I am just beyond lucky. It’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Women’s
Hockey Sean
’06 Men’s Golf
Berling
Kallmunzerova
Ashley
BY JESSICA WINTER
I n an attempt to overcome his “middle child syndrome,” Joseph “Joe” Fiorino ’21’s parents put a young Fiorino onto the ice for skating lessons and, before he knew it, he was playing ice hockey. “That’s how I got started,” reflects Fiorino. “It was my whole life.” In high school, Fiorino played on two teams –one at the school and other in an extracurricular club. Fiorino, a Pennsylvania native, practiced twice a day and played 90 games each year.
After graduating high school, Fiorino took a couple years away from the ice. But he didn’t stay away for long. He got back onto the ice as a junior hockey player, while he worked a part-time job. At that time, he was playing 60 games per year. Fiorino was approached by Southern New Hampshire University
and invited to study and play ice hockey at the school. Having seen the SNHU commercials on TV, Fiorino thought the university was an exclusively online school. He was intrigued to discover that SNHU has a brick-and-mortar campus and made a visit to Manchester, New Hampshire.
“It was gorgeous,” says Fiorino of his first reaction when stepping foot on campus. “There were so many nice buildings and New Hampshire is a gorgeous state on its own.” The local area also offered a downtown with lots of nice restaurants and amazing hiking opportunities. Fiorino knew his experience would be different at SNHU – and it was.
Fiorino accepted the invitation to SNHU, but little did he know, the experience would open him up
to so many other opportunities. He enr olled in the cohort-based Bradley Three Year Business Honors program. Because of the small campus size, cohort-based program and men’s hockey team, Fiorino was able to make lots of meaningful connections quickly. “The Bradley program professors were very good for freshmen coming in,” reflects Fiorino. “They helped mak e the transition from a high school to college setting smooth and they were always available to help.”
When Fiorino first started his SNHU journey, he only saw himself as a student-athlete. Then someone nominated him to be a presidential ambassador. In this student leadership role, SNHU sophomores, juniors and seniors serve as ambassadors to
the university president and focus on fostering community, living with integrity, taking pride in loyalty and encouraging society to engage civically. After participating in several community service initiatives, Fiorino began to think that he should expand his horizons beyond athletics. He then joined the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and experienced an opportunity for further connection. “With SAAC, it was great to get in the room and hear the experiences athletes on other teams were having,” reflects Fiorino.
“I’m very appreciative of the opportunities I was given to get involved,” says Fiorino. “I feel like I would’ve had regrets, looking back, if I didn’t take advantage. I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone.”
Fiorino also stepped into yet another leadership role on SNHU’s men’s hockey team when, as the team’s co-captain, he helped the team get involved in a mental health awareness event. The team partnered with the New Hampshire nonprofit organization Connor’s Climb Foundation in February 2022 to raise awareness around the topics of mental health and youth suicide. The organization was started after 14-year-old Connor Ball of Exeter, New Hampshire, died by suicide in 2011. The men’s hockey team played a “Stick It to Stigma” game to raise mental health awareness among student-athletes. Stigma around mental health remains strong, especially in men’s sports. “I think it’s a really important topic that needs to be made known and discussed, and I was really happy we did that event,” says Fiorino. Consistently earning a GPA above 3.9, Fiorino earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2021 and is set to become a two-time SNHU graduate in 2022 with a Master of Business Administration. Both degrees include a minor in accounting. Fiorino accepted a consulting job at Grant Thornton in 2022, working out of their Boston
office. He credits SNHU’s Career and Professional Development Center with his success in landing the role. “SNHU does a great job with career development,” says Fiorino. “I have friends who graduated from other colleges with no interview knowledge and no LinkedIn profile. I had a whole class on professional communication, setting up my LinkedIn and mock interviewing to hone my skills. I found that really useful.”
Local accounting firms were at an SNHU career fair and that’s how Fiorino landed an accounting internship. “That internship experience played a big part in getting my current role,” says Fiorino. His future is bright.
The Active Citizen Network (ACN) is a civic society of SNHU alumni who made community service an integral part of their education at SNHU and continue to commit themselves to be active and involved citizens after graduation. ACN selects and publicly recognizes these alumni and graduating seniors for their dedication to improving the local community and world around them. Developed and launched in 2019 by Kelley Hobbs, Associate Director of the Chandler Center, and Alli Pudvah, Associate Director of the Office of Alumni Engagement, ACN currently has more than 70 members.
Noria Dusabireme ’20 said that she wanted to join the Active Citizen Network because it keeps community at its center. “I have always wanted to be part of something bigger than myself and participate in supporting my community and different communities. ACN has been a combination of all those things and a community that I can be part of as an SNHU alumna.”
As a member of the Active Citizen Network, alumni are among civic-minded peers, and can learn from, network, and continue to grow within the SNHU community, resulting in their ability to make a greater and stronger impact in the communities in which they work and play. During our quarterly meetings we focus
on getting to know one another, and host a variety of discussions around topics such as joining a nonprofit board, or grant writing. With members of the network being both near and far, we leverage our technology to host all sessions virtually.
Learn more about how to join this dynamic group at https://bit.ly/SNHU-ACN.
“You’re not only changing my life, but also my daughter’s because she’ll see that I was able to keep pushing. It’s because of your generosity that I’m able to stay in school. As you know, as an online student, it can be easy to just give up – especially when financials become a burden – it’s so easy to give up. But you have lifted that weight to where I’m able to not stress about it.” These are the sentiments of Alexis Brockman, Class of 2024.
name with a contribution as little as $2,500. The program creates a current use scholarship for a student who demonstrates financial need. The program also offers an opportunity for connection between the donor and scholarship beneficiary.
Brockman, an SNHU online student studying psychology, was awarded the Dwayne Griffin Sponsored Scholar Scholarship. Anyone can establish a Sponsored Scholars Program scholarship in their
Dwayne Griffin ’18 knows how difficult the journey to degree completion can be. Griffin attended a technical college in his early 20s, but soon found himself overloaded with family, work and financial responsibilities. “Life got in the way,” he says, “but I didn’t want that to be an excuse.” Seeing his college education through to the finish line continued to linger in the back of his mind as the years passed.
“You have to finish what you start,” says Griffin. “It was always in the back of my mind to finish and I thought, ‘How can I preach to my children to complete their education when I haven’t?’ It was always nagging and eating at me, and I didn’t want to be a hypocrite.” Griffin returned to school in his 30s as a Southern New Hampshire University online student. He completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, taking roughly six years to make it to the finish line. That was longer than he had anticipated, and he doesn’t consider the timeline ideal. But that’s when the
doors of educational opportunity really started to open for him. Griffin quickly moved on to and completed a Master of Business Administration degree after earning his bachelor’s. Soon after he finished his MBA, he started (and is currently attending) a Doctor of Business Administration program.
When asked what SNHU means to him, Griffin replied with one word: “opportunity.” He went on to explain that he had applied to lots of different schools when he decided it was time to pursue his undergraduate degree, but was denied entry. “Other colleges and universities didn’t give me a chance when SNHU did,” says Griffin. “Education can change the trajectory of your life. It did for me. It’s opened up so many doors for me, doors I didn’t know I’d walk through.”
The chance he was given at a college education has inspired Griffin on his current journey as an SNHU alumnus and donor. “I choose to support SNHU because SNHU supported me. I give back in as many ways as I can because they invested in me. SNHU is an anchor. I know the impact they made on me and I want to do the same for others,” he says.
His donations were usually anonymous and on “autopilot” through an employer-based giving program
– until Griffin saw the opportunity to not only help, but also connect with, an individual student through the Sponsored Scholars Program. “Giving is gratifying and puts a feather in your cap,” says Griffin, “but the opportunity to gain a personal connection to someone you’ve impacted made me feel exceptionally proud.”
Supporting the education of a single parent with extraordinary life challenges and knowing that his support would mean she could focus on her studies with less worry was meaningful to Griffin. “You want to ride the momentum,” reflects Griffin on his own college experience. “Taking a break can get you out of the zone. That’s half the battle – motivation. If I could help her get through without stopping, her daughter will see what she’s accomplished. And that inspires the next generation of learners.”
With a donation of $2,500 or more, your gift to the Sponsored Scholars Program directly supports those students who excel academically but are unable to afford tuition on their own. Each donation helps break down the financial barrier standing between a high-achieving student and the degree they deserve.
Learn more and make your impact at alumni.snhu.edu/scholars.
Other colleges and universities didn’t give me a chance when SNHU did.”
At Southern New Hampshire University, we define this subset of our population as anyone who graduated within the last 10 years and is 30 years of age and under. We know that our young alumni who get engaged early tend to stay engaged — and have a huge impact on current students and the entire SNHU community! That’s why we developed the SNHU Young Alumni Network.
We currently count more than 35,000 young alumni — nd we’re so proud to report that many have engaged with SNHU by donating to scholarship or Penmen Athletics, leading or attending virtual events like our First Time Homebuyer session, and volunteering their time to mentor students.
What’s to come, you may ask?
We’re looking forward to hosting more in-person events in the coming year for the SNHU Community— something that we haven’t been able to do since some of our young alumni leaders hosted Homecoming socials in Boston, Hartford and San Antonio in 2019! We are so excited about all the possibilities, and we hope you’ll join in on the fun.
You can always stay up to date on all YA things in our quarterly newsletter, and I invite you to check out alumni.snhu.edu/youngalumni for more information!
Southern New Hampshire University, Walmart and Guild Education teamed up to surprise an inspiring SNHU graduate and Walmart associate with her diploma at the Portsmouth, NH store where she works, to celebrate all she has accomplished while battling serious health issues.
Carol D’Anna, 62, of Dover, NH, pursued her SNHU degree through Walmart’s Live Better U program and never gave up on her studies despite a long road to recovery after suffering two strokes. Carol is immunocompromised and will not be able to attend SNHU Commencement in person, but her advisor wanted to be sure Carol got the celebration she deserves.
“If anyone deserves a fuss, it’s Carol,” said Michele Alboin, SNHU Academic Advisor. As an essential worker during the pandemic, Carol persisted, completing her bachelor’s degree in business administration online with an impressive 4.0 GPA. Carol hopes her coworkers will be inspired to pursue their degrees through Walmart as well.
On the day of the surprise, Carol was shocked to see her coworkers cheering for her as she was led into the celebration holding hands with her best friend and co-worker, Mike, who helped her re-learn how to walk and talk.
“If you have a dream to make changes in your life, to do something different or move up higher, get the education,” said D’Anna.
Alongside her academic advisor and coworkers, SNHU Provost Lisa Marsh Ryerson presented Carol with her diploma and celebrated her hard-earned success. “This is an amazing day,” said Ryerson. “I think all of us who had an opportunity to be part of today just felt that spirit that Carol radiates. For me, it was such an honor as the SNHU Provost to be able to bring commencement right here to Carol at her place of work, which empowered Carol and gave her the resources to pursue her degree through our partnership with Guild Education.”
By the time Herman “Bing” Graffunder ’69 arrived at Southern New Hampshire University (then-New Hampshire College of Accounting and Commerce) in the late 1960s, he was not your typical freshman. He was in his early 20s and had already served in the army and earned a degree in accounting from junior college.
But Graffunder knew there was more he was meant to do. He dreamed of running a small business, and he had his sights set on a bachelor’s degree. “I had the desire,” he says, “but no money.” So, he got a good job in his hometown near Albany, NY, and worked all day and studied all evening an exhausting schedule. Then, a guidance counselor from his high school asked if he had heard of a little business school up in New Hampshire. “He gave me a piece of paper with ‘New Hampshire College of Accounting and Commerce’ written on it and he said, ‘get ahold of these guys they might be just right for you,’” recalls Graffunder.
Graffunder ordered a catalog, submitted his application by mail, and drove up to New Hampshire on a Saturday. He was interviewed by Ed Shapiro, son of NHCAC founder Harry A. B. Shapiro and Gertrude C. Shapiro, who was by then serving as president of the institution following Harry’s passing. “I didn’t know it at the time, but this school was founded upon nontraditional learners like me,”
says Graffunder. “I’ve seen the pictures of those first classrooms filled with guys in uniform learning to type and learning all about accounting. That could have been me. Thinking about that interview, I felt at home as soon as I met Ed.”
Graffunder was accepted and started immediately. “But I was still a starving student working a bunch of part-time jobs to afford my tuition,” he says. He credits Ed Shapiro with helping to change that.
“I bumped into Mr. Shapiro one day in the hall, and he asked how I was doing. When I told him about my jobs
Graffunder says his favorite part about giving back is hearing from the students he supports. “I read one letter from a student that brought years to my eyes,” he says. “She was a single mom, had just been diagnosed with cancer and was about to quit. I was so proud to help with her tuition so she could focus on bringing everything she had to her education.”
on top of my schoolwork, he connected me with the head of public relations at the school,” he recalls. Graffunder was hired as a sports writer and traveled with the NHCAC— and then New Hampshire College— athletics teams, writing stories and taking photographs in exchange for free tuition.
Graffunder’s articles were published by the New Hampshire Union Leader as well as by the college. “I found my place,” he describes. “With this job in athletics, I got to know a lot of people at the school and in the community. And I was able to graduate debt-free.”
He completed his degree and was hired by Kraft Foods as a management trainee. He worked in different departments, and then at different companies in the food services industry — sales, operations, administration, leadership — always learning and always propelling himself forward.
“I’m never the smartest person in the room, but I am always the hardest working,” says Graffunder.
That work ethic blossomed into a fruitful career. After years in corporate America, Graffunder started his own company offering advising services to equity firms looking to invest in food businesses. Through this work, he often meets the next generation of talent, and he finds opportunities to give back. “I have the opportunity to mentor and guide young leaders, these whiz kids who are just getting started on their careers.”
With all of his professional success, Graffunder makes sure he prioritizes giving back to his alma mater, too. He stays connected with SNHU, joining community service projects for Global Days of Service and supporting student scholarships.
“I got a quality education at a fair price, and my time at NHCAC changed my life, significantly and profoundly,” says Graffunder. “Education is more valuable than anything you can give. If you use it properly, it will change your life.”
That’s why Graffunder supports student scholarships at SNHU.
“I want to do for other people what this school did for me,” he says. “When hardworking students - especially nontraditional students like I was - feel they’ve exhausted every other opportunity but they still have that drive to succeed, I want to help.”
Ann Shapiro, Edward Shapiro, and Gertrude C. Shapiro at the re-dedication of the New Hampshire College Library
GERTRUDE CROCKETT SHAPIRO PRESIDENT, 1952-1971
EDWARD M. SHAPIRO PRESIDENT, 1971-1986
RICHARD GUSTAFSON PRESIDENT, 1987-2003
WILLIAM S. GREEN ACTING CHANCELLOR, 1986-1987
Mr. Ouellette has served on the SNHU Board of Trustees since 1996 and has been Board Chairman since 2013. He is an SNHU alumnus and a generous donor, supporting student scholarships and Penmen Athletics. He received the SNHU Alumni Hall of Fame Award in 2011.
Ms. Lerner has served of the SNHU Board of Trustees since 2013 and will become Chairwoman in October 2022, the first woman to serve in this role.
More than 15,000 SNHU graduates began the next chapter of their lives with a degree in hand last spring —over 11,300 with an undergraduate degree and nearly 3,900 with a graduate degree. These graduates have joined the growing alumni network of more than 185,000 people across the globe who’ve graduated from this institution over the past 90 years.
On the following pages, you’ll meet just a few of our extraordinary new grads. Welcome to the SNHU alumni community!
Sam Caswell is an extraordinary campus graduate who has a rare genetic condition known as mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). Throughout his life, he’s gone through 38 surgeries. In 2020, he spent significant time in the hospital and had to relearn how to walk, talk and read. Through it all, he has persisited and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Communication. His goal is to become a motivational speaker.
Tanya Flagg and her identical sister Denise Hendershot graduated together from SNHU, both with BSNs. They are nurses at Elliot Hospital in New Hampshire, and were on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. They assisted with critical care in the ER and also prevention at SNHU’s vaccination site on campus.
Upon graduation, you’re automatically part of the SNHU Alumni Association, a network of more than 194,000 leaders and change-makers across the globe. By staying connected with fellow alumni, the university and even current students, you’re contributing to the rich, vibrant SNHU community.
Learn more at alumni.snhu.edu/resources
Rasheed Blake is an Aeronautical Engineering graduate who studied on campus. He was born and raised in Jamaica and moved to the United States when he was in high school. He recently became a U.S. citizen and his family now resides in Massachusetts. He received a Penmen Pursuits award in 2022, and during his time on campus was a Resident Assistant, president of Sigma Gamme Tau honor society and president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He hopes to use his degree to work in the space industry.
Victoria Meuse is an Army spouse and mother of three. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA and faced military relocation four times on the path to her degree. “Those moves with my family, nights alone and children to keep my attention all day, everyday, are my inspiration. If I had completed this degree 6-7 years ago, I would not have small hands, tiny toes, wide eyes, and wandering minds watching me pursue and complete my dreams. Without SNHU and the flexibility I was provided while finishing my degree online, I may not have ever finished,” she said. With her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she was able to obtain a role at her children’s elementary school.
The applause wasn’t over after the curtain call one Friday night on Broadway. Surrounded by her “Come From Away” cast members, actress Emily Walton, who stars in the Tony-winning musical as reporter Janice Mosher, was presented with her Southern New Hampshire University diploma.
Dr. Paul LeBlanc, SNHU president, commended Walton for her persistence during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We all remember when the lights went out on Broadway. We were mourning and finding things to do,” he said. “Emily decided to do something important. She went back to school to finish her college degree.”
When Walton wrapped up her online psychology degree in December 2021, fellow cast members threw her a party backstage. She shared the celebration on social media, capturing the university’s attention. In collaboration with Broadway staff, LeBlanc traveled to New York City to
hand-deliver Walton’s framed diploma with SNHU Trustee Melanie Whelan. “I just never thought I’d see this all in writing,” Walton said.
Walton began her college journey more than a decade ago after completing high school, and while she dreamed of finishing what she started, she wasn’t sure she would. But, when the pandemic began and her work on Broadway halted, she knew it was time.
“Going back to school during the pandemic was honestly a blessing,” she said. “It kept me focused and... I felt like I woke up every day with a purpose.” She said she was glad to have so much time to devote to her education, too.
After doing some research, she chose to transfer her credits to SNHU because of the university’s reputation and affordability. Once enrolled, she found the online
classes to be accessible and the whole experience to feel “warm.” Her advisor, Danielle Lavoie, supported her along the way, too.
“When I see commercials for SNHU, I get so excited because I’m like, ‘That’s me. I have that experience, and I know that it’s a big deal for people to go back to school,’” Walton said.
It’s also a big deal when they finish. Walton, who graduated summa cum laude, said unexpectedly celebrating her hard work surrounded by cast members and crew as well as strangers in the audience was “absolutely surreal” and an “out-of-body” experience.
“To have something that I feel like I’ve been quietly pursuing on my own, without a lot of fanfare, to have it be acknowledged with so much fanfare is really, really incredible and makes me feel very proud and loved,” she said.
Surprising Walton with her diploma after “Come From Away” felt extra special to LeBlanc, too, because the audience shared in the celebration, cheering as Walton tossed her graduation cap in the air.
“I think we all have had such a hard pandemic,” LeBlanc said, acknowledging Broadway’s shutdown and the pause the university took from traditional in-person Commencement ceremonies. “The night we brought them together – and to walk on stage and see Emily’s immediate reaction, it was profound.”
As the show goes on for Walton, she plans to hang her diploma in the theater. It’ll be a daily reminder of her accomplishments in a completely different field. “SNHU, to me, represents, like, possibility – and that may sound corny, but I mean it, “she said. “... It gave me the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine.”
What began as a two-room business school in downtown Manchester in 1932 became a beautiful 300-acre university along the Merrimack River. SNHU made its campus location home in 1971 after outgrowing its space on Hanover Street. Over the past 50 years, the Manchester campus has continued to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our learners. Take a walk through our history as we celebrate 50 years on campus.
Intersection sign in the heart of campus from the mid-1970s.
New Hampshire College residence hall on the west side of campus.
Opened in 1996, SNHU’s Washington Hall features large community spaces and houses 248 students.
Aerial photograph of then-New Hampshire College, taken in the late 1970s.
Student broadcaster airing a show in the campus radio station in the 1970s.
New Hampshire College student-athletes showing off their Penmen pride in 1980s.
Opened in 2016, The Edward S. Wolak Library Learning Commons was named in honor of SNHU alumnus and Trustee, Edward Wolak ’74.
The Deborah L. Coffin Women’s Center, located within the William S. and Joan Green Center for Student Success, was unveiled with a ribbon cutting ceremony in 2016.
Kingston Hall, a 328-bed residence hall, opened in 2018. It was constructed where some of SNHU’s original residence hallsChocorua Hall, Winnisquam Hall and Kearsarge Hall - once stood.
Dedicated in 2012, the Robert A. Freese Student Center was named for SNHU Trustee Robert Freese ’89.
SNHU’s 1,500-seat athletics complex, Penmen Stadium, opened in early 2018.
Unveiled in early 2020, SNHU’s newest facility on campus houses the School of Engineering, Technology and Aeronautics.
Laurie Chandler ’89 and Clarke Chandler celebrate at the ribbon cutting of the Chandler Center in 2018.
This fall, the Learning Fellows program on campus was renamed to the Wolak Learning Fellows in honor of SNHU alumnus and Trustee Ed Wolak ’74.
Wolak’s most recent transformational gift to the University is dedicated to what is now known as the Edward S. Wolak Learning Fellows, a program designed to activate peer mentors in challenging courses to improve success rates for students in those classes. Originally launched in 2018 with support from the Davis Education Foundation, the Wolak Learning Fellows program embeds peer support in classes where students have historically struggled to improve the learning environment and retention rate for students in difficult classes.
“I’m thrilled that my Wolak Learning Center endowment helps scholarship students to come to SNHU,” said Wolak. “With this additional contribution, I’m equally thrilled that this now greatly expanded Wolak Learning Fellows Program will help struggling students to stay and succeed here.”
The students who act as embedded support in this program, called Wolak Learning Fellows, meet weekly with the professor and staff members from the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to reflect on the previous week’s classes, plan together, and learn basic pedagogy to make the course more active and effective.
“Being a Wolak Learning Fellow is changing the classroom environment for the benefit of the learners,” says Nathaniel Patrick Lemana, a Wolak Learning Fellow in Computer Science, “it can be as small as adding a course agenda or rearranging seats, or as radical as changing an assignment.”
In addition to collaborating with CTL staff to uncover improvement strategies, the Wolak Learning Fellows get direct feedback from the learners through surveys and other interactions.
“We’ve gotten a lot of good feedback from students about what we do in the class,” says Ryan Simas, a Wolak Learning Fellow in Computer Science and Information Technology, “and it makes us feel like we are doing a good job because of the influence we have in the classroom and course material.”
The Wolak Learning Fellows program is facilitated by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) on campus, a bustling hub of rich conversation and deep learning for faculty. The CTL encourages experimentation and risk-taking to push the boundaries of what students can achieve, and provides faculty with data, resources and instruction to maximize the academic experience for students through innovative pedagogy. Programs like the Wolak Learning Fellows engage students as partners
in the work, creating strong relationships and open dialogue between students and faculty, while also providing an opportunity for peer role modeling and increased student support systems.
Lynn Murray-Chandler, Ed.D. is the Assistant Vice President of Learner Engagement and Academic Innovation on campus and is one of the co-creators of the Wolak Learning Fellows program. “We want to foster learn-centricity in our curriculum,” says Murray-Chandler, “to help students feel a greater sense of belonging in the classroom and in the greater SNHU community.”
In the fir st two years, the program helped students — both the Wolak Learning Fellows and those in the challenging courses - by improving retention and cultivating a responsive learning environment that focuses on meaningful relationships and timely support. In addition to their increased retention rate, the students in the program reported a greater sense of belonging.
“Our Wolak Learning Fellows have made measurable differences in the classrooms they nurture and support,” says Murray-Chandler, “this grant provides a growth opportunity that will allow additional students to participate and make a difference for their peers who need it most.”
SNHU alumnus and Trustee Ed Wolak ’74 has inspired a legacy of leadership and continuous generosity at SNHU.
Wolak joined the SNHU Board of Trustees in 2012 to pursue his passion for making college accessible to students in need. Among his many contributions to SNHU students and the greater community, now including support of the Wolak Learning Fellows, he created the Edward S. Wolak Scholarship in 2016 to support campus students who have worked in the quick service industry and/or have been a member of the Boys & Girls Club. Wolak paid his way through college by baking for Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in the area and is now president and CEO of the Wolak Group and owner of more than 95 Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in Maine, New Hampshire and upstate New York.
Honoring Edward S. Wolak ’74
It is a simple idea, yet a remarkably powerful one: Education transforms lives.
Making a planned gift can change the lives of students at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) by helping us make education accessible and affordable.
Learn how a charitable gift, like a bequest in your will or making SNHU a beneficiary of your IRA, can match your personal legacy goals, and support scholarship funds for future generations of students.
Consider making a gift to SNHU by establishing an endowed scholarship, supporting an existing scholarship, or by joining our Sponsored Scholars Program, where students connect with donors and create relationships with the generous partners who have established their educational aspirations.
The planning you do today will change the lives of Southern New Hampshire University students tomorrow.
Learn more about our scholarship funds at alumni.snhu.edu/make-a-gift/supporting-scholarships.
For further information, please contact: Amanda Bombara 603.626.9082 giving@snhu.edu plannedgiving.snhu.edu
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“We want to continue the legacy of generosity amongst SNHU alumni so that current students can benefit and eventually give back themselves as their careers progress.”