Embarking on a Great Adventure

I am about to embark on a great adventure—a journey, quite frankly, that could be described as life-altering (and I’m sure it will be described in just those words by me before the journey is over). It’s a trip already in progress, and I will enter into the second third of that journey, one which I’ve had the privilege to document in blog form and social media for the nonprofit university for which I am fortunate to work.

Southern New Hampshire University began a six-week, cross-country trip by bus–a branded SNHU.edu bus–eleven days ago, and has traveled down the east coast, meeting students and alumni, connecting them with advisors and faculty who have impacted them in some significant way, and most all, students are sharing their goals, along with their personal stories and how SNHU somehow fit into each. Every story told to date resonates strongly with me. We hear about the sacrifices made to obtain dreams, not just for or by the student, but his or her family as well; and we hear about what’s next. This is an opportunity to cheer on those still making gains in their degree programs and to applaud those who have completed theirs–and celebrate their success.

Just one more of the many amazing parts of this whole journey is that it is also allowing staff and faculty an up-close and personal look at how their hard work and commitment translates into student success, and allows students to truly know how much the university cares about its mission. Many of the students we are meeting are online students, and for this opportunity to exist to make these kind of connections, well. . .it’s pretty unique and unbelievably inspirational. And for those who are alumni from long ago, or even more recent on-campus students, I can only imagine it must seem astounding to see SNHU coming through their state, so far away perhaps from where they originally went to school in N.H.

See why I feel lucky to work where I do, and to witness all of this? And now I get a front row seat. While I’ll continue to document the journey in an official capacity here with others from our team, my own observations of what’s unfolding will be journaled here in my own blog. I can’t wait to see what happens next.