“The degree you earned now allows you to build and join a network of nearly 200,000 other SNHU alumni around the world who are also trying to transform lives.”
When Southern New Hampshire University’s Global Education Movement (SNHU GEM) and Kepler came together to celebrate Rwanda’s class of 2022, Dr. Adrian K. Haugabrook, SNHU’s Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the Social Impact Collective, had a few words of wisdom for the graduating students from the city of Kigali and the Kiziba Refugee Camp. He urged graduates to find and pursue their purpose in life.
“There is a reason why you earned this degree. It’s not just to make more money. It’s not just to have a credential after your name. That degree now allows you to build, and understand, and join a network of nearly 200,000 other SNHU alumni around the world who are also trying to transform lives at scale” said Dr. Haugabrook.
We know that when refugees have access to opportunities such as higher education, they not only improve their own lives, but create opportunities for those in their community and beyond. Together with our program partners, SNHU GEM’s role is to reach and empower these individuals, regardless of where they are, who might otherwise not have access to tertiary education and professional skills training because of their status as refugees.
SNHU GEM’s partnerships with organizations like Kepler in Rwanda are a critical part of our mission to expand access to high-quality education in even the most difficult contexts. Working with in-country partners in five countries across Africa and the Middle East, SNHU GEM provides refugee learners with high-quality, fully-accredited degrees and wrap-around services including academic coaching, internships, and career skills training.
“I stand here before you as a representation, of a vision, of a university and its partnerships, that truly believe in transforming lives at scale,” Dr. Haugabrook told the graduating students. “Southern New Hampshire University and Kepler are both here in support of you.”