SNHU’S Global Education Movement
At Southern New Hampshire University, our commitment to transforming lives has never stopped at the boundaries of our campus in New Hampshire – we work worldwide to provide access to education to learners. There is no better example of this mission than SNHU’s Global Education Movement (SNHU GEM).
SNHU GEM launched in 2017 as the first higher education program to offer refugees the opportunity to earn high-quality, U.S.–accredited degrees and gain real-world skills that open pathways to employment and self-determination.
Globally, 110 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes by war, climate change, and other conflicts. It’s a troubling reality that many displaced people face barriers that prevent them from learning or working in their host communities. Creating pathways to education and employment can be transformative not only for our graduates’ lives but also the lives of their families and communities as well.
SNHU GEM has grown so much since its earliest days – our program has expanded from one site to span six countries and 13 locations. We have served more than 3,500 students in Malawi, Kenya, Rwanda, Lebanon, Turkey, and South Africa.
Partnership is at the heart of SNHU GEM’s growth and success. At each site, we work with in-country organizations that provide vital wraparound support services to help students succeed. Whether they choose to continue their education, start their own businesses, or find career opportunities across the globe, SNHU GEM graduates have the tools they need to embark on the next steps of their journeys.
In November, President Paul LeBlanc and I had the opportunity to visit our SNHU GEM sites in Rwanda and Kenya, where we work alongside our on-the-ground partners – Kepler in Rwanda and the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Kenya. During our visit, we met with faculty, staff, and students to learn more about how we can better support the unique needs of displaced learners. We made powerful visits to the Kibera slum in Nairobi and the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where we heard stories about the many challenges that these communities face. And we had the immense pleasure of celebrating graduation with the SNHU GEM Class of 2023.
We often say that no one does Commencement better than SNHU, but watching refugee learners from SNHU GEM accept their diplomas is always a special joy. This fall, SNHU GEM and our in-country partners gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, and Nairobi, Kenya, to witness 163 displaced learners receive their diplomas and celebrate their accomplishments with their classmates, friends, and families.
During our trip, I connected with many refugee learners who were generous enough to share their personal stories with me. Two of the alumni I spoke with, Alexia Umugwaneza ’23 and Mupenzi Niyomugabo ’23, described journeys that I believe embody the dedication, talent, and skill of our graduating class.
Alexia Umugwaneza, a Class of 2023 alumna and refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), graduated with an associate degree in General Studies and is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree in Communications with a concentration in Business from SNHU GEM and JRS Kenya.
Like many SNHU GEM students, Alexia is the first person in her family to graduate with a university degree. Her father was passionate about Alexia continuing her education, but her parents did not have the funds to support her university education. Alexia was thrilled to receive a scholarship to attend SNHU GEM and JRS Kenya.
Prior to graduation, Alexia accepted a job as a program assistant for a non-government organization (NGO) in South Sudan. She attributes her success in the role to her degree and the practical experience she gained in the SNHU GEM program.
Alexia’s goal is to become an advocate for displaced people – “a voice for the voiceless” who reminds international decision makers of an important truth: “that refugees are also human beings; that refugees can have access to education, and equal rights.”
Mupenzi Niyomugabo, a Class of 2023 alumnus and refugee from the DRC, accepted his bachelor’s degree in Management with a concentration in Logistics and Operations at the graduation ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda.
When he discovered that he had been accepted into the program, Mupenzi seized the opportunity to pursue his education, and leveraged his education to pursue new employment opportunities. Today, he works as a Business Associate at Inkomoko, a Kigali-based organization that provides training, advisory, and low-cost financing to entrepreneurs. He credits his education at SNHU GEM and Kepler for his quick advancement at the organization.
According to Mupenzi, a first-generation graduate and father of two: “Graduation is a big milestone for me. It provides hope for the future, that I can achieve more things. I hope to show my two boys so much with my degree – including that hard work pays off, and nothing is impossible.”
Our work at SNHU GEM is not done, and 2024 promises to bring more exciting developments. Recently, SNHU GEM opened a new site in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey. Together with our longtime partner Multi Aid Programs (MAPS), we will provide refugee students in Turkey with access to fully accredited degrees and wraparound academic and livelihood supports that pave the way for brighter, more secure lives.
In the new year, SNHU GEM will continue to increase its impact and reach, and remain committed to supporting refugees as they become leaders in their own communities and drive conversations about refugee rights around the globe.
We will also continue to increase the number of students we serve – at the UNHCR Global Refugee Forum in December, SNHU GEM made a commitment to serve 5,000 refugee learners in higher education by 2030.
We do this work because we know that while talent abounds, opportunity does not. Education has the power to level the playing field, and we are committed to providing refugee learners worldwide with the support and opportunities they need to pursue brighter, more secure lives.