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Lynda Jarrett '23 said that her journey at Õ¬ÄÐƵµÀ (SNHU) centered around her desire to finish school. And at 65 years old, she accomplished this goal by earning an online bachelor's in business administration.

With her children, granddaughter and sisters in attendance at the Commencement ceremony, Jarrett said, “This just feels amazing — to be able to do this.”

After considering going back into the field of education, Jarrett decided she wanted to pursue a business degree instead. She said she was intrigued by SNHU’s program.

“I loved the program,” she said. “I loved that it was online.” 

But the online component was not without its challenges. Jarrett said she was intimidated, at first. 

“But then I realized, I could do it,” she said. “Just like everyone else.” 

Jarrett said receiving her first grade in the program was affirming and that she felt her instructors really heard her. After that moment, she said, she knew she had made the right choice in coming to SNHU to attain her degree. 

That affirmation gave Jarrett to a sense of determination and persistence. “Just keep going,” she said. “Don’t let anything stop you.” 

Support and compassion were also important to Jarrett. “The kindness that happens here at SNHU is very evident,” she said. “People are very kind to me, and if they were kind to me, they were kind to my colleagues, to my fellow students, who might be struggling — that matters to me.” 

At Commencement, Jarrett had the opportunity to celebrate with her fellow students. 

“The ritual of the graduation, the cap and gown — all of that — is really important for the graduate because it makes you feel a part of your community," she said. "A bunch of us participated online, and we don’t know each other. So this is a great opportunity to celebrate together.” 

Abigayle Mahnken ’22 is an assistant content writer at Õ¬ÄÐƵµÀ (SNHU), where she earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and is currently earning a Master of Arts (MA) in English and Creative Writing. Passionate about storytelling and education, she enjoys learning from fellow students' experiences and sharing their stories. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, reading, and learning. She also really likes video games. Connect with her on .