Meet Hannah

Name: Hannah Gemas

Class of: 2022

Program: Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education w/ a certification in General Special Education

"This scholarship has helped alleviate some of the stress of paying for tuition, while having limited work availability. "

What do you like most about SNHU?

I love the camaraderie in SNHU's School of Education, since it's such a small group of students. 

How do the scholarships and financial aid you receive make it possible for you to attend SNHU? Specifically, how have scholarships made a difference?

Going into my senior year, it will be much more difficult to juggle hours at a part-time job while student teaching full-time. This scholarship has helped alleviate some of the stress of paying for tuition, while having limited work availability. 

What would you say to those who donate to support student scholarships?

Thank you! With merit scholarships now being limited at SNHU, this scholarship has helped more than I can express!

Why did you choose Southern New Hampshire University?

I chose Southern New Hampshire University because of the Elementary and Special Education program. Out of all the colleges I toured, SNHU had the most friendly staff, faculty, and students. It felt so welcoming!

What was your hope in receiving a college education? How has your experience been different than what you've imagined?

My hope in receiving a college education was to expand my knowledge, have hands-on field experiences, and meet a community of professionals to learn from. My experiences with SNHU's School of Education program far exceeded these expectations. I gained so many valuable experiences and mentors for life from SNHU staff/faculty!

What inspired you to choose your area of study? What is your dream job?

My dream job is to teach second graders at a public school in New Hampshire. I grew up in a family of teachers, and seeing their passion for their students made me want to find a job that I loved to go to every day.

Who at SNHU (professor, coach, advisor, etc.) has been the biggest influence on your college experience? What lessons did that person teach you?

The Assistant Dean of the School of Education, Gregory McHale, has been the biggest influence on my SNHU experience. As a freshman, I joined the club that he was an advisor of and by the next year he had encouraged me to run for president. I spent two years in this role, where he taught me how to be more confident as a leader of a college organization. Outside of the club, I got a job as an Office Assistant for the School of Ed where Greg was one of my supervisors. In this capacity, he helped to teach me about higher education and professionalism. Finally, Greg served as my Academic Advisor. In this role, he helped to keep me organized and pushed me to work hard academically. 

In what ways have you been involved at SNHU (campus organizations, job, sports, etc.)?

I was the president of the SNHU ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) Student Chapter for two years. Additionally, I was a general member of the SNHU Buddies club and a member of the University Honors program. I've also worked as an Office Assistant for the School of Education.

What do you find most challenging? How do you deal with this?

I find it challenging to balance school, multiple jobs, social time, and self care. I deal with this by making a lot of to-do lists and calendars to budget my time and stay on track. 

What are you proudest of?

I'm most proud of finishing my junior year with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. Between online learning, multiple jobs (both remote and in-person), campus involvement, community involvement, and finishing my honors program course work — it was a very challenging year — but I still achieved my goal. 

In what ways do you want/hope to stay involved as an SNHU graduate?

I hope to stay in touch with professors and serve as a resource for other future teachers graduating from SNHU!

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