Meet Nneka

Name: Nneka Hall

Class of: 2024

Program: Bachelor of Science in Public Health

"Thank you for believing in me and giving me the push to believe in myself."



What do you like most about SNHU?

I love the flexibility.  I am allowed to be a student while caring for my children and elders.

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

This scholarship will help me to complete my degree without financial hardship for me and my family.

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

You will never know how much this scholarship means to me. Even when I was married, I was a single mom. I was sitting here in tears because my home needs repairs, my youngest daughter needs fees to attend a specialized private school, and the countless other things that go along with being a mom and caregiver of elders. Then I opened my email to see that someone believes in me; not only do they believe in me, they’re pouring into my education.  

I am not a traditional student. I am a fifty year old mother of four. Three of my children are with me and one rests in paradise. My daughter, Annaya, was stillborn on my thirty-seventh birthday and losing her changed my life. Because of her, I became a doula turned maternal health advocate who is now completing a degree in Public Health. This is my second attempt at completing a degree. I was my oldest daughter’s age (eighteen) in the nineties when I left home to go to school, but I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, or so I believed, and I dropped out. I came home, got married, had my older two and kept putting myself on the back burner. My oldest daughter motivated me last year to step out on faith and pursue a degree. So here I am, completing a four year degree in less than two years.

Thank you for believing in me and giving me the push to believe in myself.

Why did you choose Southern New Hampshire University?

I loved the online structure.

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

My hope in receiving a college education is that my children to continue to see me as a source of strength and inspiration. I've done a lot in my life, but I know I can do so much more now that I have my degree. I expected to struggle, but my experience has been amazing.

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

I have worked as a doula since 2012, a Maternal Health Advocate since 2019, and am a TIER Community Evaluator through Tufts University. Public Health made perfect sense.

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

My advisors have been amazing.  They have allowed me to move at my own accelerated speed without discouraging me.

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

Unfortunately, I have not had an opportunity yet. I am hoping to get more involved while earning my MPH.

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

Time management has been challenging. My right hip was replaced while I was taking classes. An email to my professors eased my anxiety.

What are you proudest of?

I am proudest of my success. I'm doing so much better this time around than I did as a teen in the 90s.

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

I'm telling EVERYONE about this experience. I mentor and train doulas; a few of them have enrolled at SNHU. Sharing my experience with others is the best way to be involved.

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