Wade Philbrick '85

Get to Know Our June 2018 Honoree

Wade Philbrick '85 is a SNHUperstar living and working in California who bleeds blue & gold! He's passionate about bringing the SoCal SNHU Community together and has planned karaoke nights, service projects, and networking events for fellow Penmen in the area. Learn why this alumnus has a passion for Penmen Pride on the West Coast.
 

What inspires you to volunteer at SNHU?

I am inspired to give on behalf of SNHU because there is an unlimited need for volunteerism. All across our communities, there is need for helping the less fortunate, for coastal clean-up, for parks and schools restoration, for aligning with organizations dedicated to making the sick well, for feeding the hungry, and for promoting equality with minority or marginalized groups.

My years attending SNHU were transformative for me, and as a result, have allowed me to achieve many of the successes I set as goals. When I entered SNHU, I didn’t come from a family with a strong business background, and as such, SNHU provided those much needed foundational skills to prepare me for a tough business climate. I had terrific mentors and leaders who helped shape my future, and now it’s my turn to do the same for others.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering at SNHU?

What I enjoy the most about volunteering is how appreciative the recipients are for the assistance we provide. Each year in East Los Angeles, the Southern California SNHU Community volunteers for the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day. It’s a great day of active learning for our youth to keep them motivated in making healthy choices for their growth.

What results have you seen from your efforts?

Both the staff at the YMCA and the parents of attendees show such gratitude for our participation. But more importantly, we know we are making an impact on these families' lives. Our efforts result in forging lasting relationships with impactful organizations who need our ongoing support. Another benefit to organizing volunteer days, is that it brings the SNHU community together. In Southern California, we are rapidly growing our connections in the SNHU community and we are trying to strengthen the bond with all of our graduates and students, with a particular focus on online program grads. This is an important aspect because our community service days are one way to feel more connected to the school.

Did anything unexpected happen as a result of your volunteer activities?

One great example of an unexpected result was at the West Coast Celebration. A recent alumnus asked me how he could become more involved with the Special Olympics organization. After our conversation, he will be representing SNHU at the Special Olympics Games of Southern California at Cal State Long Beach as a volunteer ambassador and I will network him to my connection at the International Special Olympics Committee to see if we can secure him an internship. The SNHU family is always willing to step in and volunteer, so we need to strengthen our SNHU regional communities, build our relationships, and communicate opportunities often.

Will you continue to volunteer at SNHU? Why?

I will continue to organize and communicate opportunities for community service days through our SNHU SoCal Community. As previously mentioned, it strengthens our relationships and more importantly, our local members want to participate in community service days. Shortly, we will announce some exciting news about a potential partnership with DaVinci Extension in the Los Angeles area.   The opportunities and the need for leadership from our alumni will be significantly important to this school as they strive to provide underserved students with SNHU degrees and critical life skills.

Will you encourage others to get involved? How?

We are just getting started in Southern California. As our SNHU community continues to grow, a major component will be to always focus on community giving. It helps define who we are, and brings Penmen closer together.   

If you are a current student (working towards a degree) or an SNHU alumna/us living in California, please join us. We welcome all future and current alumni to be part of this transformational network. You can begin your participation by joining our Facebook group: “SNHU Alumni Community - Southern California”. We hold social and/or volunteer events each quarter in and around Los Angeles and Orange County. Also, please feel free to reach out directly to me on LinkedIn or Facebook.  

 

Past Volunteer Spotlight Honorees