“That is where the money is,” he says with a smile. “If people can succeed in life, why can’t one of those people be me?”

 Chris, who speaks French, didn’t speak any English when he came to New Hampshire, so before diving into business, he took an eight-month English course through the university’s Institute for Language Education. That helped him with the language skills he needed to succeed both in America and in college.

 “Tim DiMatteo, my ESL professor, helped me out a lot,” Chris says. “If I did not understand something or needed clarification, he was always willing and able to help me. This is true, even today. Even though I am not in the ESL program anymore, if I have a question on anything his office is always open.”

 Chris didn’t know a soul when he arrived on campus and felt a little lost in a foreign country.

 “SNHU is a place where people are very approachable and friendly and it is easy to make friends,” he says.

 Now Chris makes friends with ease. From playing pick-up basketball games to being  an active member in the Association for Cultural Exchange, he feels right at home.