Student Ashley Speicher not only had to deal with the transition to college life when she came to the university, but also with the transition from walking to using a wheelchair.

At age 11, Ashley had a transplant to replace her enlarged heart. Shortly afterward a biopsy confirmed that she had muscular dystrophy. The disease began to affect her legs when she was a freshman in college.

“Everything that does happen will make me a stronger and better person,” she says.

Ashley was drawn to the many volunteer opportunities at the university.

“Community involvement work is my passion,” says Ashley. “SNHU provides a community where you feel more connected with everyone and you feel a part of things.”

This 2006 Emerging Leadership Award-winner loves to help others such as recent trips during university breaks to help hurricane victims in Pass Christian, Miss.  She is a member of the Outreach Association and the Human Rights Association, an ambassador for the president and a student volunteer coordinator for the Center for Service and Citizenship. She wants to work for a nonprofit political group after graduation.

She also is serves on the university’s disabilities awareness panel.

“In the past, I had a lot of difficulty when speaking about my muscular dystrophy disease and how it affected me,” she says. “I tried very hard to try to hide my problems, especially in social situations. When I came to SNHU, everything changed. Not only was I ready to speak publicly, but the members of SNHU community encouraged me and seemed eager to learn more to assist me.”

“It is great to voice my concerns and experiences and to have people actually listen and care to try to improve my life in whatever way they could,” she says. “I have never experienced this kind of sincerity and interest about my disease.”