How Chase Thomas Went From Associate Degree to Doctorate

Dr. Chase A. Thomas '19 '21G HS-BCP, BCBA is busy. He’s a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), the director of a behavioral healthcare organization, an adjunct instructor at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and a post-doctoral research fellow at another university.

As a behavior analyst, he works clinically with children and families, including assessing and supporting individuals with autism and related disorders. “It is challenging, but also incredibly rewarding to give back in such a meaningful way,” he said.

It’s also personal. “I have a lot of lived experience, which is my primary reason for choosing this career," he said. "I have autism, among other things, and can closely relate to some of the experiences the families I work with go through.”

And for Thomas, it all started with an associate degree from SNHU.

Piece By Piece, Degree By Degree

Thomas began with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts in 2018. He said he was initially looking for a broad foundation across several topics.

From there, he moved directly into a bachelor’s in human services with a concentration in child and family services — which he earned in 2019 — inspired by his near-full-time work at a local YMCA and additional volunteer work.

“My choice for the human services program was because of my interest to pursue a degree in a nonprofit organization,” Thomas said. “But now, the degree has benefited my understanding of trauma, case management, performance management, law, nonprofit administration and education — all of which is relevant to my current career.”

After a brief stint at another university, he returned to SNHU to complete his Master of Science (MS) in Organizational Leadership followed by a graduate certificate in human resource management, both in 2021.

Part of what kept drawing him back was the support he found at SNHU. "I have had no issues with any advisors — all have been so friendly and more than helpful," he said. "I appreciate how some of them will just randomly reach out asking how you are, how your holidays went or what your plans are."

Like his bachelor’s, his master’s and graduate certificate have also helped him find success in his current roles. “The organizational leadership and human resources management focus has greatly benefited my role as a leader in the field of behavioral health, therapy and education,” he said.

He’s since gone on to earn a Doctorate of Human Services (note: SNHU does not offer this program) and has become dually certified as a Human Services Board Certified Professional (HS-BCP) and a BCBA.

'Nothing Worth Having is Easy to Achieve'

Though he may make it look easy, Thomas said his path has been anything but. “My lived experience has taught me nothing worth having is easy to achieve,” he said. “Time and time again, I've had to face many hurdles. I've learned to not give up, even when things feel hard.”

He’s also not done yet. One day, he hopes to open his own therapy practice. “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted something of my own,” he said. “Back then, it was a gift shop. Now I am growing the desire to shape what therapy looks like from the ground up.”

Looking back, Thomas said all his hard work was worth it, and not just because of the career opportunities he’s had. “Being a learner, and now a faculty member and researcher, has shown me the value of education, which is this lifelong process of being curious and contributing to the knowledge we all use every day,” he said.

Rebecca Cahill '26 is a content marketing assistant and writer at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). She completed her bachelor’s in creative writing and English at SNHU and is now pursuing a master's in English and creative writing. Based in Ohio, she has also written for FreshWater Cleveland and The Land and serves on the board of Literary Cleveland. When she’s not writing, you'll most likely find her nose in a book, dogs at her side, surrounded by way too many houseplants. Connect with her on LinkedIn.