For Jazzmen Shipp, Earning a Degree Changed Everything

Before enrolling at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), Jazzmen Shipp '25 was in a vulnerable situation.

“I started out homeless with five kids and pregnant," she said. “I was in a shelter with my kids, and I didn’t know where to go or what to do."

She said earning a degree felt like her best option, so she took the plunge at SNHU — and with a diploma in hand at the other end of her journey, Shipp said she made the right choice.

“Now, I have six kids," Shipp said at Commencement, graduating with an associate degree in business administration. "And I just wanted them to know that perseverance is the way to go."

Finding Her Place

When it came to deciding on a school, Shipp noted that she felt SNHU chose her. “It kind of fell into my lap,” she said.

After seeing ads, she said she realized SNHU was where she wanted to be. “I said, ‘Hey this looks fun, this looks exciting, it looks helpful.’ And it was all of that," said Shipp.

Business administration was her major of choice, and she began her studies with aspirations of running an organization. “I also wanted to be a serial entrepreneur," she said.

Her academic advisor was especially helpful, according to Shipp, ensuring that she had the resources she needed to succeed. “She did check-ins, she made sure I was prepared, I knew about my courses, that I knew where to go," Shipp said.

And in terms of motivation along the way, Shipp had six good reasons to keep going. “It's my children that keep me motivated," she said, noting that she watched them sleep while working on her assignments late at night.

So, What’s Changed?

At Commencement, Shipp wore a stole to recognize her status as the first in her family to graduate from college. “I am so excited to be the example,” she said. “I am praying that my children follow my footsteps and know that this is the way to go.”

While she initially planned for a career in business, Shipp's education took her to an unexpected place. “Not only am I graduating with my business degree, I also have a newfound career in politics,” she said. “I am a policy aide at Minneapolis, Minnesota City Hall."

She credits the finance course she took with preparing her for the role. “That class put me in the position to be in the career that I am in now,” she said.

Beyond her new career, Shipp said her time at SNHU changed who she is and her entire perspective on life.

"I feel like a whole new person. I feel like what changed about me from day one at SNHU to now is the way I talk, the way I carry myself," she said. "My excitement, my outlook on life. I have way more reasons to be excited now."

To anyone else considering finishing school, Shipp said it's well worth it. "This is you choosing yourself," she said. "This is you saying, 'I'm saying yes to myself.'"

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor’s and master’s, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon’s short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. Connect with them on LinkedIn.