How Kellsie Goodhart-Jones Earned an MBA While Working for the US Air Force

Before she enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), Kellsie Goodhart-Jones ’25G knew she wanted to get a master’s degree. There was just one problem: finding an online program that could fit into her life.

“My husband and I are military and we move quite often,” she said. “So the stabilization of being able to have the program online, and go at my own pace… was very much what I needed.”

When she did research to find the right school, SNHU stood out.

“I chose SNHU because when I was first looking at universities to get my online degree this was the most welcoming program, it was the most affordable program, and it was the program I thought would best fit my lifestyle,” she said.

From there, she chose an online MBA with a concentration in Engineering Management to help “further her career” as an employee with the U.S. Air Force.

Support That Made the Difference

Soon after she started, Goodhart-Jones said she got the support she needed.

“My academic advisor was always checking in on me and was very understanding when anything came up such as Temporary Duty (TDY), deployments, Permanent Change of Station (PCS) season, all of that,” she said. “My instructors were also very understanding.”

This support system kept her going, even when she was faced with day-to-day challenges.

“There was a point where I thought I wasn’t going to make it and I felt like I had to drop out, but [my advisor] pushed me through it,” she said. “And I ended up graduating with a 4.0 without taking any time off.”

Beyond the perfect GPA, Goodhart-Jones gained something that's harder to measure: confidence.

“I’m able to show that I can do hard things,” she said. “Since I started at SNHU, I’m a lot more confident in myself. I have a better understanding of just how much I can do in such a short period of time and I’m very very proud of myself.”

Spencer Hensel '21 is an assistant creative director at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). He is passionate about helping people own their power, and has channeled this passion as a storyteller, manager, mentor and EDI leader at work. A professional writer for over a decade, he’s had the pleasure of writing for Boston startups in the education, food and tech industries.

A lifelong learner, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Communications at Emmanuel College, along with a graduate certificate in marketing at SNHU. He has also volunteered as a TEDx speaker coach and organizer since 2022. Want to learn more? Connect with him on LinkedIn.