How Madison Richards Found the Flexibility to Earn Her Degree

Between raising a family and working as a marketing director for an agency, Madison Richards '26 already had a full plate. Despite holding a director position, she decided it was time to pursue a college education. She said she "didn't want to delay it any longer."

So, she researched different schools that offered online programs before looking into Southern New Hampshire University's (SNHU) website.

“When I signed up to get more information, admissions called me the next day, gave me all the information I needed, and it just felt like a great fit,” Richards said.

After speaking with an admission counselor at SNHU, she ultimately decided on pursuing a marketing degree with a digital marketing concentration through the online program since it aligned with her career background.

Learning Online and Putting Skills to the Test

When comparing online programs at different universities, Richards said SNHU stood out to her because of the usability of the website. The flexibility of the classes swayed her over.

“When I found out how flexible the program was for the online schooling, it felt like a no-brainer to me," Richards said. "And it felt like it was definitely doable and possible, so I’m really glad I did it."

Of all the classes Richards took in her program, she mentioned that the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) versus Search Engine Marketing (SEM) course stood out to her the most.

“I got to use real-life examples too, within my marketing agency... So, I was able to really utilize what I was learning firsthand in my day-to-day life,” Richards said.

She noted that the beginning of the program was nerve-wracking, but as she became more comfortable with its flexibility and assignments, she experienced personal growth in the process.

There’s Always Room to Grow

Four years later, Richards completed the bachelor's program after attending full-time. She traveled from Michigan to New Hampshire with her son for the commencement ceremony.

“It was really important for me because my son is with me, and I just wanted him to be part of this experience," Richards said. "He’s seven years old, so it’s really cool for him to be able to witness me get this accomplishment."

Her next stop in her education is to pursue a master's degree with SNHU. She noted that Career Services helped her explore different paths she can take.

"When I was looking to continue my education, I’m a firm believer that you can never learn too much. You can always learn more," Richards said. "And it felt really natural just to transition into the master’s program here at Southern New Hampshire University. I also really love that I could do it online with the same flexibility as my bachelor’s degree."

To encourage new students who will be working toward an online degree with SNHU, Richards said to "remind yourself your reason why, and to really dedicate that time to yourself because you deserve this and it’s super important to you. So just remember that when times are hard.”

MaKaia Brown '25 is a content marketing assistant and writer at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Her first bachelor’s degree was in media communication from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. She completed her second bachelor’s degree in graphic design with SNHU through the Disney Aspire program. She is now continuing her education by pursuing a master’s degree in communication with a concentration in public relations with SNHU. Connect with her on LinkedIn.