SNHU Spotlight: Casey Rasmussen, Master of Education (MEd) Grad

When Casey Rasmussen '23G traveled from Tennessee for Commencement at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), she brought someone very special along with her for the trip.

"It was his very first plane ride," she said, holding her infant son Rockwell, who wore graduation regalia to match hers. "He did great."

The pair celebrated Rasmussen's newly earned Master of Education (MEd). Currently working as an educator, she said she always wanted to get her master's. When she became pregnant, it made her even more determined to take the leap.

"When I started my degree, I was pregnant with him — I had just gotten pregnant with him," she said. "I actually finished my degree two months after having him, so he has been a part of my entire master's process."

Although earning this degree was hugely rewarding, it also took a lot of hard work and dedication. "I was able to get my master's in a year," Rasmussen said. "It was the hardest thing I had ever done, because I was also working full time."

Rasmussen said the flexibility of learning online at SNHU allowed her to start her degree while working and becoming a mother. SNHU's faculty and staff — particularly Chris Charest — supported her when she didn't know if she was going to be able to make it to the finish line.

"If it wasn't for Chris, my academic advisor, I don't know how I would have done it," said Rasmussen. "When I got that final grade and email that I had passed, I started crying, because I worked so hard and made a lot of sacrifices."

And she said it was all for her son.

"I think he'll know our story, and he'll know how hard Mom worked to get us here," she said of Rockwell. "That's something I wanted him to know from the very beginning — that if he sets his mind to something, he can do it."

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. They're currently writing their debut novel, which was Longlisted for The First Pages Prize. Connect with them on LinkedIn.