SNHU Spotlight: Brandon Hayes, BA Graphic Design and Media Grad

Texas native Brandon Hayes ’24 was looking for a university that would both understand his experience in the Army and help him gain the tools he needs to succeed in the workforce.

After earning his GED and serving in the military, Hayes felt it was finally time for his chance to walk at graduation. Inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps — also a Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) graduate — Hayes enrolled and earned his bachelor's degree at SNHU.

For veterans like himself, Hayes said SNHU was foundational. "I’m proud to have served this country and I’m also happy that I was able to find a university that I feel personally understands the soldier," he said.

It turns out, Hayes walked away with much more than a degree. He said he feels every assignment and every course in his online graphic design degree program was beneficial, and helped make him a stronger prospect in his career — and he also walked away with a newfound sense of personal value and self-worth.

"Southern New Hampshire (University) gave me a new me. It redefined who I was as a person," Hayes said.

But Hayes said he couldn’t have done it alone. In fact, he said there were simply too many people to name who were helpful along the way. “You have to have good people behind you, teaching you, sharing their knowledge, exchanging knowledge, in order to help you better your life in general," he said.

When reflecting on his experiences at Southern New Hampshire University and whether or not his experience was worth it, Hayes shared some knowledge of his own.

“Anything that you believe in is always worth it if you have a 'why,'" he said. "Southern New Hampshire University helped give me a why; to further my career, to help me achieve goals that I never thought were possible from where I come."

Carley Barton is a copy director at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Having always been passionate about the written word, she graduated from Plymouth State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English before moving to New York where she worked for various agencies. Now, with over a decade of experience in marketing and advertising, she uses her brand-building and storytelling skills to help share the stories of our learners. In her free time, Carley enjoys writing poetry and personal essays, practicing pottery and being as close to the ocean as possible. Connect with her on LinkedIn.