How Rob Thomas Balanced School, Work and Serving His Country

At 17-years-old, Rob Thomas ’24 joined the U.S. military because he wanted to make a difference. College took a backseat to his career while he gained experience both as a service member and working in management at a cargo logistics company, but he'd later come to discover that he didn’t need to choose between work, education and serving his country. At Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), he could balance all three.

Ready for Duty

Thomas was already successful by all accounts before he started at SNHU. In addition to his job in operations management, he was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, serving as an OC/T — an Observer Coach/Trainer. “We validate, train and mentor soldiers that are going overseas,” he said.

But Thomas felt that he still had room to grow. “I knew it was the right time to pursue my educational goals at SNHU because I’m looking to move my operational management career forward and also be promoted in the military,” he said.

He decided to earn his bachelor’s in general studies so he could take the courses that he felt would benefit him the most as both a manager and an OC/T. “I chose a degree in general studies because I wanted to focus in on leadership courses that SNHU had to offer,” he said.

Managing It All

The asynchronous format of SNHU’s courses allowed Thomas to do his coursework when it made sense for him alongside his other commitments. “Balancing school, work and my military responsibilities was very doable thanks to the flexibility given to me at SNHU,” he said. “My degree was offered 100% online.”

While studying online from New Jersey, SNHU's student resources helped him stay on track in school.

“The online tutoring was exactly what I needed for a 24/7 system,” he said, noting that he could get support whenever he needed it. “All of my professors were extremely knowledgeable and always supported me with any questions.”

Military Benefits and Support

Thomas said he used his GI Bill^® benefits combined with SNHU’s military discount to help with the cost of his education. He also noted that he was able to transfer credits from his On-the-Job Training (OJT).

“I was able to earn credit from my military training, which helped me earn my degree faster,” he said. “I was surprised to see how many credits I got from my military experience.” SNHU accepts up to 90 credits toward a bachelor’s degree, including Professional Military Education and prior college coursework.

He noted that the application process for the GI Bill^® was an easy one. “The support of SNHU made it even better,” he said.

The admission, benefits and advising teams at SNHU are all specially trained to work with military students and support them with their unique needs, and Thomas said his academic advisor was always there when he needed something. “The support I received was outstanding,” he said.

Celebrating Success

When he graduated, Thomas and his family traveled from their home state of New Jersey to Manchester, New Hampshire, to celebrate his accomplishments at Commencement. His father and sister both shared how proud they were of Thomas and his continued success.

“I’ve never been more proud of you, and your mom would be proud of you, too,” his sister said, her voice raw with emotion.

Thomas acknowledged a sense of pride in himself, too. “SNHU has really given me the confidence to lead all of my teams and give me the skills that I need to move up to the next level,” he said.

And although this was the end of his bachelor's degree, it wasn't the end of his time with SNHU. Next up, Thomas said, is a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in International Business.

GI Bill^® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website.

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.