From SNAP Benefits to Valedictorian: Goodwin University Celebrates the Remarkable Journey of Susan Johnson
A single mother of four, Susan spent years working tirelessly as a nanny while receiving SNAP benefits to make ends meet — but she knew she was capable of more. When Susan received a flyer in the mail about free associate degree programs offered through Goodwin University's partnership with the state SNAP program, she saw a pathway to a brighter future for her and her young family.
Susan officially enrolled in Goodwin's associate degree program in human services in 2018 — and everything changed.
By the end of her program, Susan earned her associate degree summa cum laude. Soon after, she joined the University staff as a senior administrative assistant, a role that empowered her to pursue her bachelor's degree in Human Services while working full-time and raising her daughters. Her GPA? An astonishing 4.0, and she is presently pursuing a master's degree in Public Health.
Susan's story reaches its pinnacle this week as she prepares to represent her fellow 2025 graduates as valedictorian, carrying the Goodwin University flag and ringing the Goodwin Bell during commencement ceremonies.
"You have it in you to make the end of your story better than how it began," says Susan. "No matter where you start, you have the power to rewrite the future — and I am living proof of that." University leaders agree. "Susan's journey from SNAP recipient to University graduate and employee exemplifies the transformative power of education and determination," said Goodwin's Human Services program director, Liz Lane. "She is an inspiration for those who cross the stage at commencement this week, as well as those who sit in the stands."
University President Mark Scheinberg echoes this sentiment. "Susan reminds us what's possible when opportunity meets resilience and the support of an educational community. She embodies the mission of Goodwin University at its best: removing barriers to education, championing learners of all ages and backgrounds, and helping students write new chapters in their lives filled with purpose and potential."
Media outlets are invited to cover Susan's story and the award presentation. Interviews with Susan and University representatives are available by request.
Commencement Information:Date: Thursday, June 12Time: 4 p.m.Location: Rentschler Field, East Hartford, ConnecticutVisuals: Susan addressing the crowd, receiving the Academic Excellence Award, ringing the bell, and carrying the university flag.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
One-on-one interviews with Susan Johnson
Interviews with Liz Lane and university leaders about Susan's recognition
Footage and photos from commencement
About Goodwin University:
Goodwin University in East Hartford, Connecticut, is an innovative learning community that empowers hard-working students to become sought-after employees. We tailor our programs to address the needs of employers, and we shape them to fit the lives of students. Classes are conveniently offered year-round — days, evenings, weekends, and online. Degrees may be flexibly layered across certificate, associate, bachelor's, and master's programs in a variety of in-demand fields. Better still, we surround our students with the personal support and the professional guidance they need — not just to earn degrees, but to change lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. For more information, please visit www.goodwin.edu.
To schedule interviews or request media access, contact: Peter Decoteau, pdecoteau@goodwin.edu, 860-748-8246
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/from-snap-benefits-to-valedictorian-goodwin-university-celebrates-the-remarkable-journey-of-susan-johnson-302479597.html
SOURCE Goodwin University
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Three stunning camera club shots
WE picked our favourite camera club images that were shared by our members. Here are the top three. Scott Lynan Photography's picture taken at Warnscale. Scott Lynan Photography's picture taken at Warnscale (Image: News & Star Camera Club) A roe deer in Brampton, shared by Susan Farish. A roe deer in Brampton, shared by Susan Farish (Image: News & Star Camera Club) Ryan Denby's picture taken at Lodore Jetty. Ryan Denby's picture taken at Lodore Jetty (Image: News & Star Camera Club) To join our camera club, search 'News & Star Camera Club' on Facebook.
UPI
5 days ago
- UPI
Watch: Alligator removed from shoulder of Florida's Turnpike
July 28 (UPI) -- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission personnel responded to Florida's Turnpike in Miami-Dade County to remove an alligator on the emergency shoulder. The Florida Highway Patrol said two lanes of traffic were blocked while FWC officers worked to capture the gator in the southbound lines, near the exit to Northwest 74th Street. The alligator, estimated to be about 9 feet long, was safely removed from the highway and relocated to a nearby canal. "The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP)," the FWC said in a statement provided to WPBF-TV. "The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas while conserving alligators in Florida. SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property."
New York Times
5 days ago
- New York Times
Why Women Are Weary of the Emotional Labor of ‘Mankeeping'
Justin Lioi is a licensed clinical social worker in Brooklyn who specializes in therapy for men. When he sees a new client, one of the first things he asks is: Who can you talk to about what's going on in your life? Much of the time, Mr. Lioi said, his straight male clients tell him that they rarely open up to anyone but their girlfriends or wives. Their partners have become their unofficial therapists, he said, 'doing all the emotional labor.' That particular role now has a name: 'mankeeping.' The term, coined by Angelica Puzio Ferrara, a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, has taken off online. It describes the work women do to meet the social and emotional needs of the men in their lives, from supporting their partners through daily challenges and inner turmoil, to encouraging them to meet up with their friends. 'What I have been seeing in my research is how women have been asked or expected to take on more work to be a central — if not the central — piece of a man's social support system,' Ms. Ferrara said, taking care to note that the dynamic isn't experienced by all couples. The concept has taken on a bit of a life of its own, with some articles going so far as to claim that mankeeping has 'ruined' dating and driven women to celibacy. We talked to Ms. Ferrara and other experts about what mankeeping is and isn't, and how to tell if it has seeped into your relationship. Mankeeping isn't just emotional intimacy. Ms. Ferrara, who researches male friendship at Stanford's Clayman Institute for Gender Research, and Dylan Vergara, a research assistant, published a paper on mankeeping in 2024, after investigating why some men struggle to form close bonds — a growing and well-documented issue. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
