Since joining Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in 2003 as President, LeBlanc has vowed to supply that “missing link”. Using modern technology, LeBlanc made a modern education powerhouse out of this 80-year old college.
SNHU has opened the Center for Online and Continuing Education (COCE), a section that oversees the University’s online program. With its 10,600 students enrolled in 120 graduate and post-graduate curricula, SNHU’s COCE has grown to be the largest online degree provider in New England. To secure its place in the industry, SNHU will soon open 50 more online programs. The target is to make SNHU as the biggest online non-profit education system in the US by 2014.
The slumping economy worldwide led many older and working students to seek high-quality education that are affordable and available anytime, anywhere. To keep their students satisfied, SNHU has patterned their customer service to Zappos and Amazon were students’ opinions are treated with high respect.
To maintain quality of education, SNHU has employed a software system that tracks down the factors that predict student success. The system will flag advisers if the students are slipping. The system also allows tracking of teacher involvement online.
COCE has been earning an annual revenue of $74 million. In spite of operating at a loss as a non-profit organization, COCE helps subsidize the operations of SNHU’s main campus.
The success of SNHU in their online education program has attracted potential partners who are capable of spreading the model. Several high schools and community colleges as far as North Carolina are exploring the possibility of holding dual enrolment programs through SNHU. All these efforts add up to an all-new brand of education.