Student Profiles – FatumaCape Town

“Up until last week, the happiest day of my life was the day I found out that I would become a university student through the Southern New Hampshire University Global Education Movement (SNHU GEM) program. But a few days ago, I learned that I was accepted for a job to become a Reviewer for the GEM Hub, providing feedback and guidance to my old program’s current students. Now, this is my new happiest moment.”

Fatuma Ciza, a recent graduate of Southern New Hampshire University – Global Education Movement (SNHU GEM), came to South Africa as a refugee from Burundi four years ago. In Burundi, Fatuma worked as a nurse, but in South Africa, her credentials did not translate, so she struggled to find employment. In 2018, Fatuma was selected to join the first-ever group of SNHU students in South Africa, just as she found out that she was pregnant with her first child. Fatuma was worried that she wouldn’t be able to keep up with a rigorous university schedule with a newborn. However, she soon learned that SNHU’s competency-based model allows students to study independently and on their own time. Without exam deadlines or scheduled classes, Fatuma completed her studies between nap time, feeding time, and bedtime. In addition to completing her coursework, she also was able to complete a scholarship-mandated internship and work part-time as a tutor for her fellow students. In April 2020, Fatuma graduated with her BA in Healthcare Management. 

Last week, after a competitive application process, Fatuma was accepted to become a Reviewer at the GEM Hub. She will be reviewing and assessing the classwork of students in the SNHU GEM program and beyond. When asked what advice she would give to other students starting their academic journeys, she said she would tell them to “envision their future. If you can envision it, you can accomplish it.”

To read other stories from the 2020 CLCC Yearbook, click here