NFIB Partners with SNHU's College for America to Offer Affordable College Degrees to Small Business Owners and Employees

"Providing our members with an affordable option to develop their skills and that of their employees through higher education degrees is a unique benefit we are proud to offer," said NFIB Sr. Vice President of Marketing Mark Garzone. "With College for America, our members can work full time and still obtain fully accredited college degrees to help them better operate and grow their small businesses."

College for America programs are competency-based, directly applicable in the workplace, and designed to accommodate the busy lives of working adults. College for America graduates earn an associate's or bachelor's degree, at their own pace, from Southern New Hampshire University—a fully accredited, nonprofit university. Students work at their own pace, with no scheduled class time, and complete real-world projects based on skills needed in the labor market. Only members and employees of College for America partners may enroll in the degree programs, and employers often reimburse the cost of attendance using tuition assistance programs. 70% of College for America students are earning their degree without any debt, and 21% with less than $5,000 in debt.

"Small businesses often lack the resources to offer tuition assistance programs and other education benefits that larger companies are able to offer their employees," said Kris Clerkin, executive director of College for America at Southern New Hampshire University. "This partnership with NFIB will provide thousands of small businesses, which are so critical to our country's economy, with the same opportunities to build a stronger, loyal, and more talented workforce."

At a time when 94% of business leaders cite the need to build talent leadership and 87% raise concerns over employees missing skills for promotion, College for America is helping to bridge that divide. Of College for America's first year associate's degree graduates, more than half report getting a promotion or increased responsibilities at work, nine out of ten are still with the same employer and two thirds have gone on to enroll in the bachelor's program. In a more recent survey, 89% of College for America students say their work helps build skills applicable to their currents jobs.

About College for America at Southern New Hampshire University
College for America at Southern New Hampshire University (www.collegeforamerica.org) offers affordable, workforce-applicable higher education to working adults by partnering with employers nationwide. Since its launch, CfA has enrolled more than 4,000 students from more than 100 employers. It offers accredited associate's and bachelor's degrees, earned online by mastering competencies through real-world projects. CfA was the nation's first competency-based, fully accredited higher education provider to be approved for federal financial aid, independent of the traditional credit hour model.

Southern New Hampshire University is an accredited, nonprofit, private university with a focus on student success and a reputation for innovation in higher education. SNHU was named one of the "50 Most Innovative Organizations in the World" by Fast Company magazine in 2012 and is one of the fastest-growing nonprofit providers of online higher education in the country. The university's home is a 300-acre main campus in Manchester, NH, and it offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate online degree programs, five continuing education centers across Northern New England, and the College for America degree program for working adults and employers.

About NFIB
NFIB is the country's leading small business advocate with offices in every state capital and hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB's powerful network of grassroots activists sends their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America's free enterprise system. NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. For more information about NFIB, please visit http://www.nfib.com.

Media Contacts:
Mark Garzone
NFIB
(202)554-9000
[email protected]

Lauren Keane
Southern New Hampshire University
203-695-2264
[email protected]

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SOURCE NFIB

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