Southern New Hampshire University Announces New Operations Center in Tucson

MANCHESTER, NH (April 10, 2019) — Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is announcing today its plans to open a new operations center in Tucson, Arizona to better support its growing student body across the country.

The center, which will open in early 2020, will house additional student-support staff, including academic advisors, student financial services staff, admissions, and IT support. This new center will allow SNHU to better serve online students in western time zones who currently only have access to live student services until 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new Tucson office,” said Paul LeBlanc, University President and CEO, SNHU. “Tucson is a vibrant city and we’re excited to be part of the community and to bring good jobs to the city. The new center allows us to better serve our thousands of students on the west coast.”

After a nationwide search, SNHU narrowed locations for an operations center down to six potential locations and eventually chose Tucson for its welcoming atmosphere, close fit with SNHU’s culture and lifestyle, and opportunities to get involved in the Tucson community. The office will be located in the downtown area.

SNHU will hire approximately 100 staff members initially, with plans to hire up to 350 total new staff members in Tucson by 2021. The economic impact of the new Tucson SNHU Operations Center will be $218 million over the next 5 years. Eligible SNHU employees will have the option to relocate, but SNHU remains committed to the city of Manchester.

“Manchester is, and always will be, our home base,” said LeBlanc. “We have a deep commitment to our Manchester roots and the Granite State, which will remain undiminished. This new center is not a shift away from New Hampshire. We are adding space in the millyard and building a new parking garage. The Tucson center supports continued growth and global expansion.”

“After a nationwide search, it was not only Arizona’s strategic location that was a key factor in this expansion but also the exceptional quality of life in Tucson,” said Sandra Watson, President & CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We welcome Southern New Hampshire University to Arizona and look forward to its success.”

"We continue to see great employer interest in our evolving downtown and Rio Nuevo is eager to help," said Fletcher McCusker, chair, Rio Nuevo. "With downtown employment up, we are seeing increased housing starts, all signs of a sustainable urban core.”

“The County’s economic development efforts primarily focus on fostering and nurturing high-wage employment growth. Southern New Hampshire University is a double-win for our region. Not only are they bringing high-wage jobs, but their online learning innovations help make it possible for thousands of County residents to obtain the education and training they need to attain high-wage jobs themselves. This a great addition to downtown and to the County,” said County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry.

"Tucson is happy to welcome this student services center to our community,” said City of Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild. “Our reputation for excellent customer service is one reason Southern New Hampshire University chose Tucson for this facility."

"We were thrilled to beat out other regions in the West to land this project," said Joe Snell, president & CEO, Sun Corridor Inc. "We thank our partners Tucson Electric Power, Visit Tucson, PICOR and Mark Irvin Commercial Real Estate Services, who contributed greatly to win this deal."

Open positions for the new Tucson center will be posted this spring at: snhu.edu/about-us/employment. Photos of SNHU campus can be found at: http://bit.ly/SNHUcampus

About Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit institution with an 86-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 130,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers over 300 accredited undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, available online and on its 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH. Recognized as the "Most Innovative" regional university by U.S. News & World Report and one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, SNHU is committed to expanding access to high quality, affordable pathways that meet the needs of each learner. Learn more at www.snhu.edu.

About the Arizona Commerce Authority

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create - attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on Twitter at @azcommerce.

About Sun Corridor Inc.
Sun Corridor Inc.'s role is to coordinate all economic development activities and programs within the Southern Arizona megaregion under one umbrella. The focus of the organization is to facilitate primary (non-retail) job and investment growth in the region. Our work also includes creating a competitive environment that allows primary employers to flourish and succeed. For more information, visit www.suncorridorinc.com.