SNHU Spotlight: Elanna Rubenstein, MA in Communication Grad

When Elanna Rubenstein ’20G learned their colleague was starting her master’s degree at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), “I told her she was crazy,” they said.

They were both working for a major sports network. "Our jobs are a lot of fun," Rubenstein said — but they're also demanding. To meet the needs of sports fans, they could be working nights, weekends and holidays.

But after hearing about their colleague’s positive experience and doing some research, Rubenstein decided they were also ready to start their degree at SNHU a year later.

While striking a balance between work and school during football season — their busiest time of year — took time management, Rubenstein was able to complete assignments for their master’s in communication at a time and place each week that worked best for them. One time, that even meant meeting a deadline in the early hours of working through Super Bowl Sunday.

“Various classes I took taught me skills I was able to immediately apply to my role,” they said. “The courses provided leadership skills and tons of knowledge on how to be successful in any communication realm.” 

But Rubenstein’s biggest takeaway was learning they can do anything they set their mind to with a bit of time management, adaptability and technology. 

Matt Haefner, their academic advisor at SNHU, was helpful, too. “He was always reaching out to me to check on me and make sure school was going well,” they said. “He made me feel like I was a part of the SNHU community even though I was in Connecticut.”

One unexpected outcome of Rubenstein's experience as an online student was that it better prepared them to adapt to the changes the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the workforce. While working as a coverage producer, Rubenstein said, “Our production did not miss a beat” when transitioning to remote work.  

“I found myself leaning on my studies from SNHU and revisiting effective communication models in navigating our virtual newsroom,” they said. 

And as they’ve advanced in their career on an Emmy-award-winning team, Rubenstein said their degree has been central to their personal and professional growth. From becoming a manager to taking advantage of new opportunities, including as a field producer, they continue to draw on what they learned in their program.

“I leaned on my knowledge and understanding of public relations, media technology and communication management as I navigate the various communication styles and methods that are used in the field versus in the office," they said.