SNHU Spotlight: Keyon Tuiteleleapaga, Human Services and Psych Grad

Keyon Tuiteleleapaga ’22 ’24G never thought school was for him. And, while working in the Los Angeles entertainment industry, he said he felt he had just one calling.

But then, as he sat at home one day, he wondered if he could take his education further. With this question in mind and a desire to help others, he found his way to the online degree programs at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

“I knew I wanted to help people, and I didn’t know exactly what that would look like,” Tuiteleleapaga said. "So, I wanted to be a part of a program that could at least set me up and give me the proper background to be able to help people in any capacity.”

This led Tuiteleleapaga to earn not one but two degrees — a bachelor's in human services in 2022, followed by a master's in psychology in 2024. He also discovered just how many opportunities existed for him.

“I think getting my degree with SNHU just showed me that there is a world of so much more outside of me and a world of so much more inside of me,” he said.

After finishing his degrees, which helped to qualify him for an educator role, Tuiteleleapaga said he'd like to unite his goal of helping others with his passion for entertainment.

“What I’m really excited to do with my degree is figure out how to bring both of those worlds together, whether that be using dance or acting or any kind of fine arts, and use it for therapy for the kids,” he said.

The final projects in his master’s in psychology program allowed him to explore some situations mental health counselors may face — and he liked that these case studies allowed him to consider how he’d approach different clients and circumstances. He said he also gained important research skills throughout his program, and the tools he needs to understand new topics and concepts. 

Although Tuiteleleapaga earned his degrees online, he said he didn’t feel like he was going it alone. He was always able to connect with someone if he had a question. 

“I think SNHU has really figured out how to have online learning not feel like you’re by yourself,” he said.

And just because Tuiteleleapaga felt school wasn’t right for him at one point in his life, he didn’t let that belief define him and found a path that worked for him. 

“Actually seeing myself earn that degree that I didn’t even plan on going to get? There's nothing like it,” he said. Little did he know that his decision would have a snowball effect: After seeing Tuiteleleapaga go back to school, his sister and father decided to advance their education, too.

“If you’re on the fence about (college), don’t just think about yourself,” he said. “Think about the lives that you can really change — because it’s not just about you. It’s about your community, your family — those connected to you.”

Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette '18 '22G is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University, where she fulfills her love of learning daily through conversations with professionals across a range of fields. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from SNHU’s campus in Manchester, New Hampshire, and followed her love of storytelling into the online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing at SNHU. Connect with her on LinkedIn.