As part of our ongoing series that highlights NHTI alumni, the following blog post is written by Amber Davis, PHR, SHRM-C, 2003 Human Resources Management grad who works in a leadership role at global tech firm ServiceNow.
I have always been a planner – but when it came to my time at NHTI, my degree was anything but planned.
I was accepted into Rivier College for exercise physiology, but despite receiving scholarships, the financial struggle was real for me and my family to stay enrolled. I knew I wouldn’t be able to work as a physical therapist until I obtained my masters, and it wasn’t plausible for me to provide for myself and not burden my family. So I took some time off to figure out what I wanted to do next.
I worked in the cafeteria of St. Anslem College in my hometown of Manchester; one of the perks was being able to take some free classes. I didn’t want to get into bad habits and take too many semesters off, so I began researching majors and thought Dental Hygiene would be a good fit.
I enrolled at NHTI in its General Studies program while I waited for my acceptance into the Dental Hygiene program. It had quite the waitlist, but my academic counselors ensured I stayed on track for my goal. They even helped me sign up for the NLN entry exam. I fared well in my results, but the waiting list proved too long. The Nursing program, however, would welcome me with open arms. It was time for some soul searching and more research. I knew I could be a nurse, but I didn’t have the passion for it that I saw in my peers.
To bide my time, I took an accelerated 1-week business class over my holiday break and met my mentor, Prof. Marty Hunt. I’m so glad I took that class: This was the fit I’d been looking for. I decided to pursue Human Resources. After all, if I really wanted to work in the medical field, I could always choose to work in it via HR. I joined Student Senate, went to a leadership conference in San Diego, and was awarded a scholarship upon graduation in 2003.
And, I did end up working in healthcare: I worked in HR in assisted living and in specialized benefits at a local hospital health system. Thanks to my time at NHTI, I transferred to SNHU and got my bachelor’s degree less than 9 months after earning my associate degree. I graduated with my MS in Organizational Leadership with graduate certificate in HR management in 2009, passed my PHR certification in 2010, and became SHRM-CP certified in 2015.
In late 2015, shortly after getting married and after nearly 12 years in various roles/industries HR, I took an amazing opportunity to join Oracle and master presales in HR technology. I worked as a solution engineer for a few years then moved into leadership. I’m excited to announce I’ve just accepted a new leadership opportunity with ServiceNow to further diversify my experience.
I am confident I wouldn’t be where I am today without my start at NHTI. Having leaders like Marty Hunt believing in me, giving me advice, was invaluable. I learned to take chances on myself and get involved. I may not have had a traditional college experience, but I have zero regrets and I’m so thankful for it.
Read More:
Alumni Spotlight: General Studies Grad’s Career Anything But Boring
