At TU, Our Real Diversity Defines Who We Are
Tiffin University is remarkably diverse. Students come to TU from all over the United States and several other countries. They bring with them a wide variety of experiences and talents to the university community. Once they get here, they direct their interests and energy toward a broad range of fields, from forensic science to arts administration, from business to the performing arts.
There is no “typical Tiffin University student.” We value each of our students for their individual academic success, talents, and achievements. And while there are commonalities among students, you will find that when you talk to them, each has taken a completely unique path to Tiffin, and each seems to have his or her own way of learning, achieving and working through Tiffin University.
We enroll 2,000 students at TU, and there are at least as many personal stories, each of them compelling in its own way. We start telling those stories here, in the Student Profiles section of the TU website. We'll be updating our profiles frequently, so return often to see who “tomorrow brings” to Tiffin University.
Meet Samantha Turner:
Major – Forensic Psychology
“I came to Tiffin from Tennessee to study Forensic Psychology. The professors in the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences are at the top of their game and their experience and knowledge of a specific topic make classes much more fun,” Samantha says. “I’m also active in theatre. The theatre department has given me many opportunities to grow as an actor. In the past two years, I have learned more about acting and theatre than I did through four years of high school.”
Samantha remarks that she lives in a house on campus that is full of performers. “Being around a small group of people that share the same love of performing really helped me to transition into college and being away from my family,” she says, adding, “Tiffin has opened new doors for me. Before TU, I would have never thought I would be learning to speak Arabic! That is one of the best things about TU; we are exposed to new people, places and things every day.”
Meet Sara Sublett:
Major – Psychology
“Tiffin University has been a great place for me to experience college life,” Sara says. “All of the classes and professors have really allowed me to grow. I’ve also been able to become involved in the performing arts department! Tiffin has really made it easy to balance school work and my extra curricular activities.”
Meet Lisa Deffenbaugh:
2007 TU Graduate,
M.S. in Criminal Justice
“I have very much enjoyed my classes in the Forensic Psychology program. The professors have been and continue to be professionals in the actual field in which we study, which is a great help when it comes to trying to figure out what you want to do with your degree,” Lisa explains. “They offer additional hours of help and support if you want or need it, and I can see how much they care about their students.”
Lisa adds this about her TU experience: “The classes are a great mix between research and application in forensic psychology, and give students an opportunity to study multiple aspects of the field,” she says. “The Saturday classes are also great for the student who has other responsibilities with work and family. Many of my classmates have expressed that the Saturday class format is one of the only reasons they can go back to school at all.”
Meet Emily Homer
2007 TU Graduate
“One of the most valuable things I learned at TU is that it’s appropriate to have a list of hopes for the future, but you can’t forget to take time to notice your surroundings. You can’t be too focused on getting the degree or the job or the internship,” Emily says. “You have to immerse yourself in everything that TU has to offer, or you'll be looking too far into the future to enjoy the present.”
Meet Yuanyuan Chen
“My name is Yuanyuan Chen, and you can call me Kathy if you like. Now I just want to share my experience with the freshmen or some one who wants to come here later. I had never been abroad before I came here. I still remember when I first arrived, I felt anxious, helpless, lonely, and disappointed. The environment was totally different from what I thought,” Kathy comments. “I wasn’t used to the language, the food and anything else. Even though I had already studied English for seven years, it was not easy for me to understand the professors and to explain myself. At the first week, I was seriously ill and was sent to the hospital. At that time I thought coming here was the wrong decision and decided to go back to China immediately.”
Things quickly changed for Kathy at TU, however.
“I feel lucky that I didn’t go back to China. I know at first it was just the culture shock. Change and a new environment are not very easy, especially for two totally different cultures. But if you want to get better, you should not give up. There are a lot of people who will stand behind you. They will support you and help you. The professors in Tiffin helped me a lot.”
Kathy remarks, “After one of my classes, I told the professor that I wanted to go back to China. She told me that she thought I was very good because I can speak two different kinds of languages. And she told me she would help me, and asked me to give myself a chance, to just try. At that time I decided to stay. And I didn’t feel lonely anymore.”
Kathy’s advice for new TU students, whether they’re from China, or living just down the street from campus: “I know how important the time is, how valuable the money is, and how relevant the knowledge is. So, come on. Never give up. Especially for the new student, just give yourself a chance to challenge yourself. You will be very proud of yourself.”
Meet Adrian Vlad
“The exciting thing about TU is that no matter where you come from, you feel like home,” Adrian says. “TU has ‘adopted’ me, and I'm happy to be a part of this big family.”
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