Celebrating 10 Years of President Lillian Schumacher
Over the past decade, Tiffin University has experienced a period of remarkable transformation. New academic programs have emerged, innovative learning spaces have reshaped campus, global partnerships have expanded opportunities and the University’s reputation for innovation has continued to grow. At the center of that evolution has been Dr. Lillian Schumacher, who this year celebrates 10 years as President of Tiffin University. Her decade of leadership has brought the University’s largest fundraising total, its first doctoral programs and record enrollment.
When Dr. Schumacher was appointed president in 2016, becoming the first woman to lead the institution, she brought with her a clear vision for the future. Drawing on decades of experience in higher education, organizational development and leadership consulting, she believed colleges and universities could not afford to stand still and that success would require adaptation, innovation and a commitment to preparing students for a world that is increasingly interconnected. That belief has guided Tiffin University’s progress ever since.
One of President Schumacher’s earliest priorities was developing a framework that clearly defined the institution’s purpose, aspirations and values.
The result was the Guiding Principles, which articulate what Tiffin University is about, what it does, what it hopes to become, where it will focus its efforts and how members of the University community are expected to engage with one another. Together with the ICARE values, the Guiding Principles established a common language and shared direction that continues to influence decision-making across the institution.
Dr. Schumacher has also worked steadily to strengthen campus culture and global awareness. In 2016, she launched Celebrating Cultural Uniqueness (CCU@TU), an initiative designed to deepen openness, curiosity and engagement across differences. What began as a deliberate effort to build on an already welcoming campus has become a defining element of the TU experience. In 2022, that work expanded further with the opening of the Center for InterculTUral Excellence, which trains faculty and staff in cultural intelligence, hosts global speakers and has developed curriculum that other institutions have since adopted — a tangible sign of the center’s reach beyond Tiffin’s own campus.
That same instinct for building lasting institutions extended to the classroom. Under President Schumacher’s leadership, Tiffin University oversaw the launch of its first doctoral programs, a Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Change and a Doctor of Criminal Justice, expanding the University’s academic reach well beyond its undergraduate roots. Fellowship opportunities at TU have also created distinctive pathways for students to apply their learning in meaningful, real-world contexts, deepening academic engagement while connecting students to specialized experiences that reflect the University’s career-focused mission. Together, these initiatives have supported sustained enrollment growth even as many peer institutions have declined, with Tiffin University growing from roughly 3,000 students in 2020 to over 3,700 today.
Dr. Schumacher’s leadership has also been marked by historic fundraising success and sustained institutional investment.
In her first 18 months, she led efforts that raised $8 million toward the Murphy challenge, strengthened by a matching gift from a donor. That early momentum helped establish a culture of philanthropy that has carried through a decade of giving: Tiffin University has now raised more than $50 million during Schumacher’s tenure, including $33.6 million in the Comprehensive Campaign (Phase I) that has funded major campus investments and scholarships.
That fundraising has been translated directly into a series of historic firsts for the University. Tiffin fielded Ohio’s first esports and women’s wrestling programs, and its Cyber Defense and Forensics program earned a national designation from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency — recognition that has since helped its Cyber Dragons hacking team place in the top five percent nationally. Major capital investments followed the same pattern of calculated risk-taking: the Performing Arts Laboratory in 2017, a state-of-the-art Center for Science and Technology in 2022 and the Center for Innovation and Learning, completed in 2025, each designed to expand hands-on, experiential learning across disciplines.
That momentum has only accelerated in recent years. In 2025 alone, Tiffin set a new school record with 300 student-athletes honored with Division II Athletic Directors Association (D2ADA) Academic Achievement Awards, its Cold Case Fellowship was featured on a national podcast and the School of Business achieved a Global Top 100 ranking in the Business Strategy Game — evidence that the University’s academic and athletic programs are both gaining recognition well beyond Tiffin, Ohio. Programs like LIFE@TU, a weekly educational series launched in 2023 for adults 50 and older, have further widened the University’s impact into the surrounding community.
Across these milestones, Dr. Schumacher’s leadership reflects a consistent focus on alignment between mission and action.
Every Tiffin University undergraduate now participates in hands-on learning, internships or professional projects before graduation, ensuring career readiness backed by record enrollment, strong job placement rates, historic fundraising and national recognition in both academics and athletics. Whether through academics, facilities, athletics or innovation, her presidency has emphasized building an institution that is forward-thinking, transformative and grounded in student success. As she marks a decade of thoughtful leadership, Dr. Schumacher’s legacy is reflected not only in the growth of Tiffin University, but in the clarity of its direction defined by purpose, guided by values and centered on preparing students for what comes next.