For Remington (Remi) Grant, the decision to attend TU was always an easy one. Between the friendly campus atmosphere and unique mix of course offerings, he knew it was a place where he could thrive both academically and socially. Today, he is a proud transfer student and cherished part of the Tiffin University Community, and is grateful for the experiences afforded to him, especially because there was a time when he believed becoming a Dragon wasn’t in the cards.
“I wanted to attend Tiffin so badly because it offered programs that would allow me to pursue my two biggest passions at once – music and criminalistics. However, when my college journey began back in 2016, I couldn’t afford to go to TU, and had to take an alternative path to my education. Instead, I went to a local two-year college for an associate’s degree in law enforcement. After that, I worked for two years before realizing I wanted to create more opportunities for myself.”
According to Remi, while he’s glad he ultimately found his way to TU as a transfer student, he doesn’t regret the unorthodox route he took and views it as a learning experience.
“The associate’s program was a stepping stone, one I needed to take for me to realize I wanted to push myself further,” he explained. “While I’m grateful for the friends and connections made during those two years, it doesn’t compare to the experiences I’ve had since transferring. Here, I feel I can truly be myself. My professors, colleagues and most importantly, my friends know who I am to the core and they accept me. I don’t think I would have appreciated that as much had I not learned firsthand this isn’t the case with every school.”
Though he may have begun his college journey with another institution, the Tiffin Community welcomed Remi into its ranks as it does with every student, traditional or not. Like many others, he was quick to take advantage of the many and distinctive academic and co-curricular programs.
“I think the main reason why I love TU so much is that I’m finally able to pursue a major I truly love and am excited by,” he said. “As a new commercial music major, I was blown away by how immersive the coursework and ensembles were. They really know how to ‘dunk a guy in the deep end,’ and I mean that in a good way. Teachers and students alike are so passionate about the work, and it’s infectious.”
Impressively, Remi already has a plan for his professional life post-graduation, and thanks those involved with the Creative Arts Institute for helping him realize his true calling.
“In high school, I was bit hard by the show choir bug and am grateful to be able to continue that now, but in my own way,” Remi offered. “Unlike most people, I wasn’t taken by the performance aspect of it all, but by the creativity needed to write and produce music. The ability to take an idea and turn your vision into something as acclaimed as ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’ is something I aim to do in my professional career. My degree program encourages this, too. That’s what makes Tiffin’s commercial music program different – it isn’t all classical training and endless performances with no other options to pursue. They let you dip your toe into anything you want, including songwriting and production. One thing I’d really like to do after graduation is create shows and stage settings for production companies, as well as make my own ideas come to life.”
Remi’s Tiffin Family has every confidence that he will make these dreams a reality, especially given how well he’s taken to life as a Dragon. Though he has only one year under his belt, he has already achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA for the spring 2022 semester, a true indication that he, like many other students before him, thrives in an environment that gives students the freedom to be themselves.