PUSHING THE ENVELOPE DR. TERRY SULLIVAN AND DR. THOMAS MARBEN ON THE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS THROUGH THE YEARS

Since its founding, Tiffin University has prided itself on being a trailblazer – always testing out what is new and unconventional in the world of higher education. As any Dragon Family member would know, this long-standing practice was put in place to give students everything needed for success in an everchanging job market. TU's unique approach focuses on honoring the tried and true methods of conventional learning while supplementing them with real-world experiences and cutting-edge technologies, paired with an evolving curriculum.

As the institution’s oldest academic entity, the School of Business was the first to adopt this practice of outside-the-box instruction. With an impressive legacy to uphold, today's business faculty keep a watchful eye over the job market and are quick to push for adding new programs to ensure TU graduates keep a competitive edge as their careers take off.

"This is exactly how the Drone Academy and Esports Arena came to be," said Dr. Terry Sullivan, Vice Provost for Academics, Campus Programs. "As the online gaming space expands into professional leagues and unmanned aerial system technology is utilized in more industries, we know students will benefit from us offering such things now and well into the future.”

One of the more recent and most impressive accomplishments of the School would be its instatement of a Doctor of Philosophy program in global leadership and change. In May of 2022, members of its inaugural cohort received their degrees and a special recognition at the commencement ceremony.

“Not too many schools of our size have been able to successfully offer a doctoral program, let alone one endorsed by national accreditation agencies,” said Dr. Thomas Marben, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Dean of the School of Business. “The positive feedback we’ve received, not only from our students and graduates, but from assessment committees has been humbling and reassuring. It has absolutely reaffirmed my belief that our business faculty possess the technical expertise to teach at such a high level.”

“The Ph.D. program is easily the initiative of which I am the most proud,” agreed Dr. Sullivan. “Being able to say we have this option for advanced study changes the academic profile of the entire institution for the better. When we first pitched this idea, people were doubtful, as they had seen similar initiatives fail at other small universities. This speaks not only to the quality of our faculty and instruction, but to our overall attitude of perseverance in the face of skepticism. In my opinion, this is a large part of what differentiates us from other schools – our history of trying new things for the sake of our students’ success. Though I’ve moved toward the administrative side of things and away from teaching in recent years, I still see our instructors challenging the status quo every day.”

Dr. Marben, who still actively teaches within the School of Business in addition to his role as Dean, couldn’t agree more. He also believes that TU’s unorthodox hiring practice is another way it stands out from the pack, so to speak.

"I tell prospective students and their families all the time that our professors have practical experience in their fields," said Dr. Marben. "Using myself as an example – I spent many years working as an accountant for a private business before turning to teaching. I know what actually goes on in meeting and board rooms and can relay this knowledge to my students. Many schools employ instructors who have spent the entirety of their careers in academia, which isn't a bad thing by any means. That said, I do think our eagerness to hire industry professionals is in the best interest of our students. The classroom itself can only do so much to prepare them for the tough decisions they'll need to make once they enter their careers."

According to both Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Marben, The School of Business has always been one to march to the beat of its own drum, as the saying goes.

“Tiffin University has always focused its efforts on making the right decisions for Tiffin University,” said Dr. Sullivan.

“Our practices of innovation, entrepreneurship and risktaking have never been the norm for other schools, so taking pages from their books would be like using the manual for a dishwasher to try and fix a car. We’re simply working toward different goals.”

“It’s worked very well for us – teaching based on what hiring bodies want in their employees,” concurred Dr. Marben. “I recently had a former student of mine perform quite well on his certified managerial accountant licensure exam. When he visited campus and shared the good news, he mentioned he felt especially confident going in because we started preparing him and our other students early on through the School’s coursework.”

Dr. Marben continued the sentiment, speaking to the great importance of the School’s internship program, requiring all undergraduate students to complete a semester-long stint with a local business or professional entity.

“It’s just crucial,” he began. “Practicing interviewing and soft interpersonal skills – the things a classroom can’t facilitate – there’s no better way than just jumping in headfirst. It really does work out for them, too. Since I started in 2017, a local manufacturing company has hired eight of our graduates, all of whom have interned at the same place through the required course. Sometimes, they’ve even promised our students jobs before they graduate, because they not only have such faith in our curriculum, but they really develop a connection during those face-to-face interactions.”

"There’s no better way for our students to get a sense of an industry’s practices and expectations than by immersing themselves in the culture,” agreed Dr. Sullivan. “That’s just another way we try to give our students the most practical education possible and one of many reasons our graduates consistently stand out amid large applicant pools. Once you fall behind the times, it’s hard to catch up, whereas if you, as an entity, work to stay on the cutting edge of things, it’s much easier and to your benefit. If you're going to survive as an institution, you need to be willing to venture into new arenas and push the envelope.”

School Of Businessaffiliated Endeavors Drone Academy

In March of 2022, Tiffin University launched a new program that has since become a renowned entity in the State of Ohio and beyond. The Drone Academy was founded as a response to the ever-growing usage of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) technology in multiple industries and fields, such as law enforcement, agriculture, transportation and others. The Academy features academic classes, training seminars, community outreach programs, certification opportunities and recreational activities.

Within its first year, the Drone Academy was even awarded several merit-based grants and endowments, including one from the State Transportation Innovation Council, a sub-committee of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Though its academic programs are now overseen by the School of Science, Technology and Health, the Drone Academy used to host classes with the School of Business, as the School played a large part in its creation. Today, the Academy, an independent University entity, frequently collaborates with other academic and cocurricular bodies, as UAS technology is currently being utilized in the areas of real-estate development, agriculture, the transportation industry, digital media, law enforcement efforts and many others.

Esports Facility

Since 2017, the Tiffin University esports program has been challenging the public’s perception about what it means to be both a student-athlete, as well as a gamer. What was once considered to be nothing more than a hobby has grown into a multi-million dollar industry, and those seeking careers in electronic athletics, also known as esports, can find rewarding and lucrative career opportunities – whether it be as professional gamers, coaches, event coordinators or marketing experts.

Tiffin University joined the electronic athletics craze six years ago. Due to rising levels of interest from the student body, plans for getting a program off the ground were fast-tracked. Soon after, the University acquired some nearby land and constructed a stand-alone, 4,000 square-foot arena – now one of the largest collegiate gaming spaces in the nation.