A LOOK AT TU’S CAMPUS IN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA THROUGH THE YEARS

Last April, the Dragon community celebrated a significant historical milestone. In this instance however, the phrase “community” applied to members who live far outside the City of Tiffin, Ohio. For Tiffin University’s 135th Annual Commencement Ceremony, the institution was proud and pleased to host undergraduate and graduate students from its campus in Bucharest, Romania. As luck would have it, the anniversary of TU’s founding happened to coincide with several other events worth celebrating for these international students. Members of the 20th international Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) cohort, the inaugural Romanian Bachelor of Business Administration class and the first-ever online Doctor of Philosophy Romanian graduate traveled to Tiffin to receive their degrees in person, as well as take part in the pomp and circumstance.

With so many benchmarks to celebrate, it seemed only fitting to invite these folks to experience a Dragon graduation firsthand, and even more appropriate to talk about the groundbreaking program which made it all possible right here.

"TU is the only American-based University with an additional facility in Romania that offers internationally accredited BBA and MBA degree programs, taught exclusively by American professors. In addition, the same satellite campus has served Romanian EMBA candidates for two decades and more recently, BBA students. International students wanting to pursue doctoral studies can also do so within TU’s affiliated online Global Leadership and Change program. With all BBA and MBA courses held at a physical facility in Bucharest, these students are able to enjoy a traditional college experience just like those at TU's American campus."

programs to help these people. It didn’t take long to realize there were opportunities to provide the same kind of aid in their home country as well. So, Dr. Mays applied and received a USAID (United States Agency International Development) grant to establish a criminal justice educational program at the University of Bucharest, and we were later asked to assist in building their business curriculum as well. Things took off from there.”

"When I first began to coordinate faculty staffing for the Romania program, I was not sure I could get enough faculty to run the program long-term," explained Laura Mays, TU Emeritus Professor of Management. "Although we have used adjunct faculty often, I have been impressed and touched by our full-time professors' level of participation. I think we would all agree that the experience has changed our lives. Even more importantly, it has changed the lives of our students in their professions and in their personal lives. Over the last twenty years, our students in Romania have credited Tiffin with making a significant contribution to their careers and personal growth. Our EMBA has been recognized as the number one program of its kind in Romania, and now after four years in existence, our BBA program has gained national recognition as well. It has been a pleasure and privilege to participate in this."

“The importance of a globally-informed academic environment cannot be understated. As many industries and organizations frequently deal with overseas partners and clients, not only is it practical, but it is also ethical and rewarding to become versed in how different cultures approach various practices. TU’s faculty, staff and students are better off for this partnership with Romania, and we are grateful for the opportunity to help this country develop its own curricula and have them learn from us as we have from them.”

- Dr. Peter J. Holbrook, Provost and Chief Academic Officer

At the time of the program's birth, Romania was at a crossroads, having just been freed from the former Soviet Union’s influence. As the country was still finding its footing, they asked TU to intervene at a critical point in their timeline.

The story of how this all came to be, while unorthodox, is very much in alignment with TU’s commitment to taking risks. As is often the case with these efforts, the rewards for all involved have been well worth the gamble.

“It all began with us identifying a need and making a commitment to helping this country,” said Dr. Teresa Shafer, Executive Dean for Institutional Affairs, Professor of Management. “Years ago, we learned that Romanian natives had been traveling to Cleveland and wanted assistance navigating American culture. It just so happened that Dr. Laura Mays was living nearby and had been doing consulting work in Eastern Europe. She was familiar with the cultural norms and became their point of contact. Eventually, TU began providing

“We started at the executive level,” Dr. Shafer explained. “As a newly-independent country, local authorities and companies needed guidance on how to manage a fully operational criminal justice system. Our approach was to work directly with the professionals involved to help establish relevant policies and practices. That success led to The University of Bucharest’s Rector asking us to turn our attention to assisting with improving various business functions. Once the administrative infrastructure was solid, we shifted our focus toward offering formal educational programs.”

Since then, TU's international campus has come a long way and done much to enrich the lives of its students and graduates. According to Ion Georgescu EMBA '23, he sought out the TU coursework as a means of both personal and professional development.

"I would say that I have a self-taught side, but theoretical training or individual study isn't enough to succeed," began Ion. "I was looking for a program with a complete curriculum that would contribute to the development of my leadership and strategic management skills, which involves the ability to understand the vision of the

Mioara Iofciulescu Ion Georgescu

“The 20th EMBA cohort carried out its activities during multiple global crises - from the pandemic, to the war in Ukraine, worldwide inflation, economic decline and the energy shortage. However, this was the best time to test what we learned in the classroom in applied settings and witness how businesses adapted their approaches to these obstacles versus only learning about it in a classroom.”

“Enrolling in TU's BBA program was one of the best decisions of my life. In fact, I plan to return in the near future for my EMBA. I was able to put the knowledge I gained through my coursework to use both in running my own small business, and through my role with IPSOS. In fact, I was promoted to the rank of Innovation Project Manager with the organization after only six months of employment. I owe so much of this to my mentors and professors.” organization. To establish clear objectives and priorities, develop strategies and create an environment that encourages commitment, creativity and high performance. I most certainly found this at TU."

For Mioara Iofciulescu EMBA '23, the program's true strength was its blending of classroom instruction with opportunities to practice what is learned in the field. Even with its international programs, TU's commitment to providing experiential learning opportunities remains unchanged. Mioara also particularly enjoyed the chance to bond with others in her classes.

"Being an EMBA student was an extraordinary experience - totally different from any academic training I have had until now," said Mioara. "In my opinion, the concept of 'learning by doing,' which is the foundation of this program, is a great teaching method that successfully combines theoretical information with practical applications. Each student is given the opportunity to utilize what is being taught right away. Working in teams with professionals from different industries gave us a platform to share experiences and debate ideas that otherwise would not have been possible."

According to Ruxandra Voda, the first-ever TU Romanian Ph.D. graduate, the student experience was very rewarding. She has since remained involved in life at TU in addition to her full-time professional role in Romania. She works as an affiliate professor and

“Tiffin University gave me access to experts and experienced teachers from the USA. Their demonstrated academic excellence is supported by experience in multiple industries spanning across the world. I had the opportunity to develop my understanding of how business works and how it is conducted at a global level, in a highenergy environment.”

“We were asked by the Rector of the University of Bucharest to bring our Master of Business Administration degree to Romania. It was an opportunity to help develop Western business education in Eastern Europe. My colleagues and I were delighted to have a chance to teach our program in an international setting. Over the two-plus decades, it has become a true labor of love for many of us and we will always cherish the students who now are and those who will become the business leaders in their country.”

-Dr. John Millar, Emeritus Professor of International Management, Dean Emeritus

supports visiting American instructors as they adjust to life abroad and become the best mentors possible for their students.

"Being that it was a degree track in global leadership and change, many cultures were represented within my cohort," she began. "Not only did this enrich the discussions we had, but we learned from each other. Being able to approach the learning and assignments through different cultural lenses was an asset to us. Now, I know more about how different parts of the world approach business practices. In addition, my research has led me to deeply understand how different cultures relate to artificial intelligence, so I feel more well-rounded as a professional."

Ruxandra, a self-proclaimed science fiction fan, compared the character traits that made her successful in the program to those of a dragon – how appropriate for TU.

"When you see them in movies, all dragons are courageous," she began. "While they sometimes find themselves burnt, they always find a way to persevere in spite of it all. I think we could all learn a thing or two from them when it comes to our careers."