(Instrumental music playing)
Hello.
I'm Dr. Claire Johansen, Chair of the Board of Trustees and proud alumni of Tiffin University.
On behalf of my fellow trustees,
we would like to welcome you to the 132nd commencement ceremony.
Regardless of whether we're doing this at  the Heminger Center or here, in a virtual space,
we want to congratulate you for your great accomplishments.
You deserve to have this graduation now, after you've completed all of your hard work.
We commend you for your tenacity to keep going and we have great confidence
in you, in the going forward in the future. And now it is my pleasure to
open the 132nd commencement ceremony.
(Bagpipes playing)
(Bagpipes fade out)
(Pomp and Circumstance music playing)
(Music fades out)
Welcome to Tiffin University's
132nd commencement ceremony and our first virtual
ceremony in the history of the university.
Our Class of 2020 are making history today.
We really wanted to be in person with you celebrating your life's accomplishments and your graduation, but that's just not possible.
So what we thought was the next best thing was to stop everything that we are doing in this moment in time,
wherever we are, and just spend this time with you celebrating you and your accomplishments.
So as I was thinking about what I wanted to share with you today, I thought long and hard about it.
First this was not the type of ceremony you probably envisioned seeing for yourself.
But
when I thought about what I could say
a musical selection from our students
came to mind and
this piece of music that they recorded virtually really spoke to me.
And it has the simple words "I'm standing here with you,
here standing with me,
standing with the world on our shoulders."
It was clear to me then. All I had to do is these simple words.
We are standing with you, standing with me here, to celebrate you.
So it gives me great pride to introduce to you
the Up in the Air acapella group, joined by our University choir to do a virtual
performance of the real group's
musical selection, "World on our Shoulders."
(Voices singing)
We have called it out, we have said it loud, what now?
From a single voice, to the greatest crowd, what now?
With our arms wide open, time for a change
For every drop in the ocean, we stand today. With our arms wide open, time for a change, we say
Tomorrow's a new day.
I'm here standing with you, here standing with me. Standing with the world on our shoulders.
I'm here standing with you, here standing with me. Standing with the world on our shoulders.
We can plant the seeds, we can make the change, right now.
For a better world, for a better place, right now.
Right now. And with our arms wide open, time for a change,
Make a resolution, for all we stand today, with our arms wide open, time for a change we say,
Tomorrow's a new day. I'm here standing with you, here standing with me. Standing with the world on our shoulders.
I'm here standing with you, here standing with me. Standing with the world on our shoulders.
I'm here standing with you, here standing with me. Standing with the world on our shoulders.
I'm here standing with you, here standing with me. Standing with the world on our shoulders.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President of Tiffin University.
Welcome today, we are standing together in celebration of you. Today is your day and
congratulations to all of our graduates,
the class of 2020.
We sincerely wish that we could celebrate with all
810 of you in person today.
As we are so proud of the class of 2020 and what we know you will accomplish. And as I think about
the way we are conducting commencement,
I cannot help but think about how extraordinary this class will be. I
hope that today is the first of many firsts for you.
I hope that as you look back on your commencement from the class of 2020 from Tiffin University, you think
about how this was a first of many for you. It is a unique experience
for all of us and one that is very special, and you probably will remember for the rest of your lives.
Embrace it, enjoy it and celebrate it with your family.
Be sure and thank them for being on this collegiate journey with you.
I hope that you also thank your faculty for pushing and challenging you along the way and
most importantly,
I hope that upon your graduation from Tiffin University,
you continue to dream big and aim high, and know that you'll be able to achieve
whatever it is, you set your minds to.
As I think about words that I want to leave you with today,
one of my favorite quotes is by Mahatma Gandhi that talks about change and being the change in the world. And
he specifically says "Be the change in the world that you hope and wish to see." And
my wish for you today is
that you are the change and you are going to be the change that you hope to see in the world today.
Congratulations to all of you, class of 2020.
It is now my honor to introduce to you this year's commencement speaker,
Dr. Reginald Wilkinson.
Dr. Wilkinson is President of Connecting the Dots, LLC, a consulting company.
He is also a senior advisor for the Moss Group, Inc., another consulting group,
specializing in justice related tasks.
Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Business Alliance for Higher Education and the Economy and President and CEO of the
Ohio College Access Network.
He served in numerous capacities at the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections,
earning the distinction of being one of the longest serving correction directors in the nation.
He earned a BA in political science and an MA in higher education
administration from the Ohio State University as well as a Doctor of Education Degree from the University of Cincinnati.
He is the author of 'Leadership and Management: Connecting the Dots," an exploration of diverse successful approaches to leadership,
spanning business government and nonprofit sectors.
Wilkinson joined our Tiffin University Board of Trustees in 2012 and currently serves as Vice Chairman.
Please help me welcome our
commencement speaker for 2020, Dr. Reggie Wilkinson.
Thank You president Schumacher for that introduction.
Thank you as well for inviting me to participate in this abbreviated but no less celebratory commencement.
Let me add my congratulations to all Tiffin University graduates. You rock.
Give yourselves a healthy round of applause.
Your diploma symbolizes a major milestone in all your lives.
I express my appreciation to all the parents, siblings,
mentors and friends who have been a source of your encouragement, and
consequently achievement.
If I were to title this talk, it would be "Dragon Pride."
I know that this university has done all it can to get you to this point.
The faculty, staff and leadership, including my fellow board members, and the president and her cabinet have all dedicated
themselves to arrive in that this destination we call graduation.
It is the ultimate icing on the green and gold cake for us.
But please understand, albeit, that educational attainment is a lifelong journey.
I'd like to remind you that this university's values are spelled out in an acronym called ICARE.
It stands for interdependence,
communication,
accountability,
respect and
entrepreneurship.
These ideals comprise our guiding principles.
I encourage you to recall these values long after your student status at this university has come to an end.
I moreover suggest that you be mindful of Tiffin University's motto,
"Without risk, there is no gain."
Many of you, like me, are first-generation college graduates.
Thank you for breaking the cycle.
When the rubber meets the road, however
it doesn't matter if there are generations of college graduates in your family or if you are the first.
You have an obligation to make our communities more productive.
There's a lot of interesting data about college graduates, such as:
you will be healthier, you probably won't go to prison,
your financial prospects are measurable,
you will make a brighter future for your children, and the list goes on.
So please know the value of your degree is significant beyond
employment.
Most of you already know that Tiffin University's dragon mascot is named Blaze.
I encourage all of you to be
trailblazers.
I am sure our mascot will be happy.
What I mean is don't just casually navigate your way through life.
Make a difference. Make a definable difference. Do something that no one else has done.
Be the first person to accomplish a feat.
Be an expert problem solver and do it all with gusto.
Along the way, remember that nothing is more sacred than your family, your friends, your career and your faith.
Well, maybe you should include your pets.
Furthermore, there is nothing more permanent in our lives than change.
How we confront change and challenges, like the birth of a child,
accepting a new job or the loss of a loved one will define our lives.
Through it all, always maintain a glass-half-full
outlook.
One of the quotes that has guided my worldview is as follows,
"There are people who make things happen
there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened."
And, lastly, I have always believed that parallel to my chosen careers, I
have taken advantage of opportunities to give back to society.
Volunteering, paying it forward and philanthropy are all constructs that I have embraced.
Caring for mankind and the natural wonders of this world is not just performing a good deed. It is an obligation.
To me this exemplar
completes the cycle of life.
I suggest it can be consequential in your lives as well.
Please accept my congratulations on a job well done.
Also, Tiffin graduates, I extend to you my best wishes for a prosperous future. And above all, stay safe.
And is my pleasure to present to you the Honorary Doctor Degree
candidate, Dr. Reginald Wilkinson. Servant leader and researcher,
innovative mentor and author,
professional visionary, You
are a leader researcher and an innovative author ensuring that the workplace has proven strategies to achieve quality results.
Your service to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction,
serving in numerous capacities, have
demonstrated powerful leadership.
You were recognized and appointed by the Governor of Ohio to three additional four-year terms, making you the longest-serving
Corrections Director in the nation.
Your tireless research has led you to earn numerous awards for organizations, published journal articles and book chapters.
And through your book, "Leadership and Management: Connecting the Dots,"
you have influenced and enhanced people's capacity to make appropriate choices to affect diverse
processes. As a demonstrated leader an integral part of Tiffin University's Board of Trustees,
your proven expertise and vision not only serve our generation but for future generations to come.
Now, therefore, Reginald Wilkinson, in
recognition of your career,
achievement and public service
Tiffin University confers upon you, the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Humane Letters.
By virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of Ohio and upon the approval of the Tiffin University Board of Trustees,
I confer upon you,
Dr. Reginald Wilkinson, the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters with all the privileges and rights pertaining to that degree.
Thank you, Dr. Schumacher. At this time,
I would like to present the University Awards for 2020. Each recipient will receive a crystal award,
recognizing their accomplishments.
The first presentation is the Student Leadership Award.
The Student Leadership Award is given to a graduating senior in the baccalaureate program for scholarship,
participation in extracurricular activities and
communication with other students as a leader on campus.
This year's recipient of the Student Leadership Award has been described as an intelligent,
resilient and inspiring individual, who has had an amazingly positive impact on everyone she has encountered.
Her participation in support of multiple men's and women's athletic teams, involvement in Greek life on campus,
participation in student government and numerous other student organizations and honor societies, and her role in
the Air Force Reserves Officers Training Corps are but a tip of the iceberg of what's most people see.
What we do not normally see is that she does much more. She is resourceful, with the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that
represents Tiffin University. She runs her own Mary Kay Cosmetics franchise.
In addition she has parlayed her ability to sew into her own business.
Now as we are currently facing a shortage of medical masks, she's sewing furiously to provide masks for those in need.
She's doing this without seeking credit or compensation.
As a student worker in the Office of the Dean of the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences,
she has been an integral part in doing research
that has supported many important school decisions,
including alterations of the University curriculum in the School and
supporting the program review process.
In addition, she played an integral part in helping the University host the 8th Annual
Maritime Risk Symposium, by arranging the agenda for the Symposium, as well as ensuring that visiting dignitaries were met upon
arrival and provided with the necessary
administrative support.
Today, we recognize her support and encouragement of her fellow students, her hard work in the classroom, on the athletic
field, in the office and
the positive attitude that she projects every day.
The Tiffin University Student Leadership Award goes to Madison Wells.
Congratulations, Madison.
The next award is a Scholar Athlete Award.
This award is given to a graduating student in a baccalaureate program, who has achieved a three point cumulative GPA or higher,
has played intercollegiate athletics for four years and in their senior year
participated as a starter in 75% of the team's games.
The winner of the student athlete of the year is a native of Victoria, British Columbia.
With a major in forensic psychology and a minor in leadership studies,
she's balanced athletics and a challenging academic program for the past four years.
This Scholar Athlete has earned a remarkable
3.97 cumulative GPA, while playing four years as a varsity athlete in women's lacrosse.
Her athletic honors include being named on the 2019
IWLCA Second Team All-Midwest region,
First Team All GMAC and GMAC Women's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Year.
She was also named GMAC Offensive Player of the Week four times during the regular season.
In 2018, she was named both the First All GLIAC and First All Midwest Region and
received a GLIAC Player of the Week honor.
During her first to varsity seasons, she earned First-Team All-Conference honors.
Her career statistics include 193 goals, second all-time;
224 points, fourth all-time;
306 draw controls,
second all-time; and 85 caused turnovers,
second all-time. These statistics are remarkable considering she only played three full seasons of varsity lacrosse
since her 2020 season was cancelled due to the pandemic.
The winner of the Student Athlete of the Year Award is Elle Hamilton. Congratulations Elle.
The final award is the Provost Award.
The Provost Award is given to the graduating student in a
baccalaureate program, with the highest cumulative grade point average having completed 50 percent of the total degree requirements, while at Tiffin
University. Each School Dean makes a recommendation
To the Provost for its outstanding student to receive this award,
with a final selection being done by me. It is my distinct pleasure to award this every year.
This year's recipient is described as an ambitious and driven marketing student who has spent her time at Tiffin University,
balancing academics, extracurriculars
and performing arts.
She has served as a resident assistant,
student ambassador,
participating on the dance team, she sings in both University Choir and
Gospel Choir, as well as serving as the President for the American Marketing Association and the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success.
She represented the School of Business in the Student Success Panel and
was inducted and selected to be part of the Delta Sigma Kappa Honor fraternity.
She completed her internship in the Undergraduate Admissions Office and also did a study abroad at the International Campus De Cannes in France.
While in France, she earned the opportunity to intern for the International Film Festival.
Her professor, Dr. Foster, states that her drive,
creativity and passion
make her an exemplary candidate for the Provost Award.
Please join me in congratulating the 2020 Provost Award winner,
Autumn Cooper.
President Schumacher, the faculty recommends the following degrees to the following individuals as announced by Professor Reinhard.
(Soft music plays)
(Music fades out)
By virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of Ohio,
based on the recommendation of the faculty and upon the approval of the Tiffin University Board of Trustees,
I confer upon you the appropriate degree as indicated on your diploma,
with all the rights and privileges appertaining
to those degrees.
You are all now graduates of Tiffin University. Congratulations.
Greetings. I am Brenda Collins and as the Chairperson of the Tiffin University Alumni Association and a proud 2005
graduate of our distinguished university, it is an honor to congratulate you, Dragon graduates.
Welcome to a very proud loyal and global alumni family,
numbering nearly 12,000 alumni from more than 30 countries around the world.
Your connection with Tiffin University does not stop today.
It is the beginning of the next chapter of your relationship with TU. As you graduate, you represent
all that is good and grand about Tiffin University.
Your accomplishments, your future achievements and the Dragon Fire you bring to your life
will reflect the guiding principles and values of TU.
In achieving your degree, you become the ambassadors for our alma mater. From this day forward,
you will be called upon to take a new role, the role of alumni.
The Tiffin University Alumni Association's mission is to be ambassadors of leadership,
excellence and service, while maintaining a lifelong connection to Tiffin University and each other.
Display your diploma with pride. It is a symbol of your goal accomplished and it is no small feat.
Show everyone your connection to Tiffin University.
Connect with others at TU alumni events hosted around the country. You can even host one.
Come back to campus, engage with your fellow Dragons and share your journey with them.
Volunteer your time with the Alumni Office.
And, finally, never forget your experience at TU and what other alumni gave to make your experience unique and
special.
To pay your good fortune forward to other Dragons who need a helping hand.
College can become a memory or remain a lifelong relationship and I hope that you will stay connected.
We wish that we could be on campus with you, celebrating your achievements.
But while we are separated in our physical locations, we are all connected by our Dragon blood.
Welcome to your proud Dragon family.
(Singing of Tiffin University Alma Mater song)
'Tis the place where I have grown,
Where my heart resides;
Green and Gold, I long for you,
You're my Tiffin Pride.
You're my Tiffin University,
You're my Tiffin Home.
Memories we'll keep of you
As our lives move on.
While your spirit points the way
Onward to the dawn.
You're my Tiffin University,
You're my Tiffin Home.
You're my Tiffin University,
You're my Tiffin Home.
This concludes the 132nd commencement ceremony of Tiffin University.
(Instrumental music plays)
(Instrumental music fades out)
