Complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA today at fafsa.gov

As a community, we’ve all been called on to be kind in extra ways in the last two years. Faculty and everyone dealing with students has shown incredible kindness, and this project seeks to recognize that. Students were asked to nominate a faculty member whose kindness has made a difference in their learning this year. Here is what they had to say.

Top Three Nominees

tom marben

Thomas Marben, Ph.D., CPA

School of Business
Assistant Professor of Accounting
More Info

“Prof. Marben is always willing to answer questions you have regarding homework and class material in a timely manner. When I was quarantined for Covid in the Fall, he scheduled a Zoom Meeting to make sure I was understanding the material for the course and making sure my other classes were going ok as well. I was glad that he cared about my well-being. His kindness made my learning a positive experience for me in an unfortunate circumstance.”

“Dr. Marben has only taught one class of mine, but his kindness went way beyond that one class. In that class, he brought the energy every time (which was @8 AM). It really made everyone want to show up to an otherwise boring class. Outside of the classroom, I think he is one of the most approachable people on campus. I was never afraid to go to him if I had a question about anything. I chose him to be my advisor for my internship because of this fact. As my advisor, he put a lot of thought into making my class schedule and the rest of my time at Tiffin as easy as possible. I understand that it is the advisor’s job to make a student’s life easier, but I feel that nobody would’ve gone as far as Dr. Marben. For example, he told me I could substitute one of my classes because I will have a lot of internship hours. Nobody on campus ever explained that to me, and it should be a well-known fact. Not to mention, whilst Dr. Marben was bringing a smile and upbeat energy to Tiffin every day,  he was earning his Ph.D., which is obviously, no easy task. Through my personal experience, nobody on campus comes even close to Dr. Marben when it comes to deserving this honor.”

“Always smiling in class and happy to teach his students. Looks to get to know his students with daily conversations before and after class. Helps make the material we are learning more understandable in different ways.”

“Professor Marben has gone above and beyond his required duties to teach at this institution for me and his students far longer than just this past year. He has displayed empathy and excellence in the pursuit of our best interests and has openly expressed his availability for further assistance, whether it be for class, sports, or life in general. I have always considered his advice before making any large decision impactful to my future, and plan to continue to maintain a relationship long after my years at Tiffin University are behind me. He has always provided excellent advice with my happiness and best interest at heart.” 

“At the beginning of the fall semester, I came back to school with substantially low enthusiasm to keep my college career going. I became increasingly bored with the curriculum because it was not challenging me as I thought it would. Professor Marben called a meeting with me due to him noticing something had changed in my demeanor. By him going above and beyond his standard classroom duties and personally discussing the matters with me in his spare time, he concluded what was wrong and recommended different ways to keep my academic career exhilarating. Without his assiduity and exhortation, I am positive that my grades would have suffered. I am very thankful for what he did and it truly showed his colors and compassion for his students.”

Nominated by Rachel Faber, Grant Voisard, Joe Oren, Joe Harakal & Anonymous

kevin cashen

Kevin Cashen

School of Criminal Justice & Social Sciences
Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice & Security Studies
NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative
More Info

“Cashen has made me feel welcome since day 1. He goes out of his way to say hi to not only me but to other class members when he sees us outside of class. He connects with students every opportunity he gets and he always makes his class interactive to make sure everyone is involved. If someone looks like they’re feeling down he tells them a joke to make them smile. He is truly one of the kindest souls I have ever met.”

“He is so kind to his students every day at the start of class. He asks how each of us are doing individually and really tries to understand us. He is my favorite professor in all my time at Tiffin because of the kindness and care that he shows.”

“The way he SHOWS how much he cares and truly wants his students to succeed is beyond prevalent. By a long shot, Professor Cashen is the sole reason I stayed with my major, not to mention why I stayed enrolled at TU.”

Nominated by Grace Back, Anonymous & Anonymous

sandra miller

Sandra Miller, Ph.D.

School of Criminal Justice & Social Sciences
Associate Professor of Criminology
Department Chair CJNS Undergraduate Seated
More Info

“Dr. Miller is always so kind and caring. She truly has a passion for what she teaches and the students she teaches to. “

“She is always going above and beyond for her students and gives us unique ways of teaching that keeps us involved. She makes even the hardest topics to talk about fun and engaging. “

“I have her for 2 classes this semester and she is my faculty advisor. I have reached out for help in class and to schedule meetings. She is very good with communicating to her students. She also has answered a lot of my questions about the internship. She has explained everything for the internship process to make it the easiest for me to complete. Overall, she is the most helpful professor I’ve had in my 2 years here at TU.”

Nominated by Sarah Smith, Patience Doeing, Alayna Thornsberry

Always super helpful, was always there to listen to any concerns I had, listened to my problems, showed that she genuinely cared!”

Nominated by Lauren Perry

maria barulina“I became very sick and ended up hospitalized in October with COVID and had to take an incomplete for my classes that term. Prof Barulina was extremely kind & understanding during this and worked with me as I got the remaining assignments completed before the semester was over. I was afraid I would have to withdraw or retake my classes and her kindness really helped me get through everything without stressing about my coursework.”

Nominated by Miranda G.

“Chelsea always lets me come and visit her in her office. If I ever need advice on schoolwork or a job she is always ready to help out. Additionally, it is nice to see a faculty member care so much about the life of a student”

Nominated by Jacob Zinnchelsea bass

Professor Butler was very helpful when I needed an extension for my week one assignments due to technology issues. His communication and kindness in a time of struggle was greatly appreciated.”

Nominated by CJ Richarson

 

“La doctora Milagros, fue una buena guía como maestra en mi primer curso en la universidad de tiffin. Me gustó mucho su estructuración del curso “participación universitaria”, el cual me hizo reflexionar mucho acerca de lo que realmente quiero para mi vida, además me hizo profundizar mucho también dentro de mi propio ser.”

Nominated by Valentina Arango Mayorga

kevin cashen“Cashen has made me feel welcome since day 1. He goes out of his way to say hi to not only me but to other class members when he sees us outside of class. He connects with students every opportunity he gets and he always makes his class interactive to make sure everyone is involved. If someone looks like they’re feeling down he tells them a joke to make them smile. He is truly one of the kindest souls I have ever met.”“He is so kind to his students every day at the start of class. He asks how each of us are doing individually and really tries to understand us. He is my favorite professor in all my time at Tiffin because of the kindness and care that he shows.”

“The way he SHOWS how much he cares and truly wants his students to succeed is beyond prevalent. By a long shot, Professor Cashen is the sole reason I stayed with my major, not to mention why I stayed enrolled at TU.”

Nominated by Grace Back, Anonymous & Anonymous

 

“This professor has taken time out of his day to help me and answer questions about future careers and ways to go about getting that job.  He allowed me to feel comfortable enough to talk to him and has helped me through the fall semester.  He is one of my michael curtisfavorite professors at Tiffin.”

Nominated by Anonymous

“Spent time to help better understand the material for Masters program and helped give me more knowledge related to my current job.”

Nominated by Adam Jaworski

 

“Professor Downing is a simply amazing online instructor. He responds to every single person’s post on Discussion Boards with comments concerning the post as well as extra things to think about. It makes the class feel more “in-person” when it is remote. He is very engaging in an online environment and provides supportive comments and constructive criticism in a very kind way. He has made me a better student. I have learned so much from him. He has given me valuable feedback that has been useful for my development. I have actually bought books to learn more about topics that he has mentioned in posts.“

Nominated by Catherine (Kate) Lamb

“Professor Downing is a simply amazing online instructor. He responds to every single person’s post on Discussion Boards with comments concerning the post as well as extra things to think about. It makes the class feel more “in-person” when it is remote. He is very engaging in an online environment and provides supportive comments and constructive criticism in a very kind way. He has made me a better student. I have learned so much from him. He has given me valuable feedback that has been useful for my development. I have actually bought books to learn more about topics that he has mentioned in posts.“

Nominated by Catherine (Kate) Lamb

 

“[Dr. Ellis has] helped me tremendously with preparing for my future job as a death investigator.”

lacy ellis

 

Dr. Eubanks provided encouraging and comprehensive feedback in our first class together. Even when I was diagnosed with Covid during our second class she worked with me closely and helped me recognize my strengths at such a difficult time. Her beautiful letter of recommendation without my even asking indicated her belief in me as a leader in higher education. She went above and beyond in every way possible and I will never forget her kindness.“

Nominated by Samantha Milakovich

 

“Mr. Filipkowski is the first teacher I’ve had who has thoroughly reviewed and given me feedback on every assignment I’ve taken. He has helped me grow as a writer, challenged me by asking difficult questions, and has given me a lot of food for thought. I’ve been able to put the things he has taught me into practice in my classes and in my professional career. I’m grateful for him taking the time to invest in me as a student.”

“He has helped me grow as a student when it comes to writing papers. I used to be afraid to write essays because I could never comprehend my reading and turn it into my own words, I would simply write word for word what was in the book. He has been able to guide me on how to properly write essays and he is always there to help! “

Nominated by David Rockburn & Chelsea Walton

 

“She has always been very welcoming and understanding. She always has a positive attitude and is always willing to help those in need.”

Nominated by Anonymousfran ford

“Professor Fritz hosted student web sessions where attendance was optional but provided great insights. He is relatable and works to ensure that you don’t only understand the course material but how it pertains to your real-world professional experience. As a professor, he consistently went above and beyond to mentor us and was always accessible.”Owen Fritz

 

rhonda gilreath“Rhonda has really reached out and helped me when I was having some personal issues. She helped me through positivity and pushed me to continue with my education. She has really inspired me. I just landed my dream job and I believe that she really helped me get there.” 

Nominated by Ashli Law

 

perry haan“His positive and calm attitude towards students has made me give my 100% in all of his assignments.“

“He has gone ‘above and beyond’ in giving of his time and expertise.”

Nominated by Natasha Sharma & Anonymous

 

“Lori always goes out of her way to help students and other faculty members with whatever problems come about for the school of business and criminal justice”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

“Dr. Harrison took considerable time to speak with me on the phone and really explained in detail answers to my questions. He also gave me what appears to be some very sound advice with regards to preparing myself for professional life after graduation. It was very kind of him.”

Nominated by Todd Lincoln Harrison

 

aly horn

“Aly Horn is the most kind and understanding person ever. If you’re having a bad day you can easily pop in her office and she will take the time to talk to you and is always looking to help in any way that she can. “

Nominated by Tristen Johnson

 

mandi hummel“Always willing to help me become a better professional and I see her dedication to every student she meets with”

“Amanda Hummel will go out of her way to help students even when they are in the wrong office. Students came in needing help with homework and tutors were not there. Amanda took the student in and helped them. She is an amazing faculty member. Not many professors and faculty do this.”

Nominated by Diamond Thomas & Anonymous

 

steve hurwitz“He is kind in the regard of showing tough love. He is willing to push students to their limits and challenge them to the point that they gain experience and knowledge. He always helps me with assignments of extracurricular if need be.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

vicki ingalls“Dr. Ingalls kindness has impacted my learning in several ways. First, she is positive and energetic in class. The positive, fun environment she creates makes learning fun, and I want to be there in class. Also, she is understanding with learning. She makes many opportunities to get good grades and correct and learn from our mistakes. In addition to these three things, she is supportive in general. She cares about her students in and out of the classroom and wants the best for us. All of these things that she does help me succeed. She is approachable and helpful too. Dr. Ingalls is a great model for a faculty member who generates kindness on campus/in the classroom.”

“Mrs. Ingalls supported me in every decision I made, she was there for me when I needed help in the course or in my life. Mrs. Ingalls is the only professor who made me feel like I belong here. “

Nominated by Anonymous & Anonymous

 

kelsey kuzma“Kelsey is a very positive person and is always willing to help others in any way she can. She has been a huge help to me as I go into the world of graduate school by giving me all the advice and insight from her experience. Having Kelsey as my supervisor has definitely made my senior year a lot less stressful!”

Nominated by Kira Baade

tom marben“Prof. Marben is always willing to answer questions you have regarding homework and class material in a timely manner. When I was quarantined for Covid in the Fall, he scheduled a Zoom Meeting to make sure I was understanding the material for the course and making sure my other classes were going ok as well. I was glad that he cared about my well-being. His kindness made my learning a positive experience for me in an unfortunate circumstance.”

“Dr. Marben has only taught one class of mine, but his kindness went way beyond that one class. In that class, he brought the energy every time (which was @8 AM). It really made everyone want to show up to an otherwise boring class. Outside of the classroom, I think he is one of the most approachable people on campus. I was never afraid to go to him if I had a question about anything. I chose him to be my advisor for my internship because of this fact. As my advisor, he put a lot of thought into making my class schedule and the rest of my time at Tiffin as easy as possible. I understand that it is the advisor’s job to make a student’s life easier, but I feel that nobody would’ve gone as far as Dr. Marben. For example, he told me I could substitute one of my classes because I will have a lot of internship hours. Nobody on campus ever explained that to me, and it should be a well-known fact. Not to mention, whilst Dr. Marben was bringing a smile and upbeat energy to Tiffin every day,  he was earning his Ph.D., which is obviously, no easy task. Through my personal experience, nobody on campus comes even close to Dr. Marben when it comes to deserving this honor.”

“Always smiling in class and happy to teach his students. Looks to get to know his students with daily conversations before and after class. Helps make the material we are learning more understandable in different ways.”

“Professor Marben has gone above and beyond his required duties to teach at this institution for me and his students far longer than just this past year. He has displayed empathy and excellence in the pursuit of our best interests and has openly expressed his availability for further assistance, whether it be for class, sports, or life in general. I have always considered his advice before making any large decision impactful to my future, and plan to continue to maintain a relationship long after my years at Tiffin University are behind me. He has always provided excellent advice with my happiness and best interest at heart.” 

“At the beginning of the fall semester, I came back to school with substantially low enthusiasm to keep my college career going. I became increasingly bored with the curriculum because it was not challenging me as I thought it would. Professor Marben called a meeting with me due to him noticing something had changed in my demeanor. By him going above and beyond his standard classroom duties and personally discussing the matters with me in his spare time, he concluded what was wrong and recommended different ways to keep my academic career exhilarating. Without his assiduity and exhortation, I am positive that my grades would have suffered. I am very thankful for what he did and it truly showed his colors and compassion for his students.”

Nominated by Rachel Faber, Grant Voisard, Joe Oren, Joe Harakal & Anonymous

 

fang-mei law“Professor Law is extremely kind and high-spirited. She has a very kind smile and takes the time during class to slightly get to know her students better despite having full classes. She gives me energy when I come to class and I feel like I’m truly learning in her classes. Professor Law is also very understanding and I feel like I will continue to stay in contact with her even after I graduate.”

Nominated by Madison Tomassi

 

sandra miller“Dr. Miller is always so kind and caring. She truly has a passion for what she teaches and the students she teaches to. “

“She is always going above and beyond for her students and gives us unique ways of teaching that keeps us involved. She makes even the hardest topics to talk about fun and engaging. “

“I have her for 2 classes this semester and she is my faculty advisor. I have reached out for help in class and to schedule meetings. She is very good with communicating to her students. She also has answered a lot of my questions about the internship. She has explained everything for the internship process to make it the easiest for me to complete. Overall, she is the most helpful professor I’ve had in my 2 years here at TU.”

Nominated by Sarah Smith, Patience Doeing & Alayna Thornsberry

 

 

“Professor Linder was one of the best professors I’ve ever had. He was so willing to help and understood that we still lived really busy lives. Such a kind man! He gave me the courage to never give up!”

Nominated by Lacie Fickiesen

 

 

 

michael lynch“As a person with severe anxiety taking a communications class seemed terrifying to me but Lynch provided me with positive feedback that made my worries disappear. Michael Lynch would listen to each of his students and work around any problems that they have. I have experienced a couple of panic attacks during his class and Lynch checked up on me after class each time. Michael Lynch went beyond what was necessary and even walked me to the counseling center after a particularly bad attack in his class.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

alex manfredo

“This faculty member has made me a better and more confident artist and songwriter. Not only this she took the time out of her busy schedule to find time to teach me material I might not completely understand in class.” 

Nominated by Anonymous

vicki mayfield“She has put the needs of others before herself and has worked hard to ensure  that the online educational experiences of TUs digital students is nothing short of amazing.”

Nominated by Leah Frantz 

 

laura mays“I had the opportunity to study under the guidance of Dr. Mays in my final Ph.D. course before I begin my dissertation work. I appreciated her supportive candidness of tips and tricks that have already proved useful in the initial stages of crafting my research study. She went out of her way to provide personalized feedback on each assignment, doing so in a way that simultaneously challenged me to fix errors and make needed revisions but celebrated the things I did well. “

Nominated  by Zach Lowe

 

shannon mckeehen“She’s genuinely really sweet and she really cares about all of her students. She’s really understanding of personal circumstances, and she really cares about what you have to say.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

michelle meadows“She was very encouraging and even when I was struggling she was willing to work with me and help out wherever she could. Meadows has such a positive energy that she rubs off on her students and it helps keep you engaged and motivated.”

“Dr. Meadows went out of her way each week to help me prepare for my state test to get my education license. She organized meetings, tutoring, free books, and a website to help me study. I would not be where I am today without her.”

“Dr. Meadows went out of her way to ensure her class understood all of the aspects that were being introduced. Dr. Meadows also made time for students if there were ever any questions. “

Nominated by Maryssa Oliver, Anonymous & Anonymous

 

amber molnar“Amber always lets me come and visit her in her office. If I ever need advice on schoolwork or a job she is always ready to help out. Additionally, it is nice to see a faculty member care so much about the life of a student.

Nominated by Jacob Zinn

 

vincent moore“Dr. Moore has been one of my favorite professors throughout my academic career. He truly cares about his students and refuses to provide a major assignment to his students that he does not complete alongside them. Additionally, he provides truly top-tier feedback on work. His dedication to his students is palpable, and his commitment is beyond admirable.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

kyara murrell“Kyara is a great mentor. She was my advisor for student success workshop. Because of her advice and high spirits, I felt motivated enough to pass all of my classes and move on to greater things. We bonded too about little things and she helped me feel comfortable and get adjusted at Tiffin University.”

 

 

peter piraino“He goes the extra mile to ensure the success of his students. I was nervous about a paper for his class and finished it early, hoping he might take some extra time to look it over for me before I turned it in, and he did. He gave me a few critiques and let me turn in the updated copy. I had him for senior seminar, during which he also put in extra work to make sure everybody in the class had a solid resume to work with upon graduation. Not every professor cares this much or is willing to dedicate extra time and efforts to make sure their students succeed, but Piraino does and it’s appreciated.”

“[Dr. Piraino has] helped me tremendously with preparing for my future job as a death investigator.” 

Nominated by Kaylee Neura & Anonymous

 

“Professor Rieger made his Marketing Management class interesting. His feedback on assignments was always very positive. I loved the Motivational Quote of the Week he would email out to us. Getting a random email from him praising my work and contributions to the class gave me the confidence I needed to do well. He definitely impacted me by showing that he does care about his students, even though we are online.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

deborah roszman“She is so kind to me, and is polite to everyone she meets.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

 

 

“Professor Sauceda always made herself available to discuss questions that I had with materials we were covering. Any interactions I had with her were always kind and offered helpful solutions. I never felt like I was being a bother to her.”

Nominated by Dana G.

 

john schupp“This year I went through some struggles with deciding my career and educational path. Dr Schupp sat down with me and over coffee, we discussed all of my options and he was more than happy to sit there and listen as well as provide me with different resources. He has been a great help to me throughout all of my time at Tiffin University.”

Nominated by Abbie-Jade Riley

 

emily ohman scrimshaw“Emily always lets me come and visit her in her office. If I ever need advice on school work or a job she is always ready to help out. Additionally, it is nice to see a faculty member care so much about the life of a student.”

“As my advisor, Emily had been the greatest. She is always an email away, deals with my repetition and indecisiveness, helps me understand everything better, and pushes me to accomplish more than I thought I could. Emily is more than a advisor to me, she is a friend.”

Nominated by Jacob Zinn & Nakiya Wynn

 

david selnick“He has assisted me to be a well-rounded student, helped me in my academics, helped me navigate personal dilemmas. He is incredibly kind and willing to help all students. He also fights for students and keeps their interests at the forefront of his mind.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

craig stapley“Craig Stapley is very kind and always makes sure that students are learning what they need to succeed. Stapley uses real world examples that tie into lesson plans. He’s definitely my favorite professor at the university.”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

joseph van kerkhove“Joe has always listened to my ideas and creative input while guiding me along the creative process! He has showed me kindness when other facts of life interrupt my education. Joe also has always always done his best to answer my questions about anything and everything! Overall a great professor to have!”

Nominated by Anonymous

 

“Ms. Vicki. always has a smile on her face every day and takes the time to ask how your day was and have genuine conversations with the people in the cafe. Although she may not be a professor and teach a class she has given me such great advice for overcoming my obstacles. After chatting with her she has turned my outlook for some of my bad days into good days. Ms. Vicki is an authentic and kind person that makes genuine connections with those around her.”

“She always puts a smile on my face whenever I see her in the cafe or just around the Gilmore student center.”

Nominated by Presley Feltner & Anonymous

 

melissa waire“She’s helped me get through a lot this past year and a half. She’s always willing to see down and talk with me or just let me come in her office to vent to her about anything. I love the way she listens and give you a positive outlook on life or your situation.”

Nominated by CC Jackson