Tiffin University is pleased to announce Dr. Peter Piraino as the Interim Dean of the School of Criminal Justice & Social Sciences, effective January 1.

"He has an excellent vision and plans to address the key priorities of the role and School during his interim deanship," said Dr. Peter J. Holbrook, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, noting that the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences has continued to excel in the areas of criminal justice, cyber security, forensics and social sciences. “Dr. Piraino brings to the position the ideal blend of scholar, practitioner, and leader to positively impact the forward movement of the School.”

Piraino is an associate professor who joined the school in 2012 and is currently serving as the Department Chair for online undergraduate and graduate criminal justice and social sciences programs. He teaches courses in criminal justice, justice administration and homeland security. He steps in for Dean David Selnick, who announced in October that he will be leaving the post at the end of the semester. When asked about this promotion, Dr. Piraino had this to say.

“I am thrilled, honored, and humbled to be appointed as Interim Dean, and look forward to leading our remarkable faculty in the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences as we seek new opportunities that serve to enhance the success of our students." Piraino said, "In addition, I look forward to working with our faculty, students, and community partners to ensure that our school continues to provide a quality education that is transformative in nature to our students."

Prior to joining the faculty at Tiffin, Piraino served for over two decades in the U.S. Secret Service in various supervisory protective and investigative assignments, and most recently as the Resident Agent in Charge of the Toledo Resident Office. He earned his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration with a specialization in Criminal Justice from Walden University.

Tiffin University’s 30th Annual International Flag Ceremony took place on Wednesday, November 17, at 11 a.m. in the Osceola Theatre in the Gillmor Student Center.

The ceremony kicked off with Caitlyn Bass, the Manager of International Affairs, welcoming the attendees and explaining the celebration of International Education Week. Following this introduction, Bass began the procession of the returning countries.

The crowd stood out of respect while the TU students, proudly representing their homes, carried in their nation's flag. During the processional, a large screen in the front of the room showcased the country coming down the aisle, facts about the country and a list of the students who currently attend TU from that nation.

Upon completion of the returning countries processional, Dean of Students Jacob Simon and TU President Lillian Schumacher addressed the event with a greeting. President Schumacher spoke of her time living in Saudi Arabia and commented on the incredible cultural uniqueness TU has and how excited and proud she is to have such a vast and rich diversity at our institution.

With the presentation of the new flags, TU welcomed Croatia and Gambia to Dragon Nation. The new students were presented with Tiffin University Flags.

To read more, go to the International Flag Ceremony blog story.

Tiffin University's own Dr. Matthew Bereza was recently recognized for his contribution to a peer-reviewed academic article, written in collaboration with Dr. Lisa Kahle-Piasecki, Associate Professor of Management at TU's neighboring institution, Heidelberg University, along with Tiffin University alumnus Joseph Laumer (‘19).

The article outlines Dr. Bereza and Dr. Kahle-Piasecki's 2018 study abroad trip to Ecuador and focuses on the research TU undergraduate students conducted during this time. During this excursion, students were present for and intimately involved with the investigation, under the direction of their faculty mentors. The purpose of this trip was for the students to gain practical knowledge on their previously-completed theoretical research on Ecuador’s practices surrounding coffee production, social justice issues and potential alternatives to these practices.

Dr. Bereza and Dr. Kahle-Piasecki's article outlines the findings of six TU undergraduate students, each of whom having played an integral role in conducting interviews and analyzing the subsequent findings. The completed article was recently published with "The International Journal of Business and Social Science," and the research team expects to present their findings both nationally and internationally in the near future.

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To see scheduled events and performances visit tiffinarts.com

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