Graduate Alumna Focus | Tiffiny Ford

I graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education Social Sciences. My first-year teaching was spent in a small rural town in North Carolina.  Since then, I have been a Social Studies teacher at Governor Thomas Johnson High School.

I was also the Tutoring Center Coordinator for our Extended Learning Program (before Covid-19) which gave students additional academic support after school.

I am currently the adviser for the Female Empowerment Club and Rho Kappa, which is like the National Honor Society for Social Studies.

I chose The Graduate School at Hood College because I had previously been a mentor teacher for a few of the students in the Education Program and had great interactions with Hood College faculty and staff. 

Because of that previous experience, I knew the faculty at Hood College cared about building personal relationships with their students and fostering partnerships with local business owners to create job opportunities in the future. 

As I would be working full time while progressing through my master’s program, I knew I would appreciate the personal attention and additional support the Graduate School offered, such as proofreading and feedback provided by tutors in the Writing Center.

I chose the Humanities Program to gain further knowledge in my teaching content areas.  As a Sociology, Modern World History, and Human Geography teacher, the courses in the Humanities program provided research opportunities that deepened my knowledge in my core content.

Obtaining my degree reignited my desire to broaden the narrative for those who have been previously marginalized. 

Over the summer, I was selected by Frederick County Public School (FCPS) curriculum specialist, Colleen Bernard, as the leader for the Equity Team.

The goal of the Equity Team was to evaluate the content standards of the core courses for both middle and high school to ensure equity among all groups.

I enjoyed the diversity of the individuals enrolled in the program.  The Humanities Program appeals to students with a wide array of backgrounds in business, education, science, etc.  As a result, multiple perspectives were expressed during class discussions which I found interesting and exciting. 

In addition, the professors at Hood are passionate about what they teach.  Dr. Didier Course’s "The World is a Dream" class on Wednesday evenings centered on all things "Baroque."  His selection of texts and video clips kept us all engaged and his energy and enthusiasm was infectious!

My favorite memory from Hood was the Edible Humanities course taught by Dr. Corey Campion.  We nicknamed it, "The Food Class."  While I had the privilege of taking five of Dr. Campion's courses while at Hood, there was something special about that summer course.

From the fascinating readings and class discussions, we learned that food brought us together and made us appreciate our differences. 

We moved our course out of the classroom by selecting different restaurants in Frederick to enjoy meals together while discussing and debating how history, economics, culture, and politics impacted how we experience food.

I am grateful to have been given this award.  There are a multitude of intelligent, dedicated, and talented students in the Humanities Program and to have been selected as "Outstanding" was amazing. 

I am indebted to Dr. Campion for his tireless efforts and words of encouragement during the many revisions to my thesis.  I am proud of the work I produced and will continue my research on women's history, especially how they are impacted during times of war.

I was a member of the Hood College Dance Ensemble in the Fall of 2015 and the Spring of 2016.  I was the oldest dancer in the group, but I loved every second of working with the young men and women who had a passion for artistic expression.

I applaud Fran Marsili's dedication to continue the dance program and am grateful for the opportunity to dust off my tap shoes and dance with her students.  She also afforded me the opportunity to choreograph as well (I taught dance at TJ High School from 2001-2017).

My artistic pieces included an ensemble lyrical piece for the fall recital and an ensemble Broadway jazz and kickline piece in the spring.

In addition, I performed and choreographed a contemporary duet with the team captain for the spring recital.

Inspired by Tiffiny's story and want to #GOFURTHER in your education and career? Learn more about Hood graduate programs, including the Humanities program, by clicking here.