Student success

TU students place in top 7% in National Cybersecurity Competition Six undergraduate students from the Tiffin University Hacking Club competed in the Fall 2024 National Cyber League (NCL) Competition, hosted biannually and open to teams nationwide. Of the 4,894 participating teams, TU's ranked 346, placing them in the top seven percent of the country. The competing students were Danielle Davis, Ben Plain, Frankie McDonald, Libby Huston, Vivian Rayborn and Yasir Alwatyan. The tournament consisted of both individual and team games designed to mock real-world scenarios. Examples include identifying an attacker's username, performing diagnostic and analysis work and testing the strength of a faux company's defense measures. Points accrued during these exercises are then averaged to determine a team's overall score. "I am extremely proud of this group of students," said Andrew Groman, instructor of Cybersecurity and Hacking Club faculty Mmentor. "They performed exceptionally well, especially considering that this was the first time our team has competed in a few years. They were also competing against veteran teams with multiple years of competition experience. I am especially pleased that we were able to hold our own against schools of varying calibers and resources, including Division 1 and Ivy League institutions. Thanks are extended to the Tiffin University Center for Cyber Defense and Forensics. The team is an initiative of and housed within the Center, and we greatly appreciate the support." "I am very proud of Danielle, Ben, Frankie, Libby, Vivian and Yasir for their hard work and for linking their knowledge to professional practice," said Mark Sabo, dean of the School of Science, Technology and Health. "Tiffin University is extremely fortunate to have faculty like Professor Groman who engages our students in hands-on, minds-on educational opportunities outside the classroom." Green Springs student helps share international students' stories CEDARVILLE — Overcoming the cultural divide for international college students is the focus of a social media campaign run by a group of students at Cedarville University. Through Instagram, five students have created a space that allows international students at Cedarville to share their voices and foster a deeper sense of community while they are thousands of miles away from their home and families. Nationally, nearly six percent of college students in the United States come from international cities, according to a report from Forbes. These international students face the struggle of navigating a new culture in addition to managing classwork and making new friends. "Because I am a senior (majoring in communication) and an international student, I know how stories can impact people," said Dani Bastos, who came to Cedarville from Costa Rica. "It helps to know someone else can relate to what we are going through, to realize you aren't the only one who is lonely or cannot go home for the holidays. As international students, we come from different countries and cultures, but many of our experiences are the same." Batos is joined by other students with a similar interest in caring for international students. Kaylee Guetter, a senior from Rochester, Minnesota; Bethany Scott, from Tipp City, Ohio; Ema Bakalli, From Albania and Luke Randall, from Green Springs, Ohio, have joined Bastos in finding ways to make college life for international students at Cedarville more like home. On their Instagram page, students can tell their stories and be encouraged as they learn how other international students have adapted to college life in America. With Instagram's translation option, people from all over the world have read the stories of international students at Cedarville, providing encouragement for students on other campuses as well. Through its placement on a global platform, this project also furthers Cedarville's mission to proclaim the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, because the hope students find in Jesus is featured in many of their stories. Bastos and the other creators of this platform encourage all students to get involved by sharing their stories or interacting in the comments to grow this encouraging community. Trine students win awards at STEM Symposium ANGOLA, IN — Trine University students have been honored for projects presented at the university's eighth annual STEM Research and Design Symposium, held Thursday, Dec. 5, on the concourse of the MTI Center. The symposium featured 52 student projects representing multiple academic departments. Projects included departmental freshman and research projects as well as Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). Awards were presented in the following categories: Among those students were Kristin Baker of Green Springs in the category of Honorable Mention, Trine Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering.