Profiles
Flash Focus: Tatiana Placer
Meet Tatiana Placer, a graduate student pursuing her master’s in architecture and design at ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University. Placer was born in Germany on a U.S. military base and was raised mostly in Orlando, Florida. Growing up in a Puerto Rican household, her upbringing was deeply rooted in the Puerto Rican diaspora.
Flash Focus: Lettie Friona
Meet Lettie Friona, a senior integrated social studies major with a concentration in history and minors in classics and mild to moderate special education from Steubenville, Ohio, whose leadership positions have helped shape her experience at ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì.
A Rwandan Police Officer Journeys From Kigali to ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì, Earns His Degree and Returns Home to Pay It Forward
In December 2025, Francis Rubagumya, 37, walked across the stage at ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì's commencement with a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language — and a plan to take every lesson he had learned back to the country he loves Rwanda.
Flash Focus: Lily Stenroos
Meet Lily Stenroos, a member of the Honors College pursuing an environmental studies degree with minors in sustainability, environmental justice and political science, from Mayfield Village, Ohi0, whose academic path was forged from deep relationships between the natural world and humans.
POV: ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì Hospitality Students Gain Real-World Experience Through Cleveland Club Partnerships
Former club manager turned ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì instructor Mandy Ulicney explains how cultivating partnerships with Greater Cleveland industry leaders gives hospitality students the same passion and real-world experience that shaped her own career.
Flash Focus: Karissa Wahl
Meet Karissa Wahl, a member of the Honors College and a second-year public health major with junior standing from Mansfield, Ohio. She has a concentration in allied health and also minors in psychology, disability studies and community inclusion.
ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì Professional Pilot Major Ashanti Mallit Navigates Challenges as She Soars Toward Goals
As a professional pilot major, ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì junior Ashanti Mallit's immediate goal is to earn her instrument rating. She's one review flight away from completing the practical portion of her instrument check ride, having already passed the oral examination.
Flash Focus: Antajuan Hightower
Meet Antajuan Hightower, a member of the Honors College and a human resource management major, from Boardman, Ohio.
Flash Focus: Monica Fencil
Meet Monica Fencil, a junior exercise science major with a concentration in pre-physical therapy, from Butler, Pennsylvania. Fencil’s interest in the health field began early, shaped by being surrounded by family members who worked in healthcare.
Family Ties at ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì Police Services and Beyond
Meet the Sprague family and their unique tie to ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì University. After retiring as an Ohio State Trooper, Rick Sprague accepted a position with the ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì police services last year. His son, Officer Tristan Sprague, also joined the police department last year. In the fall, Rick Sprague’s two daughters enrolled at ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì, making the family’s service to the campus community all the more meaningful.
