Celebrating National Transfer Student Week: highlighting Tiffiany Peters

Monday, October 18, 2021

I was born and raised in the thumb of Michigan. I transferred to Oklahoma State University from Southwestern Oregon Community College located in Coos Bay, Oregon.

My student experience is unique to that of my peers because I never thought having a university experience was in the cards for me. School was never something I enjoyed and college wasn't really a topic of conversation for my family. My parents didn't attend college and paying for it seemed far fetched, but college is the next step, right? Through scholarships and financial aid, I started my college journey in 2004 at a small private college in Michigan.

I had a poor attitude towards school and hit some bumps along the way. After a year and a half, I wasn't getting what I needed from school, so I ended up dropping out and joined the military. I spent some time in the Air Force, met my husband, and started a family in Washington.

After getting out of the military I knew I wanted to finish college and get my degree. The problem was, I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. Turns out, going to school with a baby/toddler is no easy task and those who do it successfully need an award. Needless to say, I hit a few more bumps and dropped out, again. We moved back and forth across the country a couple of times, bought and sold a house or two, had a couple more kids, added some fur babies and I focused on being a mom for awhile.

It wasn't until we moved to Oregon and my youngest was about to start school, that I decided it was time I started planning for college again. School was different for me this time around, it was something I wanted for myself. I worked hard, made connections and ended up graduating from SWOCC in 2020 with five associate degrees and two certificates.

My hard work paid off and it started to seem like attending a university was actually an option after all. I enrolled at a university in Oregon and was scheduled to start online in the fall of 2020. Due to COVID-19, I decided to take a year off so I could help my kids with balancing their distance learning schedules.

Oklahoma State University wasn't even an option I considered because we lived in Oregon. It wasn't until my husband applied for a position at OSU that going in-person to a university was an option. When he was offered the job, I submitted my application to attend OSU and was accepted shortly after.

My favorite part about being an OSU student is being a part of a unique experience. Every person I've spoken with at OSU has been supportive and willing to help me succeed. It's nice knowing I have a team in my corner that is rooting for me and ready to lend a hand. The Spears School of Business and OSU as a whole has surpassed my expectations already and it's only my first semester here. I look forward to the next couple of years to soak up all the experiences and opportunities I can as an active Cowboy. GO POKES!