The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Alumna: Tiffany Wood
Bachelor of Science, Legal Studies
Alumnus: Class of 2009, College of Arts & Sciences
Campus: Columbia
“Regardless of how many times you go somewhere or look at one thing -- when or if you go back to it with an open mind, you’ll continue to see more possibilities,” says Tiffany Wood, 23-year-old Legal Studies graduate from South University - Columbia, South Carolina.
A shy girl growing up in Aiken, South Carolina, she was a member of her high school track team. Fresh out of high school, Tiffany chose to enlist in the U.S. Army to support her academic dreams financially.
From basic training she flew to Seoul, South Korea, a location where her grandfather had also served in the U.S. military during the 1950s. “I often wondered about my grandfather while I was there. I wondered if he experienced the same kinds of things I was seeing and feeling.”
In South Korea, Tiffany worked as a medical supplies officer and studied. “I took classes at the University of Maryland in Asia and started knocking out some of my general education requirements. I really enjoyed the classes at UMA, and it was there I started to focus my career direction.”
As a child, Tiffany says she dreamed of working in the legal profession. “One of my favorite past times with my mom was watching ‘cops and lawyer’ dramas on television. I definitely get that satisfying feeling people get when villains are caught and good people are saved. Human beings seem to rebound on that good feeling, a hint of fairness in what are sometimes our tough surroundings.”
During her high school years, Tiffany, alongside her father and other siblings, looked after her mom, who had suddenly become terminally ill. While Tiffany was serving active duty in South Korea, her mother passed away.
“It was probably one of the most difficult times in my life, but it was also a time that nudged me closer to where I am today. When my mom died, I had been away from home for about a year and I decided to return to South Carolina to be close to my family. By that time as well, I wanted to finish my degree and focus on legal studies. South University became the next step for me.”
Tiffany returned to South Carolina in 2007 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies in 2009. During college, she served as a supply sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. In her academic life, she loves research, and her greatest dream is to become a judge some day.
“Living abroad was an invaluable experience.” Tiffany says, “when a person turns 18 in Korea, traditionally the transition is looked upon as a time the child steps up to take care of their elders. It’s a little different in America. Most American kids can’t wait to turn 18, so they can move out and do their own thing.”
“I appreciated being back in the United States to finish my degree. My classes at South University challenged me to find the answers I was looking for and inspired me to keep seeking the truth in any situation presented to me. Being at South University has definitely brought me closer to my family and a step closer to my dreams