Tiffany Arango: My name is Tiffany Arango. I graduated from FIU (as Tiffany Kilby) with a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology,\u00a0specifically\u00a0focusing on applied behavior analysis.\u00a0After graduating from Florida State University with a master\u2019s degree in applied behavior analysis,\u00a0I then became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). I primarily work with people with Autism and related diagnoses, due to\u00a0being inspired by a family member on the Autism spectrum. Outside of work, I am obsessed with my four-legged children, Gizmo and Ginger. When I am not taking pictures of Gizmo or Ginger, I\u00a0can be found crafting or binge-watching TV shows with my husband.<\/p>\n
FAA: What is the top reason you participate in Panther Alumni Week?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA: The main reason I participate in Panther Alumni Week (PAW) is to partake in the unique mentoring opportunities available to\u00a0FIU alumni annually at PAW. Since I was in 1st<\/sup> grade, I’ve wanted to be a teacher. My current position as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) allows me to teach people in a one-on-one setting,\u00a0while participating in PAW allows me to teach (and learn) different things than I do on a daily basis in a classroom audience of FIU freshmen.<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0What is the greatest personal or professional benefit of participating in Panther Alumni Week?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0I think the greatest benefit of participating in PAW, as clich\u00e9 as it sounds, is giving back to the FIU community. I loved being an undergraduate student at FIU, and I love to see others enjoying that experience now. Participating in PAW allows me to meet other members of the FIU family, who I probably would not have met otherwise.<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0What would you say to a fellow alumnus to encourage him\/her\u00a0to participate in Panther Alumni Week?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0I guess I would say: Why wouldn\u2019t you?<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0How would you describe your years as an FIU student?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0I consider those years valuable, fun, and formative; I would not have been the person I am today without those years.<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0What is your favorite memory of being an FIU student?\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0I think my favorite memory of being an FIU student was being a part of the FIU Honors College. Many of my best FIU stories stem from being a part of that tiny community within the larger FIU family\u00a0\u2014 like the time I had to walk through a real gator hole to get to the tree branch I sat on to eat lunch. One of the FIU Honors classes I took was off-campus; we met in the Everglades twice per month.\u00a0It was definitely the craziest class I have ever taken.<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0What activities or experiences would you say helped you the most to get you where you are today?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0Besides my formal education, I think that what helped me the most was my support system. My mom, dad, brother, husband, and all the other family members that have taken every worried or excited call really helped make it possible.<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0Why is it important for you to stay engaged\/connected with FIU?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0FIU is part of the reason I am who I am today. I like to stay engaged and connected, because I feel that FIU will always be part of my life.\u00a0It’s impossible for me to\u00a0drive by FIU on the highway without glancing over to see what looks new, or just quickly reminisce. That sounds corny, but I guess it\u2019s just loyalty; I am loyal to FIU.<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0What advice would you give to current students and\/or young alumni?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0Get involved as much as possible on campus. I remember being told that,\u00a0but thinking it was dumb or too time-consuming. I know that most FIU students are commuters, and that most of them have off-campus jobs, too. I lived it; there was a semester where I had three off-campus jobs, plus I worked in a lab on campus and took classes. To the young alumni, I would tell them to stay involved and in-touch with FIU. Regardless of where you are or what you are doing, I think the most important thing is just to keep growing and learning. When you find your passion, it\u2019s almost like you can\u2019t help it \u2014 you want to just keep learning.<\/p>\n FAA:\u00a0What is your favorite career-related quote or mantra?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n TA:\u00a0\u201cSay what you mean; mean what you say.\u201d I think this is my favorite quote, because it\u2019s all about behavior. What you say is behavior, and what you do is behavior. When we start to think this way and think about how our behavior impacts others, we give ourselves the opportunity to be better people. This quote is relevant in all aspects of life. If you give your word, stick to it; it doesn\u2019t matter where you are. Just by keeping your word, you can get so far in life, because most people do not do that.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fiualumni-eastus.azurewebsites.net\/stay-connected\/alumni-news\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/tiffany-paw-web-225x300.jpg\")
Each year, my PAW experiences have been different. Something\u00a0I enjoy the most is participating in two ways: as a regular FIU alum and also as an alum of the FIU Honors College. This gives me the honor and privilege of meeting with at least two classes each PAW. I enjoy exploring the campus, finding things that were not there when I was a student (like traffic lights!), and of course taking pictures. If you ever see someone posing around campus with a teddy bear\u2026that\u2019s me! I created a platform for behavior analysis dissemination (The Behavior Station\u00ae platform), and I have some really great shots all over campus of the mascot, Trainmaster Barry.<\/p>\n
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