Shortly after graduating from Rutgers University–Camden, Tiffanie ThrBak CCAS’93 accepted a position as a teacher’s aide at Cherry Street School, part of the Bridgeton Public School District in Southern New Jersey.
She loved inspiring young minds, but never imagined that 30 years later, she would be named Cumberland County’s Teacher of the Year by New Jersey’s Department of Education.
"I have always seen myself as someone who has the power to bring joy and to inspire,” said ThrBak. “That’s been my focus throughout my career, so when I learned I had been chosen for this award, I was shocked, because I feel like the career chose me, and it's the best job in the world."
Her passion for the job and for her students was just one reason ThrBak was named Cumberland County’s Teacher of the Year for 2025. The award is part of a statewide program that celebrates exceptional educators whose creativity, leadership, and impact on students set them apart. The program has become a hallmark of New Jersey’s commitment to recognizing the educators whose work shapes classrooms and student futures across the state.
ThrBak currently serves as a special education teacher at Cherry Street School—the same school where she started right out of college and in the same district where she has spent her entire career. Throughout the years, she has also served in roles including homeless liaison, where she advocated for changing the identifier "homeless student" to "student in transition" to promote dignity and inclusivity.
Along the way, she continued her own education, earning a master’s degree in education and a doctoral degree in educational leadership. She is also a certified school social worker; she finds supporting students with academic and behavioral challenges especially meaningful.
“Providing students with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in a mainstream classroom is critical to helping these exceptional children develop critical thinking skills and become their very best,” said ThrBak. "I get to help students find their spark on a daily basis, and that is pretty special."
When asked to reflect on her time at Rutgers–Camden, ThrBak recalls that the university provided the same support and encouragement she now offers her own students.
“My father was a graduate of Rutgers–Camden, so I was familiar with the university and the campus,” said ThrBak. “But I really chose to attend because it was close to home and I felt I would receive the specialized support I needed as both a student and a young mother. I felt seen.”
ThrBak immersed herself in campus life, joining the Black Student Union and becoming a charter member of the Pi Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Both organizations offered opportunities to connect, serve, and contribute to the community.
"The Campus Center was incredible, always buzzing with energy," ThrBak said. “We’d come together every day just to connect and meet others. We all felt like family, regardless of your background.”
Her fond memories of Rutgers–Camden continue to guide her, even as she focuses on helping the next generation discover the same sense of purpose and possibility she found as an undergraduate.
“I encourage my students to wake up every day and know they can make a difference in the world,” said ThrBak. “I tell them: show up in your life! Just show up, because you’ll never know the opportunities you may have to change someone’s life.”
