From Tampa to Taiwan: USF Alum Tyler Nusbaum takes on role as international recruiter

As a USF student more than 25 years ago, Tyler Nusbaum’s curiosity about Asia led to a study abroad experience in China that changed the trajectory of his life. Recently, that unexpected path led him back to USF as the university’s new international student recruiter based in Taiwan.

Now USF's Assistant Director of International Recruitment based in Taipei, Nusbaum helps connect prospective students with opportunities at his alma mater. His career in international education has taken him across China, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, driven by a passion for cultural discovery and language learning. He recently returned to the Tampa campus to see where the journey all began.

"I wanted to learn Chinese and learn about a country and culture that seemed very different from the history and stories I had studied growing up in the U.S.," Nusbaum said. "It may have helped me in my career and life, but the decision was more self-interested and me following a passion versus thinking about the future." 

As a USF student in the early 2000s, Nusbaum was a participant in an annual exchange program that allowed him to study at Nankai University. This exchange program allowed two Nankai University students to study at USF while two USF students could study in China. Participation from USF students was often limited, and during Nusbaum's exchange year, he was the only student to take advantage of the opportunity. At Nankai University, Nusbaum enrolled in intensive Chinese-language courses.

Nusbaum returned from that year and finished up his degree at USF with a few courses. He then returned to China, where he spent eight years and became fluent in Mandarin and conversational in Cantonese while building a career in international education recruitment. 

As a USF student in the early 2000s, Nusbaum was a participant in an annual exchange program that allowed him to study at Nankai University.

"It was absolutely not a business decision," he said. "People constantly tell me that speaking Chinese and becoming so familiar with China was a great strategic move. While that may be true, I went because I was captivated by China's art, history, language and culture." 

After stints this summer at several international education programs — including Kings Education, Oregon State University and University of Stirling — Nusbaum joined USF. Recently, he traveled to the Tampa campus to meet with fellow international student recruitment leaders, where they learned about USF’s new programs, visited facilities and learned firsthand about student life to share insights with prospective Bulls. 

"USF was a very different university and campus back then," he said of his undergraduate years. "There were far fewer buildings on campus and a lot more open space.

“During my last couple of years studying, USF started building and expanding rapidly while receiving tremendous amounts of money for its research, which has continued to this day and helped build its reputation and stature over the years," he added.

Nusbaum credits several professors for influencing his journey, among them veteran International Affairs Professor Harvey Nelsen, a former China analyst at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. Another memorable mentor was Dr. Mohsen Milani, one of the world’s foremost experts on Iran. Nusbaum recalls Professor Milani’s mentorship included friendly racquetball matches at the Campus Recreation Center, where Nusbaum worked as a student employee. 

"I am very proud of USF's rise in both rankings and reputation over the years," Nusbaum said. "Rankings are a big factor in the decision to choose a university for students from Asia."  

He points to USF's academic infrastructure as a major selling point for future Bulls from abroad.

"The facilities at USF are world-class, and students interested in a whole range of programs will find they have access to research facilities, labs and equipment second to none," he said.