Meet the adjuncts behind the wheel

Behind every student’s journey are the people who have steered them towards success, and Ivy Tech Fort Wayne is lucky to have so many talented adjunct faculty taking the wheel. Tucked away in the Steel Dynamics, Inc. Keith E. Busse Technology Center automotive bay, we’ll meet two adjuncts who go above and beyond everyday—and discover what drives them to keep coming back.

Skilling up the future

“All the professors we work with are amazing at being mentors,” says Noelia Ragon, an Automotive Technology student. “Knowing my professors are on my side, having mentors who care about our wellbeing outside of the classroom, it makes it really easy to be here.”

Current students and graduates of Ivy Tech Fort Wayne’s Automotive Technology program are quick to praise their instructors. It’s no wonder. Among all the automotive bay’s suspended vehicles, you’ll find passionate teachers leveling up each generation from novice to skilled worker.

They make teaching look easy when it’s anything but. There are constant challenges and hurdles to overcome; at the end of the day, it’s about giving students the tools they need to succeed.

Adjunct faculty member Chris Huguenard has been with the College for 14 years, continually learning to adapt his teaching styles to break barriers between the different generations.

“I actually do now incorporate their phones,” Huguenard says. “Like with my steering suspension class, I tell them to get their phone out and take a picture of each step. That way they can look back if they run into issues.”

For Huguenard, effective teaching means rolling with the punches. You might find him instructing the same introductory courses like braking and suspension each semester, but he’s not afraid to introduce new teaching methods into the agenda.

“Chris is a very, very, very big asset for the college,” says Bob Huffman, Program Chair of Automotive Technology. “Students leaving his courses for higher level classes are always well prepared.”

Adaptability is a key trait for automotive service technicians and mechanics. Especially when, ten years from now, the industry’s landscape is going to look much different. Many car manufacturers are adding hybrid and all-electric vehicle options, so it’s important for students to learn current and future standards to be competitive for jobs. Huffman says that’s why adjuncts are imperative.

Adapting to change

“Adjuncts are the engine of all community colleges, and it’s not different for Ivy Tech. They have up-to-date, modern training and hands-on experience working on newer vehicles. In the automotive realm, they’re usually more knowledgeable on course content material because they work with this stuff day in and day out,” explains Huffman.

That’s why the knowledge adjunct member David Grimes has from several years as a mechanic is so valuable. He’s equipped to teach many different courses from brakes to engine fundamentals and fills in when needed.

Like Huguenard, he’s had to accept new strategies for teaching.

“You can’t really prepare for interacting with students and how you deal with some of those unique challenges,” says Grimes. “You just have to try.”

Every semester, Grimes reevaluates and finds new ways to keep students interested. His passion for it drives him every day.

“You spend your whole life learning, and teaching feels like giving back. It’s a nice feeling to say, ‘Okay, I’ve learned a ton of stuff and now maybe I can impart some of that knowledge to the younger generation.”

Finding the passion

“You learn more off your failures than you do anything else,” says Huguenard. “You jump in, tear something apart, and do it again and again until you finally get it right.”

Huguenard’s philosophy for teaching stems from a lifelong passion for cars. At the age of ten, he tore apart and rebuilt his first engine. In the years that followed, through trial and error, he’s tinkered with lawn mowers and dabbled in car restorations—including his first car, which he still owns, a 1970 Challenger Convertible.

But his professional life didn’t start in the auto industry.

When Auburn Foundry filed for bankruptcy in 2004, Huguenard was left unemployed and decided to turn his hobby into a career. That’s when he began teaching automotive technology classes at Ivy Tech.

 “They paid for our schooling for two years, so I thought I might as well come back and learn something I always liked. My last year of being a student here was when Bob Huffman started teaching.”

Huguenard was ready to jump into teaching after getting his degree, but he needed at least three years of experience as a mechanic to qualify. When he was ready, Huffman welcomed him to the team.

Even though he’s looking forward to retirement, he says he’ll consider continuing to teach at least one class—a show of his dedication to the program.

A different art form

Grimes fell into being a mechanic accidentally. It wasn’t just a passion, he realized it was something he has a knack for.

“Being an automotive technician is a little bit of an art,” Grimes says. “You can learn to work on cars, but I think being successful also depends on your personality type and aptitude for mechanical things. Some mechanics figure out things by mentally breaking them down, but others have to be a lot more hands on.”

Working in a shop had grown stagnant for Grimes. He decided a role in management or instructing would be more fulfilling, and that’s when he started taking classes towards an associate degree at Ivy Tech. During that time, he dipped his toes into teaching and has been a valued member ever since.

“David Grimes is a great adjunct faculty member,” says Nick Goodnight, Assistant Program Chair of Automotive Technology. “He teaches a plethora of classes depending on what’s available. He’s a great asset to Ivy Tech and should be celebrated more than he is.”

Showing appreciation

Program leaders for automotive stress the importance of their adjuncts and the appreciation they have for them. Grimes and Huguenard are just two working in the program, but leaders say they couldn’t do it without any of them.

“Our adjuncts make the program run,” Goodnight says. “We appreciate all they do because they go above and beyond.”

To learn more about our Automotive Technology program, visit our website.