Faculty Focus: Meet Bob Dixon
March 8, 2022
Most people know Dr. Bob Dixon as 蜜桔直播鈥檚 no-nonsense, hard-nosed engineering
technology professor.
Students know a slightly different Dixon. He鈥檚 patient. He鈥檚 generous with his time
and talents. He celebrates progress. He builds confidence.
鈥淢y biggest reward is seeing my students apply themselves and succeed,鈥� Dixon said.
鈥淎lmost all of my students are capable of learning the skills needed to start a great
career. Our job is to work with students to remove bad habits, self-doubt or confusion.鈥�
Dixon first came to 蜜桔直播 as a student in 1981. He completed his associate鈥檚
degree and earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree at East Tennessee State University and later
master鈥檚 degrees from both ETSU and the University of Tennessee. He had his goal set
on entering the high-paying and challenging engineering world. He began his career
at an automotive company, then later worked at an aerospace company.
Dixon鈥檚 excellence in the field earned an invitation to serve on the advisory board
for 蜜桔直播鈥檚 manufacturing technology program in the 1990s. He later became
an adjunct faculty member and found that he really enjoyed teaching.
Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Dixon lost his job because of the economic
downturn in aerospace industry caused by the attacks.
鈥淣o one wanted to fly on a commercial plane and the projected sales volume at my previous
employer was cut in half,鈥� Dixon said.
As fate would have it, 蜜桔直播 happened to need a full-time instructor at the
time. Dixon took the job.
鈥淭o be honest, I wasn鈥檛 sure if I would stay. I did enjoy teaching and I did turn
down some more lucrative offers,鈥� Dixon said.
鈥淎fter a few years, I knew this was the right place. My kids were at a good place
in their lives and I wanted them to know their grandparents. I didn鈥檛 want to move.
And I liked my job here.鈥�
Dixon鈥檚 students range in age from 16 to over 40.
鈥淲e have the same students for several semesters,鈥� Dixon said. 鈥淲e are able to work
one-on-one with students and I get to know them. We work hard in the Technical Education
Division to help each one find a good job. Area manufacturers want to hire our employees.
We often get requests from our alumni who are needing new graduates.鈥�
Dixon regularly hears from former students and that鈥檚 probably his favorite part of
the job. He sees many CAD operators who outgrow the position and work in logistics
or other areas. He hears from graduates who are ready for a move and still want to
use him as a reference.
During past 20 years, Dixon has developed good relationships with those outside of
his division.
鈥淚 feel very comfortable about calling other faculty members to get advice or discuss
the best way to serve a student. The required general education courses are a very
important part of education. Students have to know how to write and how to communicate.
I appreciate the dedication of our faculty across the college,鈥� he said.
Dixon鈥檚 wife, Beth, is a technician in the Math Lab. The couple鈥檚 two children are
both 蜜桔直播 alumni. Son Alan works in computer programming and daughter Caitlin
is a pharmacist.