Faculty Focus: Meet Bob Dixon
March 8, 2022
Most people know Dr. Bob Dixon as Walters State’s no-nonsense, hard-nosed engineering
technology professor.
Students know a slightly different Dixon. He’s patient. He’s generous with his time
and talents. He celebrates progress. He builds confidence.
“My biggest reward is seeing my students apply themselves and succeed,” Dixon said.
“Almost 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.”
Dixon first came to Walters State as a student in 1981. He completed his associate’s
degree and earned his bachelor’s degree at East Tennessee State University and later
master’s 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’s excellence in the field earned an invitation to serve on the advisory board
for Walters State’s 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.
“No one wanted to fly on a commercial plane and the projected sales volume at my previous
employer was cut in half,” Dixon said.
As fate would have it, Walters State happened to need a full-time instructor at the
time. Dixon took the job.
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would stay. I did enjoy teaching and I did turn
down some more lucrative offers,” Dixon said.
“After 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’t want to move.
And I liked my job here.”
Dixon’s students range in age from 16 to over 40.
“We have the same students for several semesters,” Dixon said. “We 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.”
Dixon regularly hears from former students and that’s 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.
“I 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,” he said.
Dixon’s wife, Beth, is a technician in the Math Lab. The couple’s two children are
both Walters State alumni. Son Alan works in computer programming and daughter Caitlin
is a pharmacist.