Automotive technology instructor Steve Tyrolt is no backseat driver when it comes to keeping students up to speed on vehicle repairs. His drive and determination earned him the Adjunct Professor of the Year Award.
The award recognizes Tyrolt for effectiveness in the classroom, subject matter knowledge, contributions to curricula development and the college, and his self-development efforts.
“Receiving this award is a great honor,” Tyrolt said. “To be honest, even just to be nominated is an honor. I’m not one of those who looks for recognition. I just try to help. Like my father always taught me: Just help people and you’ll go far, and things will fall into place.”
Helping people, from colleagues at his full-time job to students at Moraine Valley, is his top priority. “It’s very rewarding to share knowledge with people and see their faces light up when they get excited that they can actually do something they didn’t know they could,” said Tyrolt, who teaches automotive braking systems classes. “That’s what I really strive for. You know, they need guidance and direction, and if I can give them something, even if it’s just one little thing to give them confidence, it’s very fulfilling for me. That’s why I love teaching so much.”
Although he only wears the title of “teacher” while at the college, he says he also teaches at his full-time job, where he is the director of engineering for a steel company. “I have to train these young engineers to work efficiently in the plant. So, it’s teaching, right? It’s two-fold. I’m instructing whether I’m at work or I’m at school,” he explained.
His calm demeanor is a positive attribute in the classroom. “I’m a very patient person,” Tyrolt said. “People struggle.
If they don’t get it, then I figure out how to help them get it. I’m good at putting analogies together. When things are complex, I can help the students relate by using an analogy that helps them understand it better. Once they grasp it, then we can build on it.”
Tyrolt taught at another community college for about 25 years. However, he had to pump the brakes on that job when his full-time career demanded more of his time. He realized he missed teaching, so when an opportunity arose at Moraine Valley in 2020, he shifted gears and got back into the classroom.
He is happy to be teaching at Moraine Valley and proud to have developed new curricula after researching how to repair electric vehicles (EVs). “I took a vacation day from my full-time job and visited a college in central Illinois to learn more [about EV repair], including how to apply for available grant money so we could have this program at Moraine Valley,” he said.
The successful proposal earned a grant that allowed the college to purchase EVs and train students on how to repair them safely. The noncredit pilot class, Electric Vehicle Service and Repair, began in fall 2024.
Ira Siegel, program coordinator and automotive technology professor, said Tyrolt is an integral part of the program’s success. “Steve is a tremendous asset to our Automotive Technology Program for his dedication and commitment to providing our students with the knowledge and skills to diagnose, service and repair some of the most technologically advanced systems found on today’s automobiles and light trucks.
“He has volunteered and represented Automotive Technology at college open houses, and he has been involved in helping the Automotive Technology Program apply for and receive over $800,000 in Rev Up EV grant funding,” Siegel said, sharing that Tyrolt invests a significant amount of time outside of class learning about new technologies.
“I was delighted to nominate Steve for the Adjunct Professor of the Year Award, and I am extremely grateful that he was selected to receive this prestigious award that he so deeply deserves,” Siegel said.