BY ANTHONY RODRIGUEZ
ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN ZIMMER

Justin Creps is an engineer bent on a revolution. He wants to change people’s perceptions of teachers.

While earning his second degree from Ohio State in mechanical engineering, something clicked. As a graduate student teaching undergraduates, he realized he’d found his place.

He is now beginning his fifth year as an engineering instructor at Tolles Career and Technical Center in Plain City, Ohio.

“I think I make a bigger impact as a teacher than as an engineer,” he said.

In December, he earned his Master of Arts in Workforce Development and Education. He’s modeled himself after his advisor, Associate Professor Chris Zirkle, a passionate and excited teacher who cares about his students.

“Teaching is not beneath engineering,” Creps said. “It needs to be on the same level if we are going to make improvements in society. An educational program is only as strong as the teachers leading it.”