Giving students the drive to succeed

Professor is more than just another face to students

Kevin Perez kperez.roundupnews@gmail.com

For Tom Rosdahl, the years he has spent at Pierce have translated into the satisfaction of seeing more of his students in the automotive program go on to succeed in that field.

“You see the students come through the program, and the skills they gain in the program, they use them in the work place to become productive citizens,” he said.

Rosdahl, who has taught at Pierce since 1985 and is the president of the Academic Senate on campus, got into cars at a young age. He’s always felt mechanically inclined, and before he worked on cars he tinkered on whatever he could find, he said.

“When I was 12 I was taking my bicycle apart,” he said.

Now, as a professor, he remains just as invested in cars, but Rosdahl’s added the success of his students to his list of interests. Since starting his teaching career, he’s had many former students go on to start their own auto businesses. Some continue to drop by Rosdahl’s office to thank him for the training they’ve received, he said. “[I] like to see all young people succeed, and to see people succeed is fulfilling a goal,” Rosdahl said.

Many of Rosdahl’s students currently attending Pierce can attest to his influence.

“Tom is the man,” said Chris Perez, an Automotive major who had Rosdahl last year.

Rosdahl, Perez said, encouraged him to focus more on school and to get into the automotive field. Before taking his class, Perez felt he was traveling down the wrong road, but Rosdahl steered him towards a “more focused, more positive path.”

“The only reason I’m trying to finish school is because of him. Trying to get into cars, because of him,” he said.

Julian Johnson, an Automotive major who also took Rosdahl last year, feels Rosdahl impacted his life as well.

“He helped me with a lot of things I was going through, even with my family,” he said.

Johnson felt a similar lack of direction in his life like Perez, but since taking Rosdahl’s class he hopes to have his own shop one day. He owes Rosdahl’s ability to inspire his students to the bond they all share over cars.