Class of 2019 Success Stories: Applied learning, co-ops lead to full-time job for BGSU Technology student

'Lab experience a huge factor' for Alex Darr's success

By Colleen Rerucha '06

Alex Darr, manufacturing engineer.

Years ago, it’s a title Darr might never dreamed of for himself.  He originally planned on entering the workforce directly after high school graduation. 

Now, he has plenty of time to let his new title sink in: He secured a full-time position as a manufacturing engineer months before graduation.  

“It was kind of astonishing, honestly,” Darr said. “It was a very good feeling.” 

Darr’s journey to commencement and career started well before he stepped foot on a college campus. As the son of a mechanic, Darr’s first teacher was his dad, and the garage, his classroom. 

“He’d come home from work and go right to the garage and be working on a project," Darr said of his father. "I’d spend a lot of time out there learning tips and tricks.” 

It was there that Darr realized his love of motors and knack for solving mechanical problems. As his knowledge grew, so did his desire to make improvements to mechanical designs. 

“I wanted to be somewhere in the middle between an engineer and a mechanic; I wanted to be hands-on,” he said. 

Darr set his sights on college. Coming from Monroeville, Ohio, a small, rural community with less than 2,000 residents, he immediately felt a connection to Bowling Green State University. 

“I fell in love with the campus. It felt like a homey place,” Darr said. “It was just big enough that it felt like moving to a big school, but it was small enough that I wasn’t just another face in the crowd.”

As an engineering technology major with a specialization in mechanical design, Darr spent much of his time learning coursework in a lab setting. Just as he grew up solving problems through trial and error in his garage, Darr thrived with the College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering’semphasis on hands-on, applied learning.

“We did everything from machining, to milling to welding to brazing and all of these different processes that turned out to be extremely crucial to what I’m doing now,” he said. “The lab experience was a huge factor for me to be prepared for the job I have.”

“Alex’s experience demonstrates the value of applied learning,” said Dr. Jennie J. Gallimore, dean of the College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering. “Employers are looking for career-ready graduates. By teaching coursework in an applied lab setting, students gain a deeper understanding of the materials and are better equipped to enter the workforce.” 

Darr gained additional skills through a series of cooperative education experiences where he was able to apply what he was learning in the classroom and labs to a real-world setting.

“One of the reasons I went to Bowling Green, because it gives you more hands-on experience.”

Between his junior and senior year, Darr worked alongside engineers at Tiffin Metal Products, a full-service sheet metal fabrication company based in Tiffin, Ohio. He returned to Tiffin Metal Products his senior year to complete his third and final co-op.

“The co-op experience was absolutely key,” Darr said. “It gave me an opportunity to show them my skills and abilities.”

In early May, weeks before he was scheduled to start his co-op, Darr received a call and a surprise, full-time job offer from his manager at Tiffin Metal Products. 

“It was a surreal moment," he said. "It wasn’t something I anticipated. To get it that early on, it was an absolutely phenomenal feeling."

As a manufacturing engineer, Darr plays a critical role in solving any problems that occur during production. He also evaluates engineering design from a manufacturing perspective to ensure plans and products will work. 

“It’s a very hands-on position," he said. "I spend anywhere from half to three-quarters of my day out on the floor working with the guys and going through the problems. Then, I take the information back to my desk and work with it there.” 

Darr credits hands-on learning, from co-ops to labs, with his success both in the classroom and in the advanced manufacturing industry. 

“In the world of engineering, it’s all about experience,” Darr said. “That’s one of the reasons I went to Bowling Green, because it gives you more hands-on experience.”

Updated: 01/19/2022 08:29AM