Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.
Tom Brandt, left, hands over his keys to his former student Brandon Boynton, who is taking over the Auto Body Collision Technology program at MSC Southeast.
Brandon Boynton, left, works with a student who is polishing a newly repainted car part.
After 36 years of teaching Auto Body Collision Technology at Minnesota State College Southeast in Winona, Tom Brandt is handing over the keys to the college’s auto body shop at the end of the spring semester.
Brandon Boynton, who graduated from Tom’s program in 2014, is the new auto body instructor. For the past year has been teaching along with Tom, learning the tools of the trade from his former teacher.
“I knew that the best way to have a smooth transition when I retired would be for the college to make a commitment for one year to onboard a new instructor,” said Tom. “That the hiring committee selected a past graduate of the program was extra special for me.”
Brandon said that back in 2013, he was in the very first class to roll their toolboxes from the main building down to the then brand-new Transportation Center. Even when he was a student that year, Brandon had in mind returning to teach someday.
“I always wanted to do a little bit more than be a technician or own my own shop. Tom and my high school teachers inspired me to want teach as a profession,” said Brandon. “I want to make a difference in people’s lives.”
Tom and Brandon respect that every student has a unique background, psychology, and learning style.
Tom said, “When you’ve got students that you’re seeing all day long on a regular basis, oftentimes they are looking for direction on things that are not just auto body. Sometimes you’re a bit of a psychologist.”
“You’re more than just a teacher here,” Brandon agreed. “Sometimes you’re a life coach and other times you’re just the guy swinging a hammer to show them how.”
Over the years, both Tom and Brandon have seen huge changes in the auto body collision technology industry.
“For example, we teach aluminum repair and aluminum welding now. We weren’t doing that when Brandon was a student,” said Tom.
Out on the shop floor, Tom pointed out a Porsche sports car and a heavily damaged Porsche race car. He explained that both cars are a combination of steel body panels and aluminum structures.
“The street variants of those cars are just like the race cars. That is part of the reason for some of our race car projects, because otherwise we couldn’t get $100,000-plus cars to work on!”
Another critical change in the industry is the onset of advanced driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control and lane change warning signals. Tom explained that there can be up to 100 computers on board a car to run these systems.
“There are cameras, radars, and things like that that have to be recalibrated following any repair,” he said. “If anything can be touched physically during a collision, it can be an issue that needs to be dealt with during collision repairs.”
Brandon noted the development of the electric vehicle-specific collision repair industry. “All-electric is going to be a mainstay. Tesla has a collision center in the Twin Cities now, and one of our graduates this year has already accepted a job there.”
Not only have the cars changed, today’s students are very different than when Tom first started teaching in 1986.
“These learners have grown up with technology at their fingertips. If I tell them we need to go over the computer to do something, they’ll have it done on their phone before we even get to the computer!” he said.
As the college year draws to a close, Brandon Boynton reflected on a year spent working side by side with his former instructor.
“Tom’s always been an inspiration to me. He’s worked all of his career to build a premier Auto Body Program at Southeast,” Brandon said. “I’ve met countless past students of his and each of them have nothing but praise for Tom during their time in the program. The quality of instruction has been second to none and that’s something I plan to continue and build on in the future.”
Tom Brandt said he will miss working with the students who really want to succeed. “The rest of the world kind of shuts down while you’re in the lab working with those students. And it’s a really a good feeling. I know I’ll miss it.”
For more information about Auto Body Collision Technology at MSC Southeast, contact admissions representative Chris Cook at 507-453-2410 or Christopher.Cook@southeastmn.edu.
A crowd gathers during the ribbon cutting ceremony Monday afternoon in support of the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative Program at Minnesota State College Southeast.
Technology at work during the ribbon cutting ceremony in support of the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative Program at Minnesota State College Southeast on Monday, August 12th, 2019.
Dr. Larry Lundblad, Interim President of Minnesota State College Southeast, announces a large check signed by Jerry Papenfuss that is presented to the Minnesota State College Southeast to help support the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative program.
A ribbon cutting ceremony took place at Minnesota State College Southeast Monday for the advanced manufacturing education hub. Participants in the ribbon cutting include from left to right, Willie Lubahn, Travis Thul, Jerry Papenfuss, and Dr. Larry Lundblad.
Roger Holland studies the computer at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative Program at Minnesota State College Southeast
Dr. Larry Lundblad, Interim President of Minnesota State College Southeast, speaks to those in attendance at the Minnesota State College Southeast ribbon cutting ceremony for the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative program.
Travis Thul speaks to visitors at Minnesota State College Southeast during Monday's ribbon cutting ceremony for the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative Program.
Orrin Brown, left, Tom Drazkowski, center, and Roger Holland study the computer during the Minnesota State College Southeast advanced manufacturing initiative ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, August 12th.
Dr. Larry Lundblad cuts the ribbon during the ribbon cutting ceremony at Minnesota State College Southeast in support of the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative Program. Participants in the ribbon cutting include from left to right, Willie Lubahn, Travis Thul, Jerry Papenfuss, and Dr. Larry Lundblad.
A ribbon cutting ceremony took place at Minnesota State College Southeast Monday for the advanced manufacturing education hub. Participants in the ribbon cutting include from left to right, Willie Lubahn, Travis Thul, Jerry Papenfuss, and Dr. Larry Lundblad.
Willie Lubahn speaks to visitors at Minnesota State College Southeast during Monday's ribbon cutting ceremony in support of the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative Program.
Jerry Papenfuss signs a check during the ribbon cutting ceremony Monday afternoon in support of the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative Program at Minnesota State College Southeast.
Every week, Campus Connection shares updates on programs, activities, faculty and alumni, and campus life from Winona’s three colleges.
Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.
A 74-year-old Bangor man is dead after a farm accident Wednesday in the town of Bangor.
A 41-year-old man with no permanent address is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on $50,000 cash bond after being charged in three separ…
Vicki Elwood, founder and artistic managing director of The Muse Theatre, announced she has decided to close the 5013c Theatre in La Crosse.
A 35-year-old La Crosse man accused of selling $240 worth of fentanyl nine months ago has been arrested after a May 12 traffic stop in La Crosse.
A 61-year-old La Crosse man is being held in the La Crosse County Jail after allegedly selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant.
A traffic stop triggered by a seat belt violation has resulted in serious drug charges against at 63-year-old La Crosse man.
A 41-year-old Prairie du Chien man is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $3,000 cash bond after a woman reportedly jumped out of a c…
Police are searching for a 32-year-old Arcadia man accused of sending a man to the hospital after an April 9 assault near a La Crosse bar.
Dan Stecker remembers the day well. It was 6:30 a.m. Sunday, June 6, 2004. He was riding his 1977 BMW motorcycle eastbound on Interstate 90 at…
Divorces granted in La Crosse County:
Tom Brandt, left, hands over his keys to his former student Brandon Boynton, who is taking over the Auto Body Collision Technology program at MSC Southeast.
Brandon Boynton, left, works with a student who is polishing a newly repainted car part.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.