Amazing Student: Steven Griffing
As a teacher and mentor, Steven Griffing (B.S.Ed. ’10, Ph.D. ’26) emphasizes hands-on learning in his work with students in the College’s Department of Workforce Education and Instructional Technology and the UGA Motorsports team.
- Hometown: Bethlehem, Georgia
- Degree objective and graduation date: Ph.D. in workforce education with a focus on engineering and technology education, spring 2026
- Degree(s) and graduation date: B.S.Ed. with a focus on engineering and technology, spring 2010
I earned my bachelor’s degree at UGA and have continued working with some of those same professors for the last 15 years. Dr. John Mativo informed me that UGA was once again going to offer an undergraduate degree in engineering and technology education, and we both thought that I would be a good fit for teaching in that program.
When did you develop an interest in workforce education, and what made you decide to pursue a career in this field?
When I was in the Navy, most of the departments on the submarine sent me their sailors who were struggling to learn about ship’s systems as I had a way of putting those concepts into terms and perspectives they could understand. This was further reinforced as I spent time with my nieces and nephews. We spent time building models of cars, rockets, and even houses. They would come to me when they had questions about homework or the physical world around them. On more than one occasion I was asked why I could not come and teach at their school.
Tell me about your involvement in UGA Motorsports.
The UGA Motorsports club is a great example of how hands-on learning can truly make a difference. This student-led group gives future engineers the chance to take what they learn in class and put it to work solving real-world problems in the Motorsports lab. It’s amazing to see how the students have grown from saying “we can’t do that because…” to “here’s what we need to make it happen.”
My background in motorsports began while teaching high school engineering and working with the Electrathon America organization. I’ve been able to apply that experience to mentoring the UGA Motorsports team. Using a hands-off approach, I focus on observing and then asking probing questions to guide them. This method encourages the students to think critically and take ownership of their work and the results are nothing short of inspiring.
Their creativity, determination, and teamwork are what drive the club’s success. As they design, build, and improve their projects, they’re not just learning technical skills—they’re also developing confidence, problem-solving abilities, and leadership qualities that will serve them well in the future. Watching their ideas take shape and turn into something real and tangible is incredibly rewarding.
The Motorsports club does more than just teach engineering, it creates a sense of community and shows what is possible when students take charge of their learning. It is proof that when students lead with passion and determination, they can achieve incredible things.
Why are you passionate about workforce education?
Workforce education, to me, is the program that ties all of the other courses together and teaches students the hands-on skills they will need to go out into the real world. I have had great success working across curriculums to provide students with practical applications of what they are learning in their academic classes. In the career and technical education (CTAE) classroom, students apply language arts, history, social sciences, math, and science.
What are your plans following graduation?
My ultimate goal is to work with the professors and staff at River’s Crossing as a teacher educator in workforce education with a focus on engineering and technology education, and also education research.