Meet Michael Brandt, A Distinguished Educator

Michael Brandt has served the students of the Automotive Technology Program for 30 years. He joined De Anza in 1975 as the evening laboratory technician for Automotive Technology and immediately distinguished himself as an exemplary employee through his professionalism, initiative, and loyalty. The following year he began teaching Auto Mechanics and in less than a decade was credited with transforming the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) in automotive training into a model for the state of California. ROP is offered at De Anza to prepare regional high school students for entry-level employment or entry into the full-time college program.

"Michael Brandt and I have been colleagues for many years," said Sandy Hay, president of the Foothill-De Anza Board of Trustees. "I have always admired the Auto Tech program greatly, and particularly his commitment and contributions to it. In my judgment, Auto Tech at De Anza is one of the premier vocational programs in the entire state." Sandy remarked that the camaraderie of the students, and their tradition of excellence, is in no small part due to Michael's example and leadership.

"Michael's popularity and effectiveness are unmistakable in the classroom," said Vice President of Instruction Judy Miner. "He is passionate about his discipline and unrelenting in his dedication to student learning. Students are inspired by his forthright style, motivated by his high standards, and supported by his intense belief in their potential."

Students have been a great source for Michael's teaching style. "Understanding something is one thing, trying to explain it to someone else is another," he said. "I constantly ask my students questions as I lecture. I encourage them to ask me questions and call them by name if I see them drifting."

What Michael likes best about teaching is seeing students learn. "I know they're learning when I see them doing well on tests, gaining hands-on skills, and increasing their confidence in their abilities," he said. "It's great to see them getting a job in an area that they enjoy and finding a direction in life."

Steve Sellitti, dean of Applied Technologies, said, "Michael is an excellent instructor. He works with students on various levels so he really gets to know them well. To him, they are all his children and he goes to great ends to make sure they all feel accepted."

Michael also spends time outside of the classroom with his students in social and club activities. "Michael and his kids can be found cooking hamburgers at every De Anza Flea Market in order to raise funds for the program," Steve said. "At Christmas they collect canned food for the elderly or needy, and in the spring they put on the De Anza Auto Cross." When his Auto Tech students delivered 3,400 cans of food to Cupertino Community Services right before Thanksgiving last year, staff and clients gathered together and gave them a standing ovation.

Students in the Auto Tech Program spend about 3,000 hours in auto classes. "They make many lifetime friendships here," Michael said. "When I visit almost any auto repair shop in the Valley, I meet many of our past auto students."

Michael has the rare ability to hook students early on and to inspire them to complete the program. "His student success measures are consistently in the 80-90% range, which speaks for itself," said Steve. "The students realize early on that this is an instructor who really wants them to succeed and they respond to it in kind."

A re-entry student had exceptionally high praise for Michael: "I spent $100,000 on my engineering degree at a top-notch private university. I don't regret it for a minute, though I'm still paying it off. Still, amid all the Nobel laureates and legendary scholars, I encountered few instructors as excellent as Michael Brandt."

What's Michael's advice to students? "Don't waste time while you're in school. Push yourself. Learn as much as you can from your classes. Don't do the bare minimum. Be honest and do the best you can."

"He gives a new meaning to 'high performance'," said Judy. Michael chose "The Gay Talese Reader: Portraits & Encounters" by Gay Talese as his award from her stash of autographed books.