When Alex Street was a dual-enrollment high school student, his auto mechanics instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College encouraged him to become an educator. Before pursuing this path, Street expanded his knowledge of auto mechanics on scholarship at Universal Technical Institute and gained real-world experience working on automobiles.
Street founded his own auto repair business in Reno, Sierra Pink LLC, which he continues to operate. His work has ranged from dump trucks to Ferraris, and he even spent a year with a NASCAR team. However, the advice from his former teacher remained influential.
Currently, Street is in his third year teaching automotive mechanics courses at Western Nevada College (WNC). "I believe in this so much that I will commute the hour all of the time from way north of Reno because I really like it," Street said. "I will spend as much time here as I can and always stick around to be by a student’s side."
WNC President Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe praised Street's impact on students: “Alex Street exemplifies the kind of educator who transforms lives,” President Dalpe said. “With a strong foundation in industry and a deep passion for teaching, he brings real-world insight to the classroom. His dedication to student success creates a learning environment that is both inspiring and impactful.”
Street emphasized that students gain more than just repair skills in automotive mechanics classes. “I think the most important thing in enrolling, not just in automotive courses but a lot of these CTE classes are certain life skills that you are going to learn on top of your technical skills that set you up for who you want to be in life,” he said.
To learn more about Alex Street's journey and view a video interview, visit WNC’s Professor Profiles webpage at wnc.edu/professor-profiles/alex-street.
Automotive Mechanics Instructor Alex Street can be reached at 775-544-6260 or alex.street@wnc.edu.