“As Christians, we should be looking for ways that the Lord will work through us in our lives to His glory, and by doing so we can be faithful ministers by walking in the good works the Lord has prepared for us.”
When Tyler Niles was first asked to be an Engineering Industry Advisor for Ignite, he was honored. He felt the opportunity was not about what he could get out of the program but rather, what he could do to serve others.
Niles wants to share his experiences and provide his Ignite student with information that may benefit him both spiritually and professionally. “As Christians, we should be looking for ways that the Lord will work through us in our lives to His glory, and by doing so we can be faithful ministers by walking in the good works the Lord has prepared for us,” said Niles.
Niles and his Ignite student, Micah, have not only discussed personal and professional life experiences, but have also explored their faith through conversation and attending church together. After finding out that Micah was familiar with the church he attends, Niles invited Micah to attend with him. “It’s been fun to have him along at church,” said Niles. While they of course see each other outside of church, Niles feels that it is a great bonus opportunity.
Aside from attending church together, early in the semester on Friday evenings, Micah served as Niles’ assistant coach for Nile’s son’s soccer team. “It was a practical way to get to know each other and spend time together,” said Niles.
It also provided them with an opportunity to work as a team. Niles explained that Micah would research soccer drills for the kids to do. Niles expressed that this was a fun way to learn or solidify things they already knew about teaching younger kids. “It was great to see him as an assistant coach, he was very flexible in helping teach the kids,” said Niles.
Believing wholeheartedly in the value of intentional mentoring relationships, Niles is excited to see student mentoring being prioritized through the Ignite program. “It is what you make it,” he said.
“The more you can be intentional and open about things, the more you can get out of it.”
As an Ignite Industry Mentor, Niles lives this out by including his Ignite student in many different facets of life from church to the sports field to his home. “It’s been great to welcome Micah into our lives and home and get to know him and be able to discuss both personal and professional life topics together. I believe we’ve seen that our pairing within the Ignite program is of the Lord and I expect that we will see more fruit as a result of that as we continue through the school year,” said Niles.
Tyler Niles, George Fox Electrical Engineering alumnus, is an inventor/co-inventor of three patents related to oscilloscopes. His inventions have led him down an entrepreneurial path. In 2022, Tyler founded Ark Inventive LLC for embedded software contract services and product development, a company he continues to grow while balancing life as a father of five.