OHIO Education Leads to Adventure for First Generation College Grad

Article Presented By McDonald’s, “I’m Lovin’ It!”

(Chillicothe) – As a first-generation college student from rural Appalachia, Ohio University alumnus Dakota Tackett never imagined he would become a world-traveling educator with experiences spanning multiple continents. His college career yielded not only a degree in education, but a new sense of curiosity, and a desire to become a global citizen.

Tackett studied electrical technology at Pickaway Ross Career and Technology Center (PRCTC) and planned to enter the trades. He took a job at Shawnee Lanes bowling alley in Chillicothe, upgrading lighting and maintaining machinery. Though he enjoyed his work at the bowling alley, after a year of solitary work, Tackett knew he wanted something more.

“I never planned to go to college,” Tackett said. “I wasn’t a good student in high school. I didn’t know how to go about looking for college, so I just literally got in my car and drove up to Ohio University.”

With help from Ohio University Chillicothe’s admissions and financial aid staff, Tackett launched his college career. He later relocated to the Athens campus to complete his degree in integrated social studies education. Tackett valued the opportunity to learn alongside people from diverse backgrounds.

Associate Professor of Education Karen Corcoran praised his dedication.

“Dakota stood out among the many education students I advised because he was not afraid to follow his passion even if it meant commuting to the Athens campus to finish his program,” Corcoran said. “Once he relocated to the Athens Campus, he quickly took advantage of opportunities that expanded his worldview and helped shape him as an impactful teacher.”

During his junior year at OHIO, Tackett became the first person in his family to travel abroad when he participated in a week-long literacy education program in Belize. 

“I saw a new culture for the first time in my life,” Tackett said. “It was the first time I was a foreigner somewhere. It made me realize that life can be lived through so many different perspectives.” 

Inspired by that experience, Tackett pursued more international opportunities. Instead of student teaching locally, he completed his professional internship in Cologne, Germany, teaching political science and American politics to high school students.

He graduated summa cum laude from the Patton College of Education in 2020. After graduating from OHIO, he worked as a substitute teacher at PRCTC before being selected as a Fulbright Scholar. He served as a citizen ambassador in the Czech Republic through the Fulbright Program, teaching English and acting as a cultural liaison at a school mirroring his lived experience at home in rural Appalachia.

Tackett always hoped to return to PRCTC, where he attended preschool while his mother worked as a secretary.

“I’ve always really liked it out there,” he said.

He now teaches full-time at PRCTC, balancing teaching with his role as head mechanic at Shawnee Lanes.

Though he didn’t plan to return to Shawnee Lanes, the bowling alley offered him a role he couldn’t refuse, helping lead infrastructure upgrades, including a new VIP room and building 40 new pin-setting machines.

Tackett is passionate about his role as a teacher and his ability to educate and empower students.

“I like being able to work with kids, and I get to help them broaden their perspectives.” He encourages students to understand that worldviews shape opinions and that respecting others’ beliefs means respecting their experiences.

“I was able to do all of these things, and they can too,” Tackett said. “When I was in their shoes, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, I didn’t know what I wanted to be.”

Tackett appreciated the small class sizes and supportive faculty at OHIO Chillicothe.

“My professors all seemed like they genuinely cared,” he said. “I always had good relationships with all of the professors.” 

He credits professors Tony Vinci, Deb Nickles, and Nicholas Kiersey with shaping his academic journey.

“I am glad that I went to Ohio University,” Tackett said. “It was perfect for me.”

Now pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership from Western Governors University, Tackett plans to pursue principal licensure. He continues to balance his roles as teacher, student, and mechanic, with travel. Several years ago, he took his family to Europe to visit the places where he lived and taught, and this summer, he explored Taiwan and the Philippines. Japan is next on his list. Tackett shows no signs of slowing down in his quest for knowledge and adventure as he builds on the foundation established at Ohio University.