High five: Trine once again voted region’s best; Tyler named Best Professor

Readers of Fort Wayne Newspapers have voted Trine University the Best College in the Greater Fort Wayne region for the fifth straight year.

The university also was honored as the area’s Best Higher Education institution, and Tim Tyler, Ph.D., professor in the Reiners Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Trine, was recognized as the region’s Best Professor.

The honors were announced Oct. 9 as part of Fort Wayne Newspapers’ annual Readers’ Choice awards.

“We’re grateful to the readers of Fort Wayne Newspapers for selecting Trine University as the top institution in this region for an unprecedented fifth straight year,” said Trine University President Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D. “In the competitive higher education landscape of northeast Indiana, Trine University’s outstanding job placement, career-focused academic programs, state-of-the-art facilities, committed faculty and vibrant campus life continue to set us apart as an industry leader, and we’re proud that so many across the area recognize our mission and commitment to students.”

Continued recognition and growth

The honor continues a string of recognitions for Trine University this fall. The university was recently included among US News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges and Princeton Review’s Best in the Midwest.

Trine University continues to set enrollment records, welcoming the largest incoming class of new students in its history this fall.

To accommodate ongoing growth, the university continues to expand and upgrade its physical facilities. The university opened the 200-bed Summit Street Apartments, and work is underway on the John and Mary Pellegrino Student Design Center, renovations to Zollner Stadium and the new inflatable dome that will serve Thunder athletic teams.

Impact before and after graduation

Chris Carroll, Ph.D., dean of the Allen School of Engineering and Computing, said Dr. Tyler represents the excellence and personal attention that all faculty in Trine’s Allen School of Engineering and Computing bring to the classroom.

“Dr. Tyler has been beloved on the Trine University campus for many years. He not only cares about his students and equips them to succeed after they graduate, he provides and facilitates opportunities for them to make an impact even before they complete their degree,” he said.

As faculty advisor to Trine University’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders, Dr. Tyler has led multiple trips to Ecuador where students have worked to improve water supplies to rural villages.

He received Trine University’s John J. and Mary Gelet McKetta Excellence in Teaching Award in Engineering in 2023 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly’s Education Awards in 2018.