Justin Tucker Reflects on His Path From Nontraditional Student to Fay Jones School Staff

Sam Skeirik

Justin Tucker is the wood fabrication specialist at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. He joined the school's staff after completing his Bachelor of Architecture at the U of A in 2016.

Editor's Note: As the U of A strives to become an employer of choice, the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design is highlighting the faculty and staff who help the school excel.

Justin M. Tucker is a wood fabrication specialist at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. He joined the school's staff after graduating from the U of A in 2016 with a Bachelor of Architecture.

Tucker said his architectural passion ignited early on when crafting things in childhood and has continued into his current position. His diverse background, from manual labor to construction management to worldwide design-build collaborations, enriches his mentorship and ability to engage with students. In his role as wood fabrication specialist, Tucker translates complex design queries from students into tailored guidance, nurturing critical thinking. 

Although he had extensive practical experience, Tucker said it was the desire for credentials that prompted him to enroll at the U of A as a nontraditional student. But it was the love of design that kept him going.

"It can be helpful for the students to know that I understand what they are going through in the program, since I have been through it," Tucker said. "I graduated with my bachelor's degree later in my life with kids at home; we had six kids at home at the time (and have seven now). It was very tough but rewarding."

Tucker said a challenge he faces in his current role is translating students' questions for help into suitable advice. Their design intentions, craft skills and project deadlines are all significant factors, he said, and students often ask how to do something that does not fit what they really want or need.

"Most of the time, there are countless ways to get a similar result, and I have learned to ask questions instead of giving quick answers," Tucker said. "The key is to assess what they actually want from it, and then apply the least amount of advice that could get them thinking and making things in a better way."

Like many others who work on campus, the U of A occupies chapters in his family history. His maternal grandparents met on campus, passing notes in the crack of Spoofer's Stone. The original concrete sidewalk in front of Old Main held the names of even older relatives. Tucker's paternal great-great-grandfather turned the original columns of Old Main in the front yard of their house on Dickson Street and brought them up with a mule-drawn wagon. The same great-great-grandfather helped install the original slate roof, and he crawled up there again to fix it after a tornado in 1880.

Tucker said that like many people he knew growing up, he didn't have plans to stay in Arkansas into adulthood.

"Friends, family and heritage have a certain gravity," Tucker said. "I grew to love my state, though I strongly prefer the northwest corner of it."

Read the full Q&A with Justin Tucker.