Shayla Frederick
Shayla Frederick
Because of Ohio State’s large campus size, Shayla had not yet decided on coming here — until she did a tour and felt the energy while on campus.
HOMETOWN: Dayton, Ohio
CAMPUS: Columbus
MAJOR: BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering, minor in humanitarian engineering
YEAR: Class of 2026
Shayla accepted her admission immediately and became part of the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars, a two-year program designed to teach students how to utilize engineering for social good. She got involved with the engineering sorority Phi Sigma Rho, holding positions from recruitment guide to vice president of new member education. She loved holding mentor positions with the sorority because it allowed her to think back to when she first came to campus and guide girls through the process.
She particularly enjoyed taking Intro to Skydiving, where she says she didn’t expect to learn so much about fear and control, but the dive made her think about those aspects of her identity. Shayla held internships with Coca-Cola and GE Aerospace and served as a teaching assistant for the College of Engineering. She also spent considerable time on her capstone, working with solar panel manufacturer Illuminate, allowing her to implement data analysis (including Measurement System Analysis, Monte Carlo Simulations, other Lean Six Sigma tools) and continuous improvement strategies. She even got to lead a Kaizen workshop with 10 operators, allowing her to use the skills learned in her industrial engineering major, and take it to the next level while talking to stakeholders and convincing them of her solutions.
Shayla graduated in spring 2026 and began an Operations Management Leadership Program at GE Aerospace in fall 2026. Over the course of two years, Shayla will get to participate in three roles, ranging from quality to people leadership. She is excited to explore different roles in the company while also traveling. She is thankful for donors that give to Ohio State, emphasizing that “our stories are all different, but we continue to be linked in the gratitude we have for everyone involved in our journeys. There are no words or actions that can encompass the impact you have made on many lives.”
“I wish I could go back to freshman year and experience all the firsts as an Ohio State student. First football game, first time in the dining halls, first everything! This campus and community has already given me so much, it’s impossible to find one specific memory from my four years here. But what matters more to me is the people who made these memories so valuable, and I’ll cherish those forever.”
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