Industrial Engineering
Contact Information
Biography
My name is Zane Ritchie, and I am an industrial engineering major in the 2029 cohort of the Heath Integrated Business and Engineering Program. From a young age, I knew I wanted to pursue engineering, and the values that led me there still hold today: curiosity and persistence.
I’m thankful to say I haven’t lost those, either. Deeper than knowing how something works, though, I’ve recently developed a further passion: How can I make it work better? Curiosity and determination are my core values, and I’m thankful for the many opportunities I’ve gotten to hone them! Across these chances to grow, I’ve learned about the passion, interdisciplinary communication, and grit it takes to build something right, whether it’s a team, a project, or even yourself.
I joined IBEP because I wanted to be part of a community that values cross-collaborative communication and service-based leadership the same way I do. Business is a key part of engineering, and the same goes for the inverse. If you’d like to be good at one in today’s markets, you have to be at least knowledgeable in the other. Tying departments and initiatives together to build tomorrow’s technology has always been my dream, and it’s so exciting that IBEP gives me a shot to live it. The chance to work alongside like-minded students and leaders who approach problems from both a business and engineering lens is what drew me to the program.
Looking ahead, I’m building toward a career in systems engineering, with particular interest in manufacturing and energy systems. I’m drawn to roles that let me apply data-driven problem-solving to complex, large-scale operations. I hope to work optimizing production systems or improving the reliability of critical energy infrastructure, as I feel these roles have the potential to make remarkable impacts on communities and individuals. I’m always hoping to connect with mentors and peers who want to talk through these interests (or just love engineering) as I continue working toward being a better engineer and leader.
