Chance meeting inspires ISE grad’s path to success

Two years ago, Maddy McCutchin, a recent industrial and systems engineering (ISE) graduate, had her academic path reshaped by a fortunate meeting.

During a visit to Auburn for a football game, her parents sat next to ISE Instructor Dan O’Leary. Casual conversation revealed that their daughter was majoring in ISE, prompting O’Leary to recommend the Business-Engineering-Technology (B-E-T) program, a minor offered through the Thomas Walter Center. The program blends engineering and business courses, open to both engineering and business students.

“Taking this advice, I joined the B-E-T program,” McCutchin said. “It’s funny how things come full circle — a simple chat at a football game ended up shaping my academic experience.”

McCutchin graduated last summer with a bachelor’s degree in ISE and a minor in B-E-T. Now a project engineer at Quest Global in Charlotte, North Carolina, she works on validating, updating and maintaining engineering change management bills of materials for the Engine Data Life Management team.

“I ensure all data is accurate and up-to-date,” McCutchin said. “It’s a critical part of my role.”

During her time at Auburn, McCutchin’s accomplishments extended beyond the classroom. She placed fourth in the Tiger Cage student business idea competition, studied abroad in Pamplona, Spain and actively engaged in ISE initiatives.

In the Tiger Cage competition, her team—assembled through a B-E-T project—was tasked with creating a product that solved a real-world problem. Their innovation, the CowPaw, streamlined the labor-intensive process of laying paper beneath feedlines in poultry farms by introducing a device that efficiently rolls out the paper, saving time and effort.

“Participating in Tiger Cage was the most demanding and rewarding experience I had at Auburn,” McCutchin said. “The competition not only tested our capabilities but profoundly enriched them.”

Reflecting on her time at Auburn, McCutchin credited the ISE program for sharpening her analytical and strategic thinking skills.

“My experience in Auburn’s ISE program equipped me with the ability to assess data effectively and approach problem-solving systematically,” she said. “The strong work ethic and dedication I developed are qualities I carry with me every day in my role.”

O’Leary expressed pride in playing a small role in McCutchin’s Auburn journey.

“I always encourage students to extract as much value as they can from their college experience,” O’Leary said. “Maddy’s growth has positively impacted her classmates, her classes and our program as a whole.”