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Three majors, one transformative Lindner journey

Business student builds impact through academic, co-op and leadership opportunities

headshot of Grant Freking By Grant Freking
4 minute read November 5, 2026

After beginning his University of Cincinnati career as an aerospace engineering student, Ryan Baillie left the Lindner College of Business with a legacy of leadership and impact.

After transitioning to Lindner, Baillie still wanted to “know how things work.” That mindset led him to his first major, operations management. A year later, Baillie added business analytics to deepen his knowledge of data-driven decisions. Finance was the final piece, borne out of a desire to understand how money flows through a business.

Marianne Lewis, Dean of University of Cincinnati College of Business Spoke during Lindner College of Business student’s Awards ceremony Monday April 6, 2026 at Lindner College of Business. Photo by Joseph Fuqua II

Baillie (right) is honored by Lindner dean Marianne Lewis as the 2026 Outstanding Operations Management Undergraduate Student of the Year.

A native of Mason, a Cincinnati-area suburb, Baillie put his classroom skills to the test during two supply chain-focused co-op rotations at nearby RH Aero Systems. In between part-time work at his local Walmart, Baillie spent a summer on co-op at Walmart’s Bentonville, Arkansas headquarters, reinforcing his passion for the supply chain sector.

“I didn’t want to be somewhere where the product doesn’t change a ton. We’re constantly pushing out new offerings to customers,” he said. “For me, there’s a little bit of comfort in chaos.”

Working at Walmart during the COVID-19 pandemic offered Baillie the chance to act on his service-driven mindset.

“We were one of the only stores that continuously had freight coming in,” Baillie said. “Being able to help people during a really challenging time was impactful to me. That passion for helping people has just elevated with other responsibilities that I’ve taken on.”

Those other duties include serving as president of UC’s Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) and the UC Project Management Club — the latter of which he co-founded. Baillie’s involvement with ASCM marked his first foray into extracurricular involvement, pushing himself out of his comfort zone.

Baillie also served as president for both organizations while balancing academics and co-op experiences.

Get to Know Ryan Bailllie

  • Spring 2026 graduate who majored in business analytics, finance and operations management
  • 2026 Outstanding Operations Management Undergraduate Student of the Year
  • President of Association for Supply Chain Management and UC Project Management (also a founding member) Clubs
  • Undergraduate PACE Leader Cintas Scholarship recipient (for mentoring first-year students) and OBAIS department teaching assistant
  • Incoming Senior Analyst with Walmart’s Merchandising Development Program

“The important part for me was taking a step back and filling myself with confidence, knowing that I can execute. That’s something I’ll look back on when I face a new challenge or get elevated into a new role.”

If academics, co-ops and clubs weren’t enough, Baillie also mentored first-year Lindner students as a PACE leader and served as a teaching assistant in the department of operations, business analytics, and information systems (OBAIS). 

“Ryan has proven himself to be a premier representative of operations management program and a true mentor to the next generation of Lindner professionals,” said Steven Jones, assistant professor-educator of OBAIS.

Looking back

Baillie referred to his time at Lindner as a “transformative experience,” only wishing that he stepped out of his shell a bit sooner. Even so, his impact is clear.

“I’m a completely different person now than I was five years ago. I’m an introvert at heart, but I put myself out there as time went on and instilled a lot of confidence in myself.”

Featured image: Ryan Baillie in the Lindner Hall atrium. Photos/Joeseph Fuqua II.

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