UC engineering co-op medalist excels through 6 co-op experiences
Jaclyn Bashore was awarded the Herman Schneider Medal for co-op excellence
2024 Herman Schneider award recipient Jaclyn Bashore.
Ever since she garnered an appreciation for chemistry in high school, fifth-year University of Cincinnati student Jaclyn Bashore has not looked back.
When she graduates with a chemical engineering degree and a minor in chemistry this spring, Bashore will have had six co-op experiences — along with a new full-time job at AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical research company with whom she did two co-op rotations. To commemorate her exceptional co-op work, the UC College of Engineering and Applied Science awarded Bashore the 2024 Herman Schneider Medal, an annual award given to a graduating senior who demonstrates outstanding success as a co-op student.
Jaclyn Bashore poses with the Herman Schneider statue outside of UC's Baldwin Hall.
When the time came to make a college decision, Bashore didn’t have to look far from her home in Tipp City, Ohio. In addition to enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of campus, Bashore was particularly drawn to UC because of the top-ranking cooperative education (co-op) program. The program, which enables students to gain practical real-world experience as they rotate semesters in the classroom with semesters of full-time, paid, co-op work, entrusts students with important and meaningful work from the get-go. Though College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) students typically do five co-op rotations, Bashore completed six. She was eager to learn as much as she could, so she took the first opportunity she had to accelerate her career readiness.
“I did my first co-op with P&G as a consumer data analyst in the summer of freshman year, even though that is the one summer we have off here as engineering students,” Bashore said. “It was during the initial onset of COVID and a lot of it was remote, but I was eager to get my first look into the professional world, and I ended up learning a lot about professional communication in an industry setting.”
After acquiring skills in data analysis, coding tools and instructional media production during her time at P&G, Bashore transitioned into a more hands-on role as a process engineer with KraussMaffei, a plastics engineering extrusion company in Florence, Kentucky. Though she recognized that putting together and taking apart machines was a whole new ball game compared to coding, Bashore was able to quickly see tangible results from her work. During her two co-op rotations with KraussMaffei, she led research trials on customers and reported on extrusion trends to inform department strategy. She even prevented six-figure product damage costs to the organization by ensuring the correct alignment of screw elements and equipment pieces for water supply lines.
Jaclyn Bashore at AbbVie's Waco, Texas, campus.
Armed with three full-time co-op experiences in just two years, Bashore next found herself in Chicago as a global packaging engineer for AbbVie, the first of her two rotations with the company. From the start, Bashore knew her experience would be rewarding.
“My first exposure to AbbVie was when I visited their campus in Chicago. I thought the giant campus of 60 buildings was crazy cool — it was the first time I’d ever been on a campus that big, because every other place was just one building,” Bashore said. “The capacity alone was inspiring, but when I saw their impact on patient lives directly, I was even more excited. Seeing firsthand how medicine can positively affect people was really inspiring.”
During her first stint with AbbVie, Bashore worked on labelling technology for thermochromic ink labels that indicate temperature and time for vaccine syringes that have been exposed to various elements. Her investigative and design work resulted in AbbVie saving over $9 million per year in potential costs. Similar to her previous co-ops, Bashore further cemented her research and communication skills by partaking in several shipping studies for drug products and authoring supplemental documentation.
For her next co-op rotation, Bashore joined the Jacobs Engineering Group, an engineering consulting firm in Cincinnati. At Jacobs, she contributed to a large-scale biopharmaceutical plant design project that was built in Limerick, Ireland, for Eli Lilly. During construction of the plant, which was created to manufacture new medication to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Bashore collaborated cross-functionally to manage Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications for seven project sites, in addition to ensuring minimal environmental impact for the construction project.
Jaclyn Bashore visiting Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
For her final co-op rotation, Bashore returned to AbbVie to work at its Waco, Texas, location as a process engineer. She notably created a skills matrix, or the system outlining operational standards, and increased its product output by over 3.6 million units.
“My second stint was a lot more hands-on, because I was directly in the manufacturing plant, whereas initially I was splitting my time between labs and my desk to help out with documentation,” Bashore said. “Going from occasionally seeing and interacting with plants to being on the fast-paced plant floor was a totally different experience, but it was a lot of fun. The people and the passion of the organization made it so easy to be genuinely involved.”
In addition to her class and co-op work, Bashore served as an undergraduate research assistant for chemical engineering professor Jonathan Nickels, with her research focusing on molecular energy transfer and supporting the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Balancing out the many responsibilities of her co-ops with the demands of the classroom and beyond was often difficult for Bashore. However, she was able to find motivation and further her sense of community and purpose by extending her involvement outside of school and work.
It’s always really rewarding to see the direct impact of your actions. I want to inspire others in the same ways that I was inspired.
Jaclyn Bashore, CEAS '24
“During my freshman year, I was required to volunteer because of my Cincinnatus scholarship,” Bashore said. “As I continued to dabble throughout volunteering opportunities, I noticed that I would go past the required hours. Volunteering introduced me to some amazing experiences and some of my best friends.”
Jaclyn Bashore poses with the Bearcat.
Some of Bashore’s favorite volunteering experiences include her time with the student-led Clean Up Cincy and with Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, an organization that provides women’s wellness and family assistance. She also has served her community as a member of Tau Beta Pi, the Society of Women Engineers and the Omega Chi Epsilon Honor Society, among other organizations. As a result of her widespread community involvement, she was selected to be a constituent on the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Philanthropy Committee. She was named to the Senior 100, which celebrates graduating UC students for their service and leadership.
“It’s always really rewarding to see the direct impact of your actions. I want to inspire others in the same ways that I was inspired,” Bashore said. “It’s not always easy to balance it all, but it’s definitely worth it. Along with journaling and my faith, being a catalyst to help others keeps me going.”
Upon graduating this spring, Bashore will return to AbbVie’s Waco plant as a full-time employee in its departmental rotation program. As she looks toward her future, she is filled with excitement and gratitude.
Jaclyn Bashore with her parents.
“When I think about where I was freshman year compared to where I am now, it’s a little hard to believe,” Bashore said. “I never even thought I’d co-op outside of Cincinnati, since I used to be so adamant that I’d never leave. It’s hard to find the words to sum up so many feelings, but without any piece of it, I wouldn’t have the whole puzzle. I wouldn’t be here without the people around me, and I’m excited to continue learning and growing.”
Featured image at top: UC's Mantei Center. Photo/John Martini
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