Central State University graduating senior pushes for change in manufacturing engineering sector

Above: Baijing Zinnerman (center) was recognized for her outstanding leadership on the Central State University Marauders women's basketball team.

Baijing Zinnerman is ready to blaze a trail for young Black women interested in careers in manufacturing engineering. The top senior scholar in the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture (JWGCESTA) has a message to share:  

“There are no limits to what you can do. The only person who can stop you from your destiny is you. Use the obstacles as motivation. Those are what are going to get you through the adversity.”  

Zinnerman, an African American woman, aspires to bring about positive change in the field of manufacturing engineering.  

While many businesses have taken social responsibility seriously and have made diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority, the manufacturing engineering sector has failed to keep up with the pace. In fact, according to the nonprofit Manufacturers Alliance, a global professional organization, the number of women and Black workers in this field has dwindled over the past two decades, despite efforts made by nearly two-thirds of U.S. manufacturers to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce.  

Men make up 71% of the manufacturing workforce, yet their labor force participation rate is only 53%. This calls for urgent action to encourage more women and minorities to join the manufacturing engineering sector.  

Zinnerman is determined to break the gender and racial barriers that have held back this field and pave the way for a more diverse and inclusive future. Her journey has been marked by perseverance and resilience. 

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A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Zinnerman has overcome adversity throughout her college career. She played three years of DII basketball with Marauder Athletics, playing point guard and serving as team captain. Juggling athletics, academics, and relationships has been a challenge.  

Zinnerman also lost her younger sister in a tragic vehicular accident in 2022.  

“I encountered numerous obstacles along the way,” she said during a speech at the Academic Recognition Convocation (ARC) in April. “This includes first the need to make significant social sacrifices while still nurturing important relationships; second, balancing the demands of playing basketball while striving for excellence in my major; and lastly, I learned the invaluable lesson of embracing discomfort as a catalyst for growth. Stepping out of my comfort zone became a constant companion on this journey, pushing me to new heights of achievement and self-discovery." 

“There were moments when the weight of these commitments felt overwhelming, and the temptation to give up appeared to be large. However, with unwavering support from my faith, family, friends, and professors, I found the strength to push through.” 

In a spirited speech that at times drew laughter from the audience at the Academic Recognition Convocation, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi-Majebi, professor of Manufacturing Engineering, gave a passionate introduction for Zinnerman, his mentee. She is a “shining star that shot through the skies” from Indianapolis to Central State, Ajayi-Majebi said.  

“She is the one and only illustrious Ms. Baijing Vesaney Zinnerman, nicknamed ‘Moo-Moo,’ a maestro in her own right,” he said. “She has been transformed by the superior and nurturing educational and professional processes of CSU.” 

Ajayi-Majebi said Zinnerman chose a rewarding and challenging major. CSU’s Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.   

"It is evident that (Zinnerman) deserves great notice. Whatever Baijing does is laced with excellence and a touch of very high class. ... For Ms. Baijing Zinnerman, the best is yet to come as she continues to ride her very steep trajectory of lofty goals and laudable accomplishments,” Ajayi-Majebi added.  

Zinnerman said she wanted to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) because of the family-oriented culture, calling Central State “a home away from home.”  

On the growing Marauders women’s basketball team, she has contributed not only her talents but her leadership as someone her teammates could look up to.  

In addition to athletics, Zinnerman is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Those professional organizations, along with internships at Duke Energy and Fermilab, fostered connections with other students and professionals.  

Zinnerman is pursuing a master’s degree at Purdue University after graduation. In the meantime, she plans to work in another internship and enter the workforce until she starts graduate school in the spring of 2025.