E43: A Journey to Industrial Engineering in Themed Entertainment | Reagan Hajjar | Class of 2023

Jon Cain: When you visit a theme park, do you think about the engineering making everything possible? Sure, there's the design, physics, and construction that go into the roller coasters, but there's so much more than that. How about the planning that ensures there's enough team members on the job and in the right places throughout the park at the right time so that guests can have a great experience. Today on The WPI podcast, we'll talk to an alum who dreamed of working in a theme park from a very young age, and she's doing it as an industrial engineer, literally making the magic happen for visitors. Hi, I'm Jon Cain, and this is your home for news and expertise from the classrooms and labs of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Today's guest is Reagan Hajjar. She's an industrial engineer for Universal Destinations and Experiences, supporting operations at Universal Orlando Resort and other Universal parks. Reagan graduated from WPI in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and a master's degree in management. Both of those degree programs are offered in the WPI Business School. And Reagan's journey is featured in an article in the summer 2026 issue of WPI Journal. That's the university's magazine, and we'll have a link in the show notes. Reagan's joining us today from sunny Orlando, and she's kind enough to do a deep dive on her work, her childhood dream, and how her experiences at WPI helped her get where she is today. Reagan, thanks for being on The WPI Podcast.

Reagan Hajjar: Thank you so much for having me.

Cain: It's a pleasure. So without giving away any trade secrets, tell us a little bit about what you do at Universal. 

Hajjar: So I work in the industrial engineering and business analytics department, and that's where we use data, forecasting, and optimization to help make sure we have the right people in the right place at the right time. So my job is really about solving, what I like to say, operational puzzles, and so working with our operations team to understand how the theme parks run, so building tools and staffing models that support them, and ultimately, just trying to create the best experience possible for our guests while also using our resources efficiently. So every day is a little bit different, lots of math, lots of guests, lots of fun. Um, and it just keeps it very interesting because, of course, no two days in a theme park are ever the same.

Cain: That is so cool, and it's sort of work that I, I'm not sure a lot of people know even exists. But anybody that's been to a theme park knows it can be a crowded place, lots of people, and if you want a staff member there to help you, you're hoping that they're not too far away to find. Um, and you're hoping that your waits for the rides won't be too long, right? Is that a lot of what goes into your job?

Hajjar: Yes.Yes, absolutely. So we always wanna make sure that, you know, a guest can find help or have a person to ask a question to right within their vicinity. And then, yeah, top of mind is making sure that not every single attraction is, like, a five-hour wait. So, we wanna make sure that we can keep everything moving as efficiently as possible. We wanna make sure those lines stay as low as we can. Um, just overall make sure that the guests have a good experience from the time they pull their car into the gate to the time they exit after a very long day. So every little piece, we just wanna ensure that the guest has everything right at their fingertips.

Cain: It clearly is no easy task, but we have to acknowledge the fun environment that you're working in. Your office is right within Universal Orlando Resort, right? What's the attraction that's closest to your office? 

Hajjar: Yes, it is. Um, my office is right inside the resort, which is so exciting every single day pulling in. Um, and the closest attraction is the Jurassic World's VelociCoaster. Um, so it's one of our biggest coasters on property, and I can actually hear the guests screaming as they fly by on the coaster every day. Um, it is very crazy. It reaches 155 feet tall, speeds up to 70 miles per hour, and so it's pretty fun to, to watch from the office window, and it's also fun to just hear that guest excitement. But I have to remind myself that's, you know, normal to hear screams there, but maybe once I leave my office that maybe it's not so normal. But it's definitely a lot of fun- And very unique background noise as I'm getting my job done every day. 

Cain: Something that probably not a lot of people can, uh, say that they have, uh- 

Hajjar: Yes.

Cain: happening right outside their office, uh, window. Um, now being, working in that environment, I'm wondering, do you get to take advantage of that? Do you often explore the park, maybe on like a lunch break or something like that? 

Hajjar: Oh, yes, absolutely. So sometimes we just go into the park to, you know, grab lunch, uh, which is really fun, or an afternoon snack. We have great butterbeer ice cream, so it's really nice, um, during a hot summer day, or just sometimes to ride an attraction for fun and as a team. I always say that, like, the best caffeine is to ride a rollercoaster. Um, really gets you up and going, and so that's a really great perk is being able to just walk right outside and into the park to, to just have a fun time.

Cain: Little energy boost, right? 

Hajjar: Yes. Absolutely. 

Cain: And the Harry Potter fans are no doubt jealous hearing about this. Um, you started to get into this when you mentioned your job, but you're an industrial engineer. How would you define what that job is or what that profession is for folks who've never heard of it before?

Hajjar: Yes, it's, very much one of the more unique engineering types. But really industrial engineering is about making systems work better. So, for me, like, we look at people, processes, and data to figure out how to do things more efficiently without losing sight of quality or that guest experience. Everything always ties back to that guest experience. But I always joke that industrial engineers are professional problem solvers. So, we look at different ways and different areas, and we love taking something that's already good and asking, "Well, how can we make it even better?" And so every industry really needs that, so there's industrial engineers at hospitals or airlines, grocery stores. So it's a very versatile field. So it's a lot of fun, and it's definitely very unique in the theme park setting. 

Cain: Well, Reagan, you've talked about how this role is so important to making sure the guests at the theme parks have a great experience. What do you like about working in that environment?

Hajjar: One of my favorite parts is that I get to experience the work I do from the guest's perspective. So, it's really unique to, you know, spend time analyzing the problem, working with the operational partners to implement a solution, and then being able to walk into the park and see it in action. So, it's something very, like, incredibly rewarding about seeing your work make a real impact. Um, but then it's also really cool to just bring my friends and my family to the parks, and being able to point out the little things that I've had a hand in. Um, so it's pretty cool to know that the outcome of your work directly ties to guests having a good time. And if I ever need to check on it, I can just walk out of my office, go into the park and see how it's doing. So, it's definitely very rewarding to understand the impact of it, but then also be the person that's seeing that impact and experiencing it as well. 

Cain: Now, as folks will read about in the WPI Journal, the university's magazine, it's, uh, been a dream of yours to work in a theme park setting for a long time. How did that dream first start for you? 

Hajjar: Yes, it's been, um, a very long time, ever since I was, like, a little toddler. So it was whenever I was young and I was at the Walt Disney World park in the Magic Kingdom, and then I was sitting on the Main Street, it's called Main Street USA, waiting for a parade to start with my parents. And, um, a cast member ended up coming up to me and asked if I wanted to blow out the lights. So I didn't know what that meant, but I excitedly nodded, not knowing what to expect. And on the count of three, I gave a blow like I was blowing out birthday candles, and all of the streets on Main Street went dark. I was absolutely bewildered, and ever since then, I was just in awe when visiting theme parks on my family vacations, and just always asking, like, "How are they able to do that?" What is going into all of this?" And so of course, when I was young, I was just amazed, and then as I continued to grow older, I started asking more of those questions, and just thinking about how these companies and amazing people just can create the memorable, magical, and unforgettable experiences for every guest. And I just knew I wanted to be a part of that one day. And ever since then, even though I didn't really know what that meant at that age, but I really wanted it to be my goal to get there and to, to have my hand in that as well. 

Cain: I'm wondering, do you get to see those moments of magic each day as, as guests are having their experience in the park, and do you stop and sort of take them in as you see them, or try to catalog them in your mind?

Hajjar: Oh, yes, absolutely. Um, I love being at the entrance when our guests are entering the parks for the first time. You see all the kids just jumping up and down with so much energy and excitement, excited to go in. We also have, like, buttons that say, like, my first visit, and so it's so exciting to see when guests are wearing that, um, and they're just coming for the first time to really take it all in and experience, you know, the, the fantastical world around them. And so that's really fun to, um, just walk through and, and see and, and smile to myself. Almost monthly, um, there are moments where I'm just so excited and, and grateful to be able to experience, the magic every day. And even yesterday, I went out with my team to experience an attraction for the first time that I’d never been able to ride before. Um, and it's one of those that we require guests to have, a child with them to ride it. And so, of course, I don't have any of my little nieces or nephews nearby. They're all up north. But I was finally able to ride this attraction before the park opened, and I was just so giddy jumping up and down, um, and just really excited to be able to experience something for the first time. So that was just really fun to do, but little things like that occur always, whether it's experiencing something for the first time, or maybe there's a new treat offering, or just, bringing my friends and family to places for the first time, um, is something very incredible. And so I'm very excited I still get it. It's been almost four years since working in this industry and, you know, at this rate, I think that I'll always still, um, have that sense of magic and have those moments for years to come. And then I always try to help, be a part of that experience as well. Family pictures are sometimes really hard to come by, and so whenever I see, um, guests trying to take a selfie or something, I'm like, "Hey, let me get that picture for you. Let's do this pose. Let's try to get a nice snapshot in Diagon Alley while we're all here." And, and so really making sure that I can help them as I'm walking through the park just create more memories for them, and hopefully capture them as I go along as well. So it's a, it's a nice perk, for sure.

Cain: , Everybody look for Reagan when they're in Orlando if they need a good family photo. 

Hajjar: Yes, absolutely. I'll do that.

Cain: So you, you had this dream. How did you decide that WPI was a place to go to pursue that dream?

Hajjar: Yeah, that's a great question. So WPI is a very, very unique place, and one of the biggest reasons I chose to pursue my industrial engineering degree there was because the program is housed within The Business School. Um, so many industrial engineering programs have a, like, stronger mechanical engineering focus, or, like, very technical. Um, but WPI intentionally blends the engineering discipline within business, and it's just something that whenever I found that out, I was like, that is, for me, that is incredible. And so as someone who's always been a people person, I knew I wanted an education that would teach me not only, you know, the math and science behind solving the problems, but also how to understand the people that those solutions impact. So, the combination has been absolutely invaluable in my career, 'cause it just helps me balance the needs of the operators and the guests, but with that data-driven decision making. So whenever I found that out, I was like, WPI, is gonna teach me how to just engineer those smiles, and at the end of it, it absolutely did 

Cain: Looking back at your time on campus, what were some of those things that you got from your WPI education that, that helped you, uh, achieve that dream? 

Hajjar: . So looking into just the curriculum itself, WPI is very much project-based learning, and when they say it, they mean it. And so within, they also have seven-week terms, and both of those in combination really prepared me for my professional life and, and being able to achieve this dream. So throughout my time there, I took very few traditional exams. Instead, almost every class centered around working in teams to complete one or more real-world projects on a tight timeline. And that is exactly what you have to do and what's expected of you upon graduation into the professional world. So, it was great to get that experience right away year one at WPI. So that just taught me how to collaborate effectively, adapt to new teammates every seven weeks, um, manage multiple really quick priorities, and still manage to deliver high-quality work under those deadlines. So those skills, that was built right into the curriculum and just how WPI operates, I still use every day in my career. Whether I'm, you know, working with a new group of partners, leading a project, or balancing, of course, multiple competing priorities. WPI really just didn't teach me the engineering concepts from the book, but it also taught me how to work in that fast-paced, collaborative environment that really exists in the real world. So, very grateful for that overall. 

Cain: Who were some of the people at WPI that you felt comfortable enough sort of sharing your vision with about your future, and how did they help you get there?

Hajjar: Everyone at, at WPI was very supportive, but Professor Konrad and Professor Towner were some of the biggest supporters of my dream career. And, you know, starting out going to a highly technical engineering school up north, and then sharing your dream is to work in a theme park is something, you know, very unique. Not a lot of people heard that. And so I was met with a lot of, um, different types of reactions as a result. But the two of them were really supportive of my dream from day one. Um, never gave me a weird reaction at all. They're like, "Great," like, "Let's make it happen." And so that really allowed me to explore, different project opportunities with them that would tie into my goal. Um, they really were flexible and encouraging and just, you know, continued to check in with me as a student and now as a professional. And so having those relationships and also just that additional support was, um, really positive and, and uplifting going through my WPI career. 

Cain: Yeah, and that's, uh, Professor Renata Konrad and Walter Towner in the business school, right?

Hajjar: Yes, 

Cain: And Regan, I understand when you were at WPI, you even had a co-op experience working at Disney in Orlando. What type of work did you do in that experience, and how did you find the flexibility to fit that in with the academics?

Hajjar: Yes, I, um, did end up doing a, a year-long co-op experience at Disney, which was incredible. Um, and that's really where the support from Professor Konrad and honestly the entire WPI faculty made such a difference in being able to make that happen. So balancing a full-time co-op over 1,000 miles away while still completing my academic requirements was not easy, but they worked with me to create a plan that allowed me to do both, and having that kind of flexibility and support was invaluable for sure. And then more just learning more about what I did at Disney I was a strategic sourcing intern. I supported vendor management for the in-house construction team, and so that gave me, um, a lot of unique behind-the-scenes looks at everything that goes into building and then maintaining the theme park. So, kind of a different perspective than what I do today as an industrial engineer, but it was a lot of fun. And one of my favorite memories was being in the Magic Kingdom in the middle of the night and watching teams transform the park while guests were asleep. So I was able to see Cinderella's castle at 4:00 in the morning surrounded by so many crews working tirelessly to have everything ready before the gates open, and that was just a really special experience. So, it definitely gave me a whole new appreciation for the amount of planning and teamwork it takes to create that magic.

Cain: My gosh, that sounds so cool. You must have felt pretty lucky to get to see a side of the park and a time of the park that most folks will never know about. 

Hajjar: Oh, yes, absolutely. It was like going into a whole new universe. And they're using the guest paths for, you know, their trucks and their different equipment, and I'm like, "This is a whole new city just overnight." So, it was very, very unique for sure. 

Cain: So stepping, uh, back now to the present day, you know, moving outside of your WPI experience and back to the work that you do now. In your job, I imagine you work a lot with numbers and analysis, but you also work a lot with people, whether it be the visitors to the parks or the workers across the various roles. How do you navigate floating between the world of numbers and spreadsheets and the world of working with people? 

Hajjar: Yeah, and that's definitely a great question. It's one of the early lessons I learned while at WPI is that, you know, the numbers might say one thing, but- We're not working with robots. At least, you know, I'm not working with robots. And so we have to still consider the fact that these are, you know, humans, whether that's from the guest perspective or just from the operator's perspective. And so that lesson learning early on, it definitely plays into my every day. And it also helps that I've always considered myself a people person, so, um, that's actually one of the reasons I chose industrial engineering. So, it's that combination of, working with the data and never wanting to lose sight of the people behind it. So, every number in a spreadsheet represents a guest experience, a team member's day, or an operational decision. So, my job is to use that data to help people and I think the best solutions come from listening first, so really understanding that person, that human perspective, analyzing second, and then just being able to bring both of those together. So, it's very fun, it's very unique. Can sometimes be frustrating, 'cause I do love a world in which, you know, the numbers are always right and we can just do a calculation to figure out the solution. Um, but that's also where, you know, the problem-solving and, you know, the puzzle comes into play on the balance between the data, but then also the people side of things as well.

Cain: Reagan, I'm picturing that maybe someone has listened to this and, maybe they're thinking to themselves, "I can see myself doing that. I like solving puzzles, and I wanna learn more." What would you recommend, uh, to anybody who's considering a career in industrial engineering?

Hajjar: Yeah. That's a great question. Industrial engineering is, as I mentioned before, not one of those core engineering disciplines that we often learn about in high school, and so whenever I was trying to figure out more about it, I looked a lot at, um, college websites. WPI has great resources online, and so that was, um, really exciting. I also looked at professors of industrial engineering, and so connected with them on LinkedIn. So, some professors I actually knew through networking before I even started at college just because I was like, "Hey, tell me more about what this discipline is or just different skills or different career paths." And then there's just lots of great, fun resources now that different companies can put out. So I know Disney has a fun video on industrial engineering and what they do at the parks and gives multiple examples. Um, there's other companies out there that also give tangible examples. So, just not being afraid to research it reaching out to people and even just, you know, doing a nice Google search can really take you down a great pathway to start learning more about this industry, about this job, about the discipline and the academics behind it, and then maybe even get connected to a few new friends along the way as well.

Cain: I'm wondering if there was ever a time when you questioned your dream at all and whether you were gonna keep pursuing it, and how you approached that moment if that happened. 

Hajjar: Yes, it definitely happened. There's definitely many moments throughout my academic career and just things where it's frustrating and, and it's hard to, to continue pushing forward, which I think everyone can relate to. You know, not every day is sunshine and rainbows. Um, but one of the biggest moments happened in a calculus class of all places. Calculus isn't, isn't the easiest at times. Um, but that moment was definitely pivotal, because I was just kind of going to leave the world of numbers and math behind. I was so just frustrated. Things were not coming easy, and I'm very grateful to, you know, my friends, my, my teachers, my support system, and my parents for just supporting me and reminding me of the goal, and not every day is gonna be happy or be easy, and just understanding, like, "Hey, remember that feeling of why you wanted to choose this path in the first place, of going to the theme parks," and, and understanding that it's gonna be hard and there's gonna be dedication, but it will be worth it in the end.

Cain: What did you lean on in those moments, , what helped you, uh, get through that? 

Hajjar: Yeah, it's a good question. Especially at WPI, kind of getting through those tough moments was a lot of the friends, the classmates, the professors, and then also just the friends from different grade levels. But I did a lot of different, um, activities at WPI. And so, it was great to be able to just have that support system of saying like, "Yeah, I'm having a rough time right now," and getting to talk to classmates, peers, friends that were like, "Oh yeah, that was me, too. It's normal. You know, you're gonna go through that. You're gonna be frustrated. What can I do to help?" And so being able to just, you know, talk about it, but then also just get that help of like, "Oh yeah, this is how you do that problem. I had a hard time on that lesson, too." Um, and, and being able to not feel alone, um, was something very special and beneficial, and also something I loved about WPI, 'cause there was always time for the academics, but then after all the classes, there was always time to have fun, build, your community there, and then also just get that additional help and support when needed throughout the year.

Cain: Yeah, thanks for sharing that. I think a lot of folks will, find some helpful information in there in terms of how you approached dealing with challenging times, and, and it may be helpful for others to think about the power of, uh, connecting with others and, and activities and groups and whatnot.

So, you know, that kind of leads me to my next question and the sort of theme of the help that exists out there. This is gonna be a two-part question. I'm wondering the role of sort of networking and making connections. Did you have much experience with that at WPI? And, and I'm wondering how that may have helped you in finding your way into your career field. 

Hajjar: Yeah, absolutely. So, and making those connections, of course, is great for, you know, your professors, your friends, your peers, and, and everything along the way. Um, something I started doing, especially 'cause it was during COVID times, um, I used that time to really start networking and understanding like trying to see, you know, what's out there for me, what, what are the opportunities. And so I think the biggest thing to do is just be, like, that I found was I was curious, and I didn't wanna be afraid to reach out and kind of see what was out there. WPI definitely has an incredible, like, alumni network, so that was great at making connections. Um, one thing I found is that they genuinely want to help students because they were, you know, in the students’ shoes not too long ago. And so that was just great at finding those external connections of people that were already in their, you know, professional field. And then that just led me down the path of, starting to network, which I was always very intimidated by. Um, so I started thinking about it, like you said, more as those connections and those friendships rather than professional networking, 'cause it's still very intimidating to say. Um, but I found that it could be as simple as asking just questions about their career path or what they enjoy about their role, or what advice that they would have for someone who was just starting out. And so those conversations definitely helped me understand what opportunities were out there, um, maybe like the dos and don'ts of, of the journey and, and really learning from a lot of different perspectives. And then ultimately just opening the doors to the current path that I'm on.

Cain: And have you stayed in touch with some of those folks, um, as you've, you know, gone into your career? 

Hajjar: Yes, absolutely. So, which is kind of crazy how everything works out. So, I got connected with a WPI alumni, um, I think my first or second year at WPI, and she connected me with somebody that works at Universal. And so I had my, um, first kind of networking call with him as a sophomore, and fast-forward to today, he is my current manager, which is absolutely insane. And so I, I met him when I was just starting out my academic journey. Um, learned a lot about everything in general of just how to start my career, how to develop that. Um, and then also just now fast-forward to today that he is still helping me on my career journey, um, all these years later. And so that was a very cool example of how, you know, your connections can kind of help make you grow. But also a really cool way that WPI's played, um, a huge part in this dream that I have achieved.

Cain: Really cool. Small world, for sure. I'm wondering, there may be students or a prospective student listening who's hearing this, and, and, uh, and they get it, right? They get why it's so important, and, and you've laid out the case pretty well for why making those connections and networking is, is important. But they might be wondering, how the heck do I even start, and how do I even get connected with these, uh, WPI alums? Do you have any advice for how they can get started on this journey of networking?

Hajjar: Yeah, absolutely. So there's some great resources on campus that are always available. Um, something that I did was I really utilized the power of LinkedIn, and you can actually search people through, like, where they went to school. And so it's a really awesome database to say, like, "Oh, okay, I want to specifically search for alumni." Um, you can even start searching, like, oh, my dream job is this, or maybe I really want to understand more about this company, and then finding the employees that are associated with it and work there. So, I really leveraged LinkedIn to do a lot of that research , and then also was able to then, you know, specifically look and say, like, "Oh my gosh, you went to school at WPI," or maybe even, you know, people who work at WPI even, um, are great connections. And so that was a really fun way to, uh, research to just start those conversations and, and send a message. And it's as simple as saying, "Hey, I'm a, a current student at WPI. I saw that you went there," or, "I saw that you're working in an industry that I'm really interested in learning more about. Do you have 30 minutes to connect?" Um, and just a simple question like that has been, in my experience, was met with so much positivity because people wanna help. They wanna educate. They also, everyone loves talking about themselves, so that's always, um, a nice easy win, um, when you are looking to network. And so just utilizing platforms like that and not being afraid to just say, "Hey, I, I have a few questions. Do you have a few minutes?" um, really goes a long way.

Cain: Great advice. And I'm wondering, um, would you recommend that students also talk to their, uh, professors or maybe staff members that they come in contact with to talk about the things they're interested in? 

Hajjar: Oh, yes, absolutely. Definitely talk with your professors. Even, yeah, share their, your crazy dreams with them. Your professors , they know all of their past students, their own faculty, their own connections, and, um, they have a really awesome career, and just so many people they've met along their journey as well. So they're an amazing resource to reach out to. 

Cain: Yeah, you never know who's, who's connected. Um, I, uh, I also encourage folks to check out the, uh, Heebner Career Development Center website here at WPI. They have a lot of resources available for students on, uh, networking, and we'll have a link in the show notes to that website. Reagan, do you have any sort of parting thoughts for, uh, somebody who's listening to this and, and saying, "You know what? I've got a dream for a, a dream job or dream career, something that, you know, has stuck with me." And, uh, do you have any advice for them on how to see it through and how to stick with it?

Hajjar: Yeah, I think a good and important thing to just know overall is don't be afraid to go after what you want to do, whether, um, that's a crazy career path, a hard challenge, moving somewhere new for the first time, just not being afraid to explore those opportunities, especially in college and at WPI with the support and the resources you have. Um, and just continually dreaming, continually working hard, and just not being afraid to reach out, to learn more, and to stay curious, um, in order to get that path, get on that path and accomplish your dreams. 

Cain: Well, Reagan, that's, that's great advice. Thank you for sharing that. And Reagan, thanks so much for sharing your story, uh, with The WPI Podcast. It's been a real pleasure. 

Hajjar: Yeah. Thank you so much for having me. 

Cain: And, uh, so you've wrapped up this episode. Uh, go have a butterbeer on behalf of, uh, all your friends here back in, uh, Worcester who'd probably love to have one too.

Hajjar: Sounds good.

Cain: Reagan Hajjar is an alum from the WPI class of 2023. You can read a story about Reagan's work and her journey in the university magazine, WPI Journal. It's at wpi.edu as part of the summer 2026 issue. And you can learn more about industrial engineering, management, and other degree programs offered in the WPI Business School on wpi.edu. On the website, you'll also find other episodes of this podcast and other podcasts from across campus at wpi.edu/listen. There's also audio versions of news stories about our students, faculty, and staff. You can keep up on everything happening at WPI by asking Alexa to open WPI. I invite you to follow The WPI Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. This show is produced just steps away from the quad at the WPI Global Lab in the Innovation Studio. We have audio engineering help today from PhD candidate Varun Bhat. Thanks so much to you for listening. Please join us next time for another episode of The WPI Podcast. I'm Jon Cain. Talk to you soon.