Shelby Webb, now a maintenance, repair and overhaul engineer at Pratt & Whitney in Oklahoma City, has built an impressive career in aerospace engineering – one shaped by determination, resilience and a willingness to learn from failure.
An OCCC graduate, Webb earned an associate degree in engineering before transferring to Oklahoma State University, where she completed bachelor’s degrees in both aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering. Before entering the workforce full time, she also gained valuable experience as an undergraduate research assistant at OSU.
Webb’s journey began unconventionally. As the child of a military family, she spent much of her early education being homeschooled overseas.
When she returned to the United States, she began taking concurrent classes at OCCC at just 17 years old. She chose OCCC for practical reasons, including affordability, smaller class sizes and easier communication with professors.
Despite her current success, Webb faced significant academic challenges early on.
“I had failed physics twice, actually,” she admitted.
However, a turning point came when she took a class with Professor Michael Lowe.
“He’s like, ‘I’m gonna make you want to switch back to engineering,’ and I laughed,” Webb recalled. “But about six or eight weeks later … I had to (say), ‘You’re right.’”
Through his teaching approach, Webb finally grasped concepts that once seemed impossible.
“The way that he laid out all the information,” she said, “it finally clicked in my brain.”
Another key influence was Dr. Gregory Holland, the current chair of engineering and physics at OCCC, whose rigorous courses helped prepare Webb for the challenges ahead.
“The way he teaches his classes … they’re hard,” she said. “But because of how he set his classes up, I got to Oklahoma State, and I was like, ‘Oh, these are all just like Holland’s classes.’”
Today, Webb works at Pratt & Whitney, where she helps maintain and improve military jet engines. Her role combines technical analysis with hands-on work in the shop.
“I work with hardware daily,” she said. “We do data analysis … and come up with repairs.”
Based at Tinker Air Force Base, her work plays a critical role in supporting national defense.
Beyond technical expertise, Webb emphasized that engineering is about problem solving and adaptability.
“Your degree is teaching you how to learn … how to solve a puzzle, basically,” she said.
These skills, combined with strong communication and persistence, have been essential to her success.
When reflecting on her journey, Webb offered honest advice to current students: “Don’t give up. It’s OK to fail … The only way to learn is to fail. So fail fast,” she said.
She also encouraged students to rethink their strategies when facing challenges.
“If you’re studying the same way and you keep failing,” she said, “try something different.”
Equally important, she stressed the value of building relationships with professors.
“Go to your professors and utilize them,” she advised. “They want to help those who really want to learn.”
Looking back, Webb acknowledged that her journey was not easy, but it was worth it.
“It is hard, you will have breakdowns, but it’s worth it,” she said. “It’s never too late to go back to school, and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something.”
From struggling student to aerospace engineer, Webb’s story highlights how persistence, mentorship and determination can turn challenges into success.
