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Widener University recently reported on outcomes for the undergraduates who received their degrees as May 2024 graduates. 

Each year, the university surveys the most recent graduates to ascertain their “first destination” in the six months after earning their degrees, as well as gathers data through research by the university’s Career Design and Development office. The information is shared with the National Association of Colleges and Employers, known as NACE.

“We begin checking in with our graduates before commencement and continue our efforts for the six months after they leave us in May, as we work to gather this information on an individual basis,” said Janet Long, executive director of Widener’s Career Design and Development office, dedicated to helping students transition smoothly from academia to the professional world. “This is an intense research exercise for our office, which is critical to tracking positive outcomes for our newest alumni.”

The university determines whether graduates have gone into direct employment, are continuing their studies in pursuit of a graduate degree, or are moving on to military service. Of graduates who responded to the survey, along with data collected by the Career Design & Development office, results showed 95 percent of graduates had moved on to one of these positive outcomes. 

In addition, students going on to paid positions had the option to share salary information. The median starting salary for the May 2024 Widener graduates was $77,760, which was consistent with what May 2023 graduates reported.

Median salaries ranged from $70,000 for students who earned degrees through the School of Business Administration to $86,000 for students who graduated through the School of Nursing. 

The newest alumni have begun rewarding careers at a wide variety of workplaces. Some employers who hired Widener graduates include Deloitte, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Siemens, The Boeing Company, the Navy Yard Philadelphia, BNY-Mellon, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Keller Williams Reality, Northrup Grumman Corp., the city of Philadelphia, IKEA, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, WSFS Bank, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Live Nation Entertainment, AT&T, Ernest & Young LLP Canada, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, the National Air and Space Intelligence Center and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services.

Graduate Anthony Pompilii, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications studies and now works as a communications specialist for IKEA in Perryville, Maryland, said his Widener experience – from classes to multiple internships – allowed him to build skills and relevant experience that he uses every day on the job. Pompilii’s position, which he landed a month after graduating, involves providing internal communications to about 300 coworkers, responding to crisis communications, capturing content, creating videos, and flying drones to gather content.

“These hands-on, real-world experiences have allowed me to flourish in my first professional ‘real world’ job,” Pompilii said. “Widener opened up doors for me that I could have never imagined. I am forever grateful to the university for allowing me to land my dream career right after graduation.”

Long said hearing stories like Pompilii’s is the best part of working at the university. 

“We are excited to see this class moving on to the exciting futures they worked so hard for in their years at Widener,” Long said. “The university is dedicated to their success, and everything we do in a collaborative spirit of belonging is intended to give them the best education and skills needed for fulfilling careers.”