Given the rigorous and supportive nature of the Honors community at Westminster University, graduates of the Honors College go on to pursue exciting and challenging post-collegiate careers in a wide variety of fields as well as furthering their education.

honor student receives award at commencement

Endless Career Possibilities

Alumni apply skills gained from the Honors College—especially critical thinking, an aptitude for making connections across disciplines, and communication skills—to excel in complex and challenging environments. Most importantly, alumni are life-long learners equipped to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of life in the 21st century.

Recent graduates have secured jobs such as:

  • Astrophysics post-doc at MIT
  • CEO of a med-tech company in San Francisco
  • Analyst for Goldman Sachs
  • Governmental lobbyist for a Salt Lake City law firm
  • Medical resident in plastic reconstructive surgery at the Cleveland Clinic
  • Economics professor at the College of Wooster
  • Scientist at Novo Nordisk in Seattle
  • Award-winning politics reporter for the Salt Lake Tribune
  • Legislative assistant for a US Congressman
  • Director of brand strategy and digital marketing for a Utah health sciences corporation
  • Software engineer for a travel management app company in Boston
  • Manager of an Urban Land Institute chapter in Boise
  • Pediatric radiology fellow at a hospital in Philadelphia

Students have also pursued service or fellowship opportunities such as:

  • Working with children through AmeriCorps
  • Teaching English in Turkey as a Fulbright Scholar
  • Studying for a PhD in global justice in the UK with the support of a Marshall Scholarship
  • Volunteering with the Peace Corps in Africa
  • Developing a sexual violence prevention program as a Truman Fellow

honors student at commencement

Furthering Your Honors College Education

Many students also choose to further their education post-graduation, attending graduate, law, and medical schools at top universities around the country. Westminster Honors College students have matriculated at the following graduate, law, and medical schools, among others:

  • Columbia University
  • Cornell University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Duke University
  • Emory University
  • Georgetown University
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • New York University
  • Oxford University
  • Stanford University
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Washington University

From Honors Student to Marshall Scholar and PhD Candidate

Debbie Samaniego’s ('17) goal in high school was to be the first in her family to graduate from college. At Westminster University, that became a reality. Her Honors College education and the McNair Scholars Program positioned her to compete successfully in challenging academic and professional landscapes. After completing graduate work in the UK in international business, Debbie is now working on her PhD in migration at the University of Sussex. Debbie was the first Westminster student to be selected for a Marshall Scholarship.