Bolstered by impactful experiences, 94% of recent Western grads securing jobs, furthering education

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—It’s a great day to hire a Bronco. A new report finds Western Michigan University graduates are landing jobs and pursuing further education at increasingly high rates: 94% of recent alumni are working or continuing their education quickly after graduation. And they’re also contributing to the state’s economy, working for top employers such as Pfizer, Stryker, Whirlpool, Bronson Healthcare, Ascension Michigan, Duncan Aviation and many school districts across Michigan. 

“This report again demonstrates the value of a Western degree and the incredible success our Broncos are having upon graduation,” says WMU President Edward Montgomery. “Their success reflects the commitment of our faculty and staff to provide a cutting-edge, holistic education and develop each student’s passion.”

Western’s 2022-23 Career Outcomes Report reveals 74% of students who graduated between August 2022 and June 2023 chose to stay in Michigan, making the University a top talent producer for the Great Lakes state.

“Developing a workforce that is equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow is a major priority for the state of Michigan,” says Montgomery, a higher education committee member for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Growing Michigan Together Council. “At Western, our success in retaining talent regionally is found not only in the quality education we provide but also the depth of our partnerships with distinguished employers across Michigan. These collaborations are essential to enhancing our academic programs and providing valuable opportunities for Broncos to pursue career-building experiences.”

A RECORD OF SUCCESS

All students graduating from Western receive the Post-graduation Activity Survey, which is distributed annually to track success and gather data on topics such as employment, earnings and destination for continued education as well as experiences and relationships that contribute to career readiness and well-being.

“At Western, the professors care about you as a person,” says geography and philosophy alumnus Quinn Heiser, B.S.’23. “The interest that they take in what you’re interested in, what you want to do with your life, what you want to do with your career—I think that’s really where Western inspires and motivates students.”

In the most recent Career Outcomes Report, data was obtained for 77% of students earning degrees. Highlights of the report include:

“I have found mentors in my professors who have helped me gain experience relevant to the industry and have aided me in building a foundation for a future career,” says Katelyn Wandel, B.B.A.’23, an alumna of the food marketing program, which boasts 100% of graduates are working full time quickly after earning their degrees.

Alumni also had an opportunity to answer an open-ended question about what made their experience at Western successful.

“They talked about personal growth and development, about opportunities for networking and unique career-building experiences they had while at Western,” says Dr. Ewa Urban, director of assessment and effectiveness. “They talked about how Western prepared them for their career and that they were happy with support services and opportunities for professional growth and development.”

“The best thing about WMU was the opportunity to actively do research and apply classroom concepts to research projects,” wrote a graduate of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences in the survey. A graduate of the College of Fine Arts lauded “the breadth of opportunities that were provided to me to create an impressive professional career even as a student.”

By emphasizing and encouraging experience-driven learning opportunities for all Broncos, Western is helping students build a solid foundation for career success. In fact, according to a regression analysis of the data, graduates who participated in extracurricular activities, an internship or a job related to their studies throughout their education were twice as likely to report feeling prepared for their profession and feeling satisfied with their job than peers who did not. 

“My experience at the Naval Research Lab was eye-opening and an excellent learning experience,” says aerospace engineering alumna Hannah Sargent, B.S.’21, M.S.’23. “Working and learning from people who are leaders in my field of interest was amazing, and while I was there, I just tried to soak in as much information as I could.”

Explore the Career Outcomes Report dashboard online.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.