Co-Ops & Internships

At Widener, your inside track to a successful career will be paved with outside-the-classroom, real-world experiences – the kind that will set you apart from the crowd.

Education into Action

Our acclaimed co-op program and emphasis on internships will transform your powerful Widener education into action, helping you gain the experiences, connections, and career-building moments that will benefit you for a lifetime.

Co-Op: Gain Paid Work Experience. Graduate on Time.

Our signature co-op program, coordinated through our Office of Career Design and Development, provides business, engineering, and computer science students with real-world work experience before graduation.

Co-op is offered in both a 4-month and 8-month format. Depending on your program, you can choose to do both, thus gaining up to one year of paid work experience with a top company. And the best part, you can still graduate on time, within four years.

My opportunity at Comcast would not have been possible without Widener’s co-op program. This experience has not only helped me build numerous connections within the company, but it has also helped me understand what corporate life is all about. The co-op program helps differentiate yourself from other applicants when applying for a job as employers see that you have experience, especially from a tech giant company like Comcast. — Mathew Thomas '21, accounting

Explore Our Co-Op Program

Co-op is full-time, paid work experience relevant to your major. Our co-op program has a wide network of employers across the Philadelphia region and beyond, so you can work for some top organizations. Some students have gone as far as California for their co-op experience. And many employers extend full-time job offers to co-op students after graduation.

You have the flexibility to create your own co-op schedule. Depending on your program, you can choose to participate in 4- or 8-month co-op cycles.

Business majors choose a combination of both and gain up to 12 months of work experience.
Computer science majors complete an 8-month co-op.
Engineering majors complete an 8-month co-op.

While on co-op you do not pay tuition. You can choose to live on campus, at home, or even travel for co-op.

We offer a summer-long professional development series before your first co-op that teaches everything from industry-level Excel training to perfecting those all-important oral and written communication skills.

Internships

It’s never too early to start getting real-world work experience. As a Widener student, we encourage you to get an internship as early as freshman year. And when it comes to finding one, we’ve got you covered. Internships are coordinated through academic departments, and your professors, career advisors, and others on campus have an extensive network of local, regional, and national partners to help you find and secure a position that fits your professional aspirations.

And there are tons of internship opportunities being this close to Philadelphia. Just ask Danielle Cardona '18, a communication studies major who had five internships in broadcasting, which helped her land her first job with the Philadelphia Eagles.

To being able to start here, go toward my internships, and then take everything and put it toward a big NFL team, has been phenomenal. — Danielle Cardona ’18

Worried you'll have to decide between a career-building experience you're passionate about and one that earns an income? College of Arts & Sciences students interested in pursuing an internship are encouraged to apply for financial assistance through the Experience MORE! program.

If selected as an awardee, you’ll receive a stipend to subsidize your work at an unpaid or underpaid internship, meaning you can get both the experience and the paycheck. You’ll also get help honing your cover letter, nailing your interview, and landing an internship that will set you apart with real-world work experience.

Whether you’re looking to land a summer position at a local arts nonprofit or a congressional internship offering a stipend that stretches you too thin, get in touch to learn how you can Experience MORE! for your work.

Measured. Results.

In the News

Two men work behind the scenes on a film production, with one holding a camera

And the EMMY Goes To…

Communication studies alumni Dakarai Daniel and Andrew Proctor – back together collaborating on projects – scored an EMMY for their work with the Washington Commanders.

Julie Abrams and Inva Furriku work together on a laptop that is covered in stickers

Career Impact Communities Aim to Broaden Student Career Horizons

Career Design and Development recently launched its free, not-for-credit Careers by Design Canvas course as a one-stop resource for students and faculty to access all that Career Design & Development has to offer.

Students Emma Lavin and Saleeth Ulloa Lasso talking in hallway of Kapelski Learning Center

Students Experience MORE! Opportunities with Donor-Funded Internships

The Experience MORE! program helps financially support students who need summer break to work and earn money. The program instead makes it possible for them to do unpaid or low-paid internships that will help prepare them for rewarding careers.

Student Perspectives

I loved having the opportunity to do research, but also having the opportunity to research with a large medical device company—that’s something you don’t see quite often.

Shaylyn Westmoreland

Class of 2023 and 2024

Graduate | Biomedical Engineering

Read Shaylyn's Story

Shaylyn Westmoreland smiles for a photo at an industry research conference.

Student Perspectives

The professors in SBA were phenomenal, and the staff in the athletic center were also amazing. The culture that was being built made my experience so special and made me feel included and welcomed although I came in two years late to the program.

Tiernan Johnson

Class of 2023

Undergraduate | Sport and Event Management

Read Tiernan's Story

Tiernan poses holding a Philadelphia Eagles jersey that reads "gameday staff"

Student Perspectives

Before my summer research experience exploring hypersonic vehicles for space missions, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. My research project opened me up to aerospace engineering.

Vinny Csercsevits

Class of 2025

Undergraduate | Mechanical Engineering

Read Vinny's Story

Student Perspectives

“I didn’t have a clue about the people behind the games and on TV. Widener opened my eyes to the professional positions out there and helped me see that it was achievable."

Andrew Proctor

Class of 2019

Undergraduate | Bachelors in Communication Studies

Read Andrew's Story

Alumnus Andrew Proctor stands on the field at the Washington Commanders football stadium

Student Perspectives

Being able to have these internships and experiences outside of the classroom makes me feel happy because not only am I able to build connections, but I’m getting experience and understanding with the career that I want.

Ariana Hurtado-Day

Class of 2023

Undergraduate | Psychology, Pre-Physical Therapy

Read Ariana's Story

Student Perspectives

One thing that Widener did so well was teach me how to adapt to different programming languages and user systems. I definitely was prepared to take on that challenge.

Alex Kristeller

Class of 2023

Undergraduate | Robotics engineering

Read Alex's Story

Alex Kristeller sits at a table presenting to company leaders during a summer internship.

Employer's Guide to Co-Op

For more than 30 years, our students have partnered with employers as part of our flexible, supportive co-op program. Widener students are career-ready and well-prepared to make meaningful contributions to any organization. And our professional staff provides support for employers and students throughout the co-op process.

Hire Widener