From college fair to construction sites: Catie Sengstock '24
After learning about the small class sizes at Widener University while visiting her county college fair, civil engineering student Catie Sengstock knew she had to give Widener a second look.
“I had never heard of Widener but I was drawn in by the fact that they were advertising their new robotics engineering program and I knew I wanted to study civil engineering, but had a hard time finding a program that fit my needs,” she said. “Once I did a bit more research on their engineering program, I was impressed by the class sizes and ability to make connections because of that.”
A love of engineering runs in her family. Catie’s grandfather was a civil engineer and she grew up hearing stories from her mother about the different dams and waterways he built, and those anecdotes served as inspiration for her own studies. As a part of her engineering labs, Catie has been able to take part in Widener’s Inside Track promise: guidance from Widener leadership and hands-on experience designed to best prepare students for their future careers.
And a big part of what made Widener so attractive was the financial aid the university was able to offer. For the last three years Catie has been the recipient of the Dean Thomas Grayson McWilliams Jr. and Rosalinda Wepf McWilliams Endowed Scholarship, and says, "Without this scholarship I wouldn't have had nearly as many opportunities as I do."
In her field of study, Catie visited a construction field in Trenton, New Jersey to witness the placing of precast concrete walls within a construction workflow for her Structures and Materials class lab. For her Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Lab, her class toured the DELCORA water treatment facility to view the equipment and treatment process, all steps the students had learned about the previous semester. It was a seamless way to combine class studies with real world experience.
“The biggest way Widener sets me up for success after graduation is by having professors and staff that make sure we are finding whatever opportunities we need to find our path in life,” said Catie. “Every single one of my professors has told me and my fellow students to reach out if we ever need anything, whether it’s directly related to our careers or not. They are so open to helping us and I don’t think I would have received that kind of attention at a different school.”
When you give to Widener, you’re investing in student success stories like Catie’s by providing scholarships and supporting experience-building programs that leave them career-ready. Your support impacts our students for years to come.
If you're interested in starting a named scholarship like the McWilliams Scholarship that supports Catie, you can learn more on our scholarship page. And if you're ready to make your own gift to support students on their journeys, visit our online giving form.
