Whitworth University

Discover the STEM difference at Whitworth

Combine excellent faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, small class sizes, research opportunities and strong career and graduate school placement rates and it’s no wonder that 46% of Whitworth students major in a STEM field. Professors teach all classes and labs (never TA’s or grad students), so they know their students and are better able to mentor and support them in getting internships and into top graduate schools and jobs. All STEM majors take general education classes across the curriculum that equip them with critical thinking, communication, intercultural, and problem-solving skills that make our graduates better scientists and engineers and also well-rounded human beings and good citizens.

Program highlights:
Biology is our third-largest major and helps students develop knowledge about all levels of the natural world and learn to apply that knowledge in practical ways through faculty and student collaboration in groundbreaking research.

Recent graduates include:
• Tanner Scholten, fisheries technician, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
• Shannon Wessel, science teacher, Mt. Spokane High School
• Alex Hoffmann, MD, internal medicine resident, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
• Linnea Howard, avian field technician, Center for Natural Lands Management, Olympia, Washington
• Kristin Dickey, quarantine aquarist, New York Aquarium, New York

Chemistry offers an innovative approach that grounds students in the major themes of the field during the first year before going on to complete core courses that introduce the principles of chemistry before students can choose from a variety of upper-division courses that support their career and graduate-school goals. Elective courses and research opportunities provide laboratory and field experiences in specialized areas.

Recent graduates include:
• Chris Frick, scientist, Allen Institute for Cell Science, Seattle, Washington
• Shauna Leggett, hospital pharmacist, Valley Medical Center, Renton, Washington
• MacKenzie Kinsman, research technician, Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
• Joseph Regalado, process engineer, Kaiser Aluminum
• Sara Lutz, internal medicine resident physician, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Computer Science is one of the fastest-growing majors at Whitworth, Students will first learn basic computational skills through practical computer programming problems, and then you will learn how to apply those skills to solve nearly any problem imaginable. You will have ample opportunities to put these skills into practice through hands-on experiences that will give you an advantage in graduate school or in the job market. The department also offers interdisciplinary programs in front-end design, human-computer interface and bioinformatics.

Recent graduates include:
• Kat Duarte, technical program manager, Google
• Kelsey Glynn, associate product manager, Nike
• Lauren Barry, software engineer, Bungie
• Jose Oronia, software engineer, T-Mobile
• Evan Edstrom, senior embedded Linux platform engineer, Impinj

Engineering equips students to apply science and technology to make a functioning society possible. Students are prepared to create engineering solutions for humanity. Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, our interdisciplinary program will provide a strong grounding in the physics, math and computational skills necessary for engineering analysis, and equip students with the foundational knowledge in electrical, mechanical, and materials aspects of engineering on which all emerging technologies are built. Students will learn to consider the impacts of these solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts as informed by a Christian perspective.

Recent graduates include:
• Caleb Bertolini, spacecraft attitude control engineer, Lockheed Martin
• David Hoff, engineering program manager, Apple
• Amanda Teblunthuis, family medicine resident physician, Kaiser Permanente
• Ryan Grady, launch vehicle mechanical systems engineer, Lockheed Martin

Environmental Science/Environmental Studies challenge students to investigate environmental issues from a multitude of perspectives and in a variety of ways—from the classroom and the lab to the field. The curriculum takes a rich interdisciplinary approach and goes beyond biology and policy to incorporate sociology and theology. In particular, the environmental studies program places a robust emphasis on the theological foundation for caring for God's creation. This program equips students to think critically about some of the most pressing questions of our day, while enhancing their marketability across a variety of careers.

Recent graduates include:
• Lauren Christensen, environmental specialist, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
• Jane Holmes, large carnivore handler, Out of Africa Wildlife Park
• Brock Peterson, stream technician, US Forest Service
• Linnea Howard, wildlife biologist, Torrey Pines Environmental
• Adrianna Horsey, community environmental educator, Lutheran Volunteer Corps