Johnson & Wales: A Recipe for Success

Students learning in a test kitchen at JWU-Denver.

In 2015, I visited the Johnson & Wales University campus in Denver, Colorado. My colleague, Paul Hood-Patterson, wrote this very creative post about what makes attendance at JWU a recipe for success for so many students. 

Read on to learn how this school, known for its excellent culinary programs, might have the perfect blend of ingredients to create your future! 

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Ingredients:
1 Strong Foundation as a Business School
4 Campuses with Internship Opportunities
Several Handfuls of Experience
1 Large Focus on Careers

Directions:
Start with the beginning. First, take a look at the foundation of the school. Johnson & Wales was founded in 1914 as a business school in Rhode Island. From the beginning, the school has been dedicated to business and grew throughout the years from a junior college into a university with four campuses across the country. The Denver campus we visited opened in 2000, and the other two campuses are located in Charlotte, NC and Miami, FL. 

Add in four campuses. Each campus has its own unique flavor. Providence, Rhode Island is still the main campus, but a JWU student may take advantage of opportunities at any campus to further their education and experience. For instance, if you are studying in Denver but want to take an internship in Miami, you can use your JWU connections. This can be beneficial whether you are studying business, hospitality, culinary arts, or any of their programs. 

Mix in several handfuls of experience. One of the things Brett discovered at JWU is an emphasis on students graduating with both a degree and an impressive resume. By graduation, each student should have a great deal of hands-on experience in their desired profession. All programs require students to complete an internship, which allows them to gain experience by working on real projects with real companies.

Sprinkle in the career focus. JWU keeps its main focus on the career goals of its students. The admissions counselor Brett spoke with, Michael, recommends that students declare a major before they enroll. Because of the intense career focus, changing majors could set a student back up to two years. Sometimes the work opportunities available to JWU students can be so good that students leave their studies early to take a job. This is a challenge for the school – providing such great opportunities that they lose students to employers!

Give it time to cook together. So, if you’re hungry for more information about Johnson & Wales, be sure to do your own college visit at one of their four campuses. If you choose this school, you can take their business background, add valuable experience, benefit from their focus on your end career, and let it all simmer for three trimesters a year to create your unique JWU experience.
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Make sure you discuss your goals with a college planning professional so they can help you find a college that fits your own tastes.

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