jwufamily connection
CHARLOTTE CAMPUS
Commencement 2017
“If not me, who? If not now, when?”
PROVIDENCE
NORTH MIAMI
DENVER
This is a publication of Johnson & Wales University specifically created for families and designated contacts of JWU students.
JWU COMMENCEMENT
Class of 2017 Inside Spectrum Arena, Owen Beatty ‘17 stood before his fellow graduates on May 20 and talked about courage, resolve and strength of character. He also discussed once being in a different arena, one where he showed no grit, no determination.
Owen Beatty ’17
“I should not be here today,” he said. “A long series of poor decisions I made when I was young dictated that I should be in prison, an institution, or dead.” Years of hard drugs landed the 31-year-old in jail, homeless and disowned by his family. Beatty clawed his way out of rock bottom, pursued college and graduated with honors. His family, including his mother who had kicked him out of their home more than once, cheered and wildly waved pom-poms. Everything was seen bigger than life on the arena’s center-hung video display and scoreboard. It is the most technologically advanced scoreboard and sound system in the country and features the largest video screen in use in any NBA facility.
Kat Cole ’17 Hon
Honorary degree recipient Kat Cole, group president of FOCUS Brands, urged students to ask themselves this often: “If not me, who? If not now, when? If I don’t make a difficult decision now, when will I? And if I wait too long, will I miss something important in my life?” After the ceremony, Carolina blue skies greeted the graduates as they rushed to find family and friends. And for Beatty, once homeless and in prison, a job at Terra, a Michelin-star restaurant in Napa Valley, awaited him.
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
COMMENCEMENT GALLERY
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
Class of
COMMENCEMENT STATS 2017 PROVIDENCE CAMPUS
NORTH MIAMI CAMPUS
Total Undergraduate Degrees Awarded John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences School of Business School of Hospitality College of Culinary Arts School of Engineering & Design
1,762 184 429 712 327 110
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees
1,567 195
Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speaker, morning ceremony David L. Warren, PhD, president, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speakers, afternoon ceremony Charles M. Royce, chairman and portfolio manager, Royce & Associates LP (speaker)
344 15 329
Honorary Degree Recipient and Commencement Speaker, graduate ceremony Neil D. Steinberg, president and CEO, Rhode Island Foundation
187
Bachelor’s Degrees Graduate Degrees (MBA, MS)
64 123
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
256 52
Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speaker Ira D. Hall, retired president and CEO, Utendahl Capital Management LP
Total Undergraduate Degrees Awarded College of Arts & Sciences College of Culinary Arts School of Business School of Hospitality
251 14 92 50 95
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees Total Graduate Degrees Awarded (MBA)
175 72 4
CHARLOTTE CAMPUS
Total Degrees Awarded
Includes fall 2016, winter 2017 and expected spring 2017 graduates; does not include summer 2017 graduates
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees
Honorary Degree Recipient and Commencement Speaker Richard C. Saunders, founder and chairman, Saunders Construction Inc.
ONLINE CAMPUS
Total Undergraduate Degrees Awarded: 3,280
308 32 52 59 165
DENVER CAMPUS
Gary R. Comella ’76, executive chef, University Club
Total Graduate Degrees Awarded Doctoral Degrees (EdD) Graduate Degrees (MBA, MAT, MS, MSPAS)
Total Degrees Awarded College of Arts & Sciences College of Culinary Arts School of Business School of Hospitality
Total Undergraduate Degrees Awarded College of Culinary Arts School of Business School of Hospitality
428 132 83 213
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees
296 132
Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speakers Kat Cole, group president, FOCUS Brands (speaker) Michael A. Kahn, owner/CEO, Charlotte Checkers; Empire Distributors Inc.
JWU COMMENCEMENT
PROVIDENCE
Class of 2017 Life is full of decisions that can shape the future. A boundary decision, according to the morning ceremony keynote speaker David Warren, PhD, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, has the possibility of separating one from their family, friends, neighborhood and even the nation. He told the Class of 2017 from the John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering & Design and School of Hospitality that while there will be many boundary decisions ahead, they had already made one — choosing JWU.
Rachel Davies ’17, morning commencement ceremony student speaker
Before packing the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on the morning of May 20, the soon-to-be graduates sought out friends and faculty members. This group, which included the first graduating class from the Media & Communications Studies program, was sponge-like as they absorbed the moment they worked so hard to achieve.
Noting the intangible tenets of a JWU Wildcat — pride, courage, character and community — President Mim L. Runey, LPD, encouraged the graduates to be productive citizens and leaders in their chosen fields of employment. “I hope you will leave an imprint on the world that is lasting and impactful,” she said. Student speaker Rachel Davies ’17 emphasized the value of supportive alumni. She said connecting with a fellow Wildcat alumnus led to her internship at Ernst & Young in Providence, where she secured her “dream job,” a full-time career opportunity as a tax associate. “I’ve learned that opportunities can arise from a simple conversation … People come into your life for a reason, so take the time to get to know as many people as you can.” Warren, who was honored with a doctorate of humane letters, challenged the graduates to identify their collective boundary decision — a decision he said that each generation makes. continued…
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
Samantha Riley ’17, afternoon commencement ceremony student speaker
Past, present and future were on the minds of everyone at the afternoon ceremony for graduates of the College of Culinary Arts and the School of Hospitality's Food Service Management program. Standing at the front of the parade of students ready to march into the Dunkin' Donuts Center, Sienne Stubbs said she would have given her younger self the following advice upon entering JWU: "Never give up. Stay focused and prioritize." Further down the line, Tristen Reyes was surrounded by his enthusiastic friends. "Be smarter," he would advise his younger self, his friends agreeing with the concept. "Focus and have more fun." But what if their future selves could speak to them from 2022? For Reyes, he believes he’d hear, "You're on the right track; good things are coming." And for Stubbs, "Set goals, have fun while it lasts."
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
Honorary degree recipient Chuck Royce, chairman and portfolio manager of Royce & Associates LP, has a legendary reputation in finance and is considered the savior of Rhode Island's historical Ocean House. He offered sage advice in his commencement address regarding graduates’ education: "Leverage that investment and don’t waste those gifts. The world that awaits you needs your talents, wisdom and passion." From the platform, Gary Comella ’76, also awarded an honorary degree, embodied JWU’s past, present and future. A member of the second graduating class of the College of Culinary Arts, Comella's remarkable career is, as Chancellor John J. Bowen ’77 noted during the reading of the citation, a testament to an education from JWU. Everyone's future selves nod in agreement.
JWU COMMENCEMENT
NORTH MIAMI
Class of 2017 North Miami Campus graduates were challenged to view commencement as their first step in creating a rewarding life. Honorary degree recipient Ira D. Hall, retired president and CEO of Utendahl Capital Management LP and a former treasurer of Texaco Inc., shared some of the key factors that helped him achieve success, ranging from perfecting his elevator pitch to focusing on work-life balance and his personal brand.
L-R: Larry Rice, Ed.D., ’90, North Miami Campus President, Ira D. Hall ’17 Hon.
“Have a specific list of life priorities, not job aspirations, that bring you happiness as you navigate life’s occupational and personal challenges,” he said. He also emphasized the need to focus on how others perceive your work ethic. “My brand evolved to being highly respected, highly trusted and well-liked no matter what job or level of responsibility, from entry level to the top,” he shared. These words of encouragement struck a chord with many of the students who worked tirelessly to create a more rewarding life by obtaining a college degree. Jacquelyn Gonzalez-Cuba ’17, a wife and mother of two, works a full-time job, has battled cancer, lost her father on New Year’s Day of her senior year, and was involved in a terrible car accident in March, just two weeks after her last day at JWU. She was proud to walk across the stage to receive her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree and will return in the fall to pursue her MBA.
Jacquelyn Gonzalez-Cuba ’17
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017
“For every bad thing, there’s three good things coming your way,” Gonzalez-Cuba said. “I was able to push through everything and see it all come together, and that is my reward.”
JWU COMMENCEMENT
DENVER
Class of 2017 Student speaker Lucas Prolow ’17
JWU alumni crowded at the Robert E. Taylor Gate under overcast skies on the afternoon of May 19 to welcome the Class of 2017. Good luck raindrops fell from the sky just as the drum-led procession completed its eastbound walk through the gate, where families and alumni cheered on the soon-to-be graduates. The Bellco Theatre was abuzz the next morning as the Class of 2017 commencement exercises began. Duncan Maxwell ’17 graced the crowd with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, to resounding applause. Executive director of the Denver Sports Commission, Matthew Payne, acknowledged JWU Denver’s upcoming transition to a Division III program under the NCAA.
SAVE THE DATES Wildcat Welcome September 1–4, 2017 Fall Term Begins September 5, 2017 Homecoming & Family Weekend October 20–22
“The Wildcats will be playing under brighter lights, but that’s what this university does … It strives to exceed expectations and deliver life-changing experiences with everyone they touch,” he said. The Class of 2017 student speaker, Lucas Prolow ’17, offered insight from his collegiate journey. “Be open to life,” he advised. “Break out of your comfort zone and believe in yourself. The power of positive thinking and self-efficacy will provide you with the foundation to reach heights that you may have never thought possible.” President Wiscott conferred the Honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree upon Dick Saunders, founder and chairman of Saunders Construction Inc., who then regaled the audience with the “Dick Saunders story,” an inspiring journey spanning more than four decades of community involvement and corporate stewardship.
JWU Family Connection | Commencement 2017