6 Unique JWU Spaces Our Students Love

Updated February 2024

When you specialize in experiential education like Johnson & Wales does, you need spaces where students can actually experience and perform the skills they’re learning. Here is just a sampling of the unique JWU spaces that are helping students of all majors shine in their fields.

1. JWU’s Exercise Sports Science Hub

Kicking off the list is one of the newest additions to the Providence Campus, the Exercise Sports Science Hub. The hub is comprised of two lab spaces with state-of-the-art equipment to study body performance and conduct clinical research.

The Human Performance Lab (pictured above) is designed to help athletes work on strength, speed, flexibility, balance and power. Equipment here includes weight racks, a Biodex isokinetic testing device to measure muscle strength and two Functional Movement Screen devices for assessing injury risk.

The Exercise Science Lab (pictured below) features a body composition analysis machine, an electrocardiogram device, wearable metabolic technology for gathering body data, a treadmill with an overhang suspension system and more.

Though it predominantly serves the College of Health & Wellness’ Exercise and Sports Science program, the hub has been used for interdisciplinary work across other majors, and it’s open to student-athletes looking for assessments to improve their performance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EXERCISE AND SPORTS SCIENCE

2. JWU’s Center for Media Production

If videography, photography, podcasting, or writing is more your vibe, you’ll find that the Center for Media Production has just about everything you could need to create any kind of media (or “content” as the kids would say). 

With two light-controlled studio spaces, a soundproofed podcast studio, two editing suites, a writer’s room, 24 powerful Mac Pro workstations, moveable green screens and blackout curtains, a 4k projector, and plenty of high-end video and photo equipment, there’s really no limits to what you can do here. Best of all, the Center is available to students of all majors. But, if you’re into media, you should probably check out our Media & Communication bachelor of arts (B.A.) program.

EXPLORE MEDIA & COMMUNICATION

3. JWU’s Food Innovation Design Lab (FIDL)

In support of our College of Food Innovation and Technology (CFIT), we needed a space completely dedicated to developing and designing new food products — hence, the beautiful FIDL was created.

Within this space, students are challenged to design a commercial food product from scratch. They research the target market, study competitive products, source and price ingredients, and develop and refine a shelf-stable recipe. JWU has also partnered with the Food Innovation Nexus (FIX), a product development enterprise that specializes in food, medicine and design. One of the first projects developed in the FIDL was The Maple Project, a collaboration between JWU, FIX and the University of Rhode Island to find new uses for maple syrup.

The FIDL and CFIT as a whole allows students to pursue emerging careers in the culinary world that are highly in demand including food package design, sustainable food sourcing and development, food safety and regulation, product development and so much more.

4. JWU’s Delaware North Sports, Entertainment, Event — Management (SEEM) Lab

JWU has teamed up with Delaware North, a world-leading food service and hospitality company, to design our beautiful Sport, Entertainment, Event — Management (SEEM) Lab. The entrance includes a blue feature wall showcasing the SEEM program name in dimensional letters and captivating photos of various events at TD Garden, all beautifully backlit for a glowing first impression. The parquet floors in the hallway are the same floors laid down for Celtics games at TD Garden. Turning the corner, one finds the iconic Boston Bruins logo and a marquee digital banner as a welcome to the lab.

Designed to mimic a luxury suite in TD Garden, the lab also features a 20-foot wide interactive video screen and a sleek conference room with beverage fridges, warming plates built into solid quartz countertops, and elegant sliding glass doors that provide an open feel while still offering an enclosed space for smaller meetings or teleconferencing. It's a creative space that inspires students because it actually makes them feel like they're in a real industry setting.

5. JWU’S Occupational Therapy Labs

JWU’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program has three dedicated lab spaces for hands-on training: the Occupations Lab, the Actions Lab and a Pediatric Lab.

The Occupations Lab integrates a modified home setup — including a living room, kitchen and bathroom — with high-tech training equipment, including a testing device for balance assessment, a hospital bed area for practice interactions with an artificial-intelligence patient, and a 3-D printer for the production of splints and adapted equipment.

The Action Lab is designed for active work with clients with a variety of physical needs, such as mobility impairments. It also houses a driving simulator used to assess impairments in visual, cognitive and motor abilities that may limit driving ability and performance.

The Pediatric lab is a sensory space featuring a large free-standing swing, bubble tube, and rock-climbing wall.

6. JWU’s John J. Bowen Center for Science and Innovation (CSI)

Yes, we’re listing an entire building as number six because there are just too many cool things in our state-of-the-art John J. Bowen Center for Science and Innovation (CSI) to choose from.

The Innovation Lab is where students of Engineering, Graphic Design, Robotics or any major can go to master the latest digital fabrication techniques. The space is home to laser cutters, 3-D printers, a CNC machine. Down the hall, students can display their work in the dedicated gallery space.

Heading upstairs, you’ll find the Robotics Lab, where students design and build functioning robots. The JWU Vex Robotics Club spends a lot of time in this space, developing and testing their robots for competition. Last year, they even competed in the VEX Robotics Championship.

Biology, Chemistry and Engineering labs are also housed in the CSI, and they feature all of the equipment and resources our students need for hands-on study in their chosen field. Plus, the CSI has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for its sustainable design and energy usage.

These are just some of the incredible spaces JWU has to offer.