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Students
News
Students
High School Students Get the JWU Experience at Career Explorations
Author James Regan '24 is a Media & Communication major and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News.
JWU’s Career Explorations (CX) program is an opportunity for high school students to spend a few days on campus to explore a potential career path and learn more about JWU. The program offers different industry areas to choose from, including:
• Advertising & Marketing/ Digital Marketing & Social Media
• Computer Science/Computer Engineering/Graphic Design
• Criminal Justice
• Cyber Threat Intelligence & Defense
• Fashion Merchandising & Retailing
• Food Innovation & Technology
• Health
• Hospitality
• Media & Communication
In each career path, students spend two days taking interactive courses with the professors who teach these majors at JWU to learn the basics of that major and profession. This year, Criminal Justice students experienced surveillance briefings and mock crime scene investigations, while the Engineering & Design students learned about cybersecurity and had the opportunity to design, build and program a four-wheel-drive smart car.
The Health students spent some time in food labs as well as a nursing simulation. Students interested in Hospitality toured the Providence Convention Center and learned about hotel trends by visiting Marriott’s Aloft hotel in Providence.
All students also got the full JWU experience by staying in our residence halls, eating meals in our dining halls and having plenty of free time to get to know their peers and explore campus.
We talked with these students to gather their thoughts on CX and Johnson & Wales University.
What Students Loved About CX
At CX, students have the option to explore many majors, but the most popular programs at this years’ CX were Hospitality and Health & Wellness, which is unsurprising given JWU’s well-known reputation in hospitality and growing presence in the health industry.
Rising senior Soavio Dulcetti mentioned, “The hospitality program here was a big encouragement to learn more about this school.”
When asked what her favorite part of CX had been, rising junior Julianna Culican said, “learning about the health and wellness programs. I noticed it’s all hands on and in smaller classrooms, which you can’t get at bigger colleges.”
Alyssa Robinson, a rising senior added, “My favorite part was getting to see the Providence Convention Center. It was cool to see how people are actually using their degrees.”
High school graduate Lee Lopez Laura said, “So far, my favorite part is actually just meeting new people. I’ve learned it’s better to try and make new friends, and not just keep to yourself.”
Julianna Culican mentioned, “I really liked getting to see the Academic Center, home to the College of Health & Wellness, and check out the residence halls. It’s also great to see they have smaller classrooms.” Alyssa Robinson said, “I really like the campus and Providence - it’s like New York City, but cleaner. It’s nice and cute.”
When talking about the chance to meet JWU professors, Soavio Dulcetti said, “I learned a lot from the professor about the hotel management part of the hospitality program.”
Students at CX consistently expressed their appreciation for being able to see the campus. Spending time exploring campus is one of the most important aspects of deciding which college is right for that student. CX not only offers students the opportunity to tour all campus facilities and spaces, but gives them a glimpse of what classes are like, giving them a real chance to picture their future four years at JWU. Students also expressed appreciation for learning more about the majors offered at JWU, as well as hearing from current students and faculty about life on campus, internship opportunities, study abroad experiences and more.
With all the majors JWU has to offer, it’s no surprise high school students are excited about the opportunity to get a taste of the college experience and learn about potential careers. CX 2024 has ended, but JWU offers guided tours and other admissions events throughout the year if you would like to explore and learn more about campus. CX will be back next summer!
