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FA M I LY C ON N E C T ION COMMENCEMENT 2019
PROV I DEN C E
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This is a publication of Johnson & Wales University specifically created for families and designated contacts of JWU students.
A N D T H AT ’ S T H E W IL D CAT WAY When students arrive at the North Miami Campus,
Wilkinson’s words of wisdom resonated with the
the four tenets of the Wildcat Way — pride, courage,
graduates, including U.S. Army veteran Enrique
character and community — set the tone for what it’s
Lesende. A sergeant with JWU North Miami Campus
like to be a Wildcat. During
Safety & Security, Lesende
the 2019 commencement
decided to set an example
ceremony, that theme could
for his family by pursuing
not have been more apparent.
his MBA. In exchange for his
Honorary degree recipient
hard work, Lesende got to share this special day with
Dave Wilkinson, who served 22
his son, Matheus S. Cravalho,
years with the United States
who also graduated with his
Secret Service, recounted moments when those four
bachelor’s degree.
tenets helped guide his
“It meant the world to me
decisions as assistant special
to graduate with my son,”
agent in charge of presidential
Lesende says. “I had to move
protection under Presidents
at a fast pace to be sure we
Clinton and George W. Bush.
would graduate together. So,
He recalled advising the president as he decided to
Matheus S. Cravalho ’19 (L) and Enrique Lesende ’19, father and son graduates
in the summer I took three classes to be able to make
“leave Flight 93 in the air or
that dream come true.”
bring it down to prevent even
Between Wilkinson’s
more lives from being lost on September 11,” and reminded graduates that during difficult situations, making the right decision requires sound judgment.
accomplishments and Lesende’s achievements, our 2019 graduates show that they are prepared to make a difference in their community — and that’s the Wildcat Way.
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NORTH MIAMI
C OM M E NC E M E N T GA L L E RY
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2019 PROV IDE NCE CA MPUS
DE N V E R CA MPUS
Total Undergraduate Degrees Awarded John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences College of Business College of Culinary Arts College of Engineering & Design College of Health & Wellness College of Hospitality Management
1,508 232 407 253 94 9 513
Total Undergraduate Degrees Awarded John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences College of Business College of Culinary Arts College of Hospitality Management
222 27 38 108 62
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees
136 86
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees
1,384 124
Total Graduate Degrees Awarded (MBA) Honorary Degree Recipient and Commencement Speaker Sean K. McNicholas, president, Service Systems Associates
Honorary Degree Recipient and Commencement Speaker, morning ceremony Nigel Travis, chairman, Dunkin’ Brands Inc. Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speaker, afternoon ceremony Mehmet Gürs ’93, chef and partner, Istanbul Food & Beverage Group (speaker) Derek Joseph Wagner ’99, chef and owner, nicks on broadway Total Graduate Degrees Awarded Doctoral Degrees (Ed.D.) Graduate Degrees (MBA, M.A.T., M.S., M.Ed., M.S.P.A.S.)
CH A RLOT TE CA MPUS
334 14 320
Total Degrees Awarded John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences College of Business College of Culinary Arts College of Hospitality Management
340 2 106 94 138
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees
246 94
Honorary Degree Recipient and Commencement Speaker, graduate ceremony Cynthia R. Bigelow, president and chief executive officer, Bigelow Tea
Honorary Degree Recipient and Commencement Speaker Gary Ward Guittard, president and chief executive officer, Guittard Chocolate Company
NOR TH MI A MI CA MPUS
J W U ONLINE
Total Undergraduate Degrees Awarded John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences College of Business College of Culinary Arts College of Hospitality Management
266 21 84 67 116
Bachelor’s Degrees Associate Degrees
206 60
Total Graduate Degrees Awarded (MBA)
13
Total Degrees Awarded Bachelor’s Degrees Graduate Degrees (MBA, M.S.)
TOTA L DEGREES AWA RDED: 3,034
22
Honorary Degree Recipient and Commencement Speaker William David Wilkinson, president and chief executive officer, Atlanta Police Foundation
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Includes fall 2018, winter 2019 and expected spring 2019 graduates; does not include summer 2019 graduates.
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329 153 176
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M O R N I N G C E R E M O N Y:
‘DE F IN E C OM M I T M E N T F OR YOU R SE L F ’ Aspirations became reality at the morning
He also found inspiration in his peers, who stayed
commencement ceremony, where undergraduate
their educational course while juggling academic
students from the colleges of Arts & Sciences,
and extracurricular responsibilities — often while
Business, Engineering & Design, Health & Wellness,
working multiple jobs. Pezza concluded his speech
and Hospitality Management
by urging the Class of
were the first to receive their
2019 to persevere: “My
degrees.
fellow graduates, define
Student speaker Nicholas
commitment for yourself, and use it to tackle everything
Pezza, an accomplished student-athlete and member
you do in life.”
of the Wildcat Investment
Nigel Travis ’19 Hon.,
Value Fund (WIVF), JWU
chairman of Dunkin’
Providence’s student-managed
Brands Inc., encouraged
portfolio fund, traced how his
new graduates to embrace
time at JWU helped transform
technology. He also
his definition of commitment.
emphasized the importance
Prior to JWU, he said, “my
of remaining passionate about
understanding of the word was
what you do: “Stay true to the
rudimentary; it simply meant hard work.”
Nicholas Pezza ’19 student speaker
Joining JWU’s hockey team
path you want and follow it hard.” Sometimes, however, there
marked the first shift. “No matter what adversity
are unexpected bumps in that road. “The world is
we faced, the men I played with showed up with the
not tidy and will never be,” he told graduates. “My
same intensity each day because of a commitment to
advice is to bend with the road, and to see every
something greater than themselves.” Pezza also took
challenge as beneficial in your development. ... Do
inspiration from JWU’s faculty, who “expanded our
not always plan the next step or next job but focus
understanding of the word through their unwavering
simply on being successful today. Success will follow
dedication to our development as students
those who do a great job.”
and individuals. Through them, I learned that commitment means selflessness and dependability.”
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BE INST IGAT OR S OF CH A NGE At JWU’s afternoon ceremony, undergraduates from
Mehmet Gürs ’93, ’19 Hon., chef and owner of Mikla
the College of Culinary Arts and from the College of
and partner of the Istanbul Food & Beverage Group,
Hospitality Management’s Food Service Management
and Derek Joseph Wagner ’99, ’19 Hon., chef and
program received their diplomas.
owner of nicks on broadway, were each awarded a
For student speaker Diane
Doctor of Culinary Arts.
Saraceni, a JWU Continuing
Both chefs are staunch
Education student graduating
believers in the ability of food
magna cum laude in Baking &
to transform lives. Chef Gürs’
Pastry Arts, baking started as
keynote speech served as a
a “passionate hobby.”
call to action: “Our work is
During her time at JWU, she
changing. It is not just about pushing out new dishes or
juggled a full-time job with
serving up the coolest or
multiple passion projects,
best-tasting stuff anymore.
including serving as president
Chef José Andrés has been
of a local animal shelter.
nominated for the Nobel
“Many people don’t realize
Peace Prize. And food-related
the amount of grit that goes
businesses are more and more
into this program,” she noted. “We’ve endured excruciatingly long labs in hot kitchens.
Diane Saraceni ’19 student speaker
We have made best friends
instigators of change.” He urged graduates to be part of that change: “Not only can
with compression socks and literally gained over
we make life better, but we can also make it tastier.
one million steps on our pedometers. And, when
Filled with pleasure — that is, if we choose good
our pizza dough was too sticky or our bread dough
over bad.”
was over-proofed, we didn’t give up. We simply
In conclusion, he urged the crowd to pause to
remembered what Chef Lumi [Cirstea] always told us: ‘Love your dough, and your dough will love you back!’”
appreciate the magnitude of their achievements: “Standing where you are today is a privilege. Being a part of this community is a privilege. Let’s be proud of it!”
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C OM M U N I T Y OF L IGH T S A N D OPP OR T U N I T Y The Denver Performing Arts Center’s Boettcher
JWU community with his commitment to provide
Concert Hall provided the perfect ‘in the
job and internship opportunities to our students
round’ ambiance to house 3,000 people for the
and graduates each year. He encouraged
Denver Campus commencement ceremony. The
graduates to own their entrepreneurial outreach:
traditional bagpiper led the procession, followed
“It all begins with a handshake.”
by a special performance
Benjamin Garcia ’10,
of the national anthem by
director of special
Kassidy McKevitt ’19.
events for CaterWest at
Student speaker Asianna
the National Western
Harris ’19 said she was
Stock Show, welcomed
honored to be the first
the new graduates into
woman of color, first
JWU’s alumni network.
applied psychology major,
Garcia shared four life
and first honors student to
lessons: be yourself,
deliver the commencement
never stop learning, try
speech for a JWU Denver
differently, and don’t
graduating class.
get comfortable. He
She shared her realization
concluded his speech by requesting that graduates
that big transitions and
close their eyes to reflect
uncomfortable situations are the best opportunities for growth. “This is our
on their journey. As the Asianna Harris ’19 student speaker
eyes, the audience held
moment to account for how much we have grown as students and professionals and take this leap
graduates reopened their their flashlights high to
represent the opportunities and support ahead
into the unknown,” she said.
of them.
Honorary degree recipient Sean McNicholas,
With smiles, cheers and tears, the Class of 2019
president and CEO of Service Systems Associates, delivered the commencement
was sent forth to continue to make an impact on the world and encompass the Wildcat Way.
address. McNicholas truly represents the
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I T WA S L E A DING U P T O T H IS Graduates filed into the Spectrum Center loading
ceremony when she earned an associate degree
dock to don their gowns, take selfies and touch
in applied science from JWU’s College of
up their decorative caps at the JWU Charlotte
Culinary Arts.
2019 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday,
Born with epilepsy, Worth suffered grand mal
May 18. Nearly 550 students were ready to accept their diplomas.
seizures during her younger years. The Culinary Arts and Food Service
Commencement student
Management major was
speaker Rebecca Curtis ’19
seizure-free for six years
addressed her graduating
— until her junior year.
class. “Every decision we
Worth says sometimes
have made and every class
she can feel the seizures
that we have taken has led
coming on. “I get dizzy,
us to this moment,” she
start stuttering a little bit
said. “When you stood in a
and get light headed, but
lab for six hours straight,
normally I have seizures
it was leading up to this.
when I’m sleeping,”
When you felt like you
she says.
gave everything and had
Fortunately, her absence
nothing left to give, it was
this year was not due to
leading up to this. Now, I
health issues. Worth has
am not saying it was easy by any means, but what I
Samantha Worth ’19
am saying is, it was totally
could not attend the ceremony to receive her bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management, she participated in the 2017 commencement
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family friend who also has epilepsy. She helped plan
worth it.” Samantha Worth ’19 would agree. Although she
formed a tight bond with a
this friend’s wedding and knew it was important to attend — the wedding just happened to be on the same day as commencement.
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