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This is a publication of Johnson & Wales University specifically created for families and designated contacts of JWU students.
I T WA S L E A DING U P T O T H IS Graduates filed into the Spectrum Center loading
when she earned an associate degree in applied
dock to don their gowns, take selfies and touch up
science from JWU’s College of Culinary Arts.
their decorative caps at the JWU Charlotte 2019
Born with epilepsy, Worth suffered grand mal
Commencement Ceremony on
seizures during her younger
Saturday, May 18. Nearly 550
years. The Culinary Arts and
students were ready to accept
Food Service Management
their diplomas.
major was seizure-free for six
Commencement student
years — until her junior year.
speaker Rebecca Curtis ’19
Worth says sometimes
addressed her graduating
she can feel the seizures
class. “Every decision we have
coming on. “I get dizzy, start
made and every class that we
stuttering a little bit and get
have taken has led us to this
light headed, but normally
moment,” she said. “When
I have seizures when I’m
you stood in a lab for six
sleeping,” she says.
hours straight, it was leading
Fortunately, her absence this
up to this. When you felt like you gave everything and had nothing left to give, it was
year was not due to health Samantha Worth ’19
a tight bond with a family
leading up to this. Now, I am
friend who also has epilepsy.
not saying it was easy by any means, but what I am saying is, it was totally worth it.” Samantha Worth ’19 would agree. Although she could not attend the ceremony to receive her
issues. Worth has formed
She helped plan this friend’s wedding and knew it was important to attend — the wedding just happened to be on the same day as commencement.
bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management, she participated in the 2017 commencement ceremony
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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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A F T E R N O O N C E R E M O N Y:
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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A N D T H AT ’ S T H E W IL D CAT WAY When students arrive at the North Miami
Wilkinson’s words of wisdom resonated with the
Campus, the four tenets of the Wildcat Way —
graduates, including U.S. Army veteran Enrique
pride, courage, character and community — set
Lesende. A sergeant with JWU North Miami
the tone for what it’s like to be a Wildcat. During
Campus Safety & Security, Lesende decided to
the 2019 commencement ceremony, that theme
set an example for his family by pursuing his
could not have been more
MBA. In exchange for his
apparent.
hard work, Lesende got
Honorary degree recipient
to share this special day with his son, Matheus
Dave Wilkinson, who
S. Cravalho, who also
served 22 years with the
graduated with his
United States Secret Service, recounted
bachelor’s degree.
moments when those
“It meant the world to
four tenets helped guide
me to graduate with my
his decisions as assistant
son,” Lesende says. “I
special agent in charge
had to move at a fast
of presidential protection
pace to be sure we would
under Presidents Clinton
graduate together. So, in
and George W. Bush. He
the summer I took three
recalled advising the
classes to be able to make
president as he decided to “leave Flight 93 in the air
Matheus S. Cravalho ’19 (L) and Enrique Lesende ’19, father and son graduates
or bring it down to prevent
that during difficult situations, making the right decision requires sound judgment.
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Between Wilkinson’s accomplishments and
even more lives from being lost on September 11,” and reminded graduates
that dream come true.”
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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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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