News
News
Introducing JWU Providence President Greene
Joseph Greene ’89, ’98 M.S., CPA has served in key leadership roles across Johnson & Wales University for decades.
As he prepares to take on his newest role as president of JWU’s Providence Campus, he sat down for a candid interview to share a bit about himself and his aspirations for our university.
Where are you from, and why did you initially choose to study at JWU?
I'm a born and raised Rhode Islander, and I grew up here in Providence. I got my start here at Johnson & Wales working as part of the cleaning crew while I was studying accounting at the Community College of Rhode Island. Initially, I planned to transfer to another local college after I got my associate degree, but then I learned about the employee tuition benefit here at Johnson & Wales, so I took a job in the mail room and worked there while I earned my bachelor’s degree in accounting. And just getting to know the people while I worked on the cleaning crew here at Johnson & Wales really made me feel like this is where I wanted to be.
Can you share a favorite memory from your undergraduate days on campus?
Even though I didn’t have the traditional undergraduate experience while working and attending night school, I still felt a strong sense of community here on the Providence Campus. It was the friendships and the relationships I made with people I was in class after class with that made me feel like I belonged.
What brought you back to JWU to pursue your master's and to work here?
Since my first days on the cleaning crew, I have felt strongly connected to JWU. If anything shows my connection to the university, it’s that I keep coming back! While I’ve been here for the past 32 years, I did actually leave twice. If I hadn’t left, this would have been my 40th year. The only reason I left was because my boss at the time told me I should become a CPA, and I always hoped while I was gone that once I received my CPA certificate, I would have the opportunity to come back to JWU.
What does Johnson & Wales mean to you and your family?
I'm a first-generation college student, like many JWU students, and both of my children have Johnson & Wales degrees. Two of my nephews and my sister-in-law all have JWU degrees. I've been an employee, a student, a parent and a family member, meaning I really understand what it's like to be a member of the JWU community. I know firsthand how a Johnston & Wales degree can change someone's life.
What project at JWU has been your proudest accomplishment to date?
I was involved with getting our first ratings with Moody's and Standard & Poor, which helped us build buildings like the beautiful John J. Bowen Center for Science & Innovation, the Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence and many other buildings on campus. That's probably one of my proudest moments, getting to be a part of our campus’s growth and development. The change I have seen since my time as an undergraduate in the 1980s is incredible.
Can you share some of your external leadership experiences in higher education?
I worked on visiting teams where I was considered a finance expert, and I visited colleges and universities all over New England for about 10 years. So that and my experience at Johnson & Wales helped me become a commissioner at the New England Commission for Higher Education (NECHE). As a commissioner at NECHE, one of the most prestigious accrediting agencies in the world, we're really helping to reshape the future of higher education. I recently finished my first three years as a commissioner, and I have three more of my six-year term.
How can JWU best balance its 111-year history with preparing tomorrow's students for a rapidly changing world?
This is a difficult time for higher education, where some people are questioning the value of a college degree. The good news is that here at Johnson & Wales, we've always been focused on student affordability, and we always have had career-focused programs.
Our expansion into the JWU Pledge and our three-year bachelor’s degrees will really help us move forward with continuing with affordability and with career-focused degrees.
What do you most hope to accomplish as president of JWU Providence?
In this changing landscape of higher education, I hope to help guide JWU in staying true to our guiding principle: giving our students the opportunity for a transformational experience and a world-class education that will put them on the path towards success in their future careers. I'm hoping that we can cement the importance of how a college degree, specifically a Johnson & Wales degree, can be life-changing.
What's your favorite spot on campus to relax?
I like mingling with colleagues in the Yena Center kitchen, or in our offices, as well as spending time outside on Gaebe Commons, sitting on the benches. We have two benches dedicated in memory of my parents there, so I like to go out there and say hello to them on a regular basis while watching the hustle and bustle of students coming to and from class, catching a bus or just enjoying the sunshine.
