News
Experiential Education
News
Experiential Education
High Schoolers Get a Taste of College at JWU’s Career Explorations
What if you could test drive living and learning on a college campus? Johnson & Wales University’s Career Explorations (CX) offers exactly this. For three days, high school students stay in JWU’s residence halls, eat from JWU’s dining halls and enjoy a combination of hands-on activities and socializing.
This year, students could choose to participate in CX programming in Culinary Arts, Criminal Justice, Health & Wellness and Hospitality Management. (Note: JWU Charlotte only offers Culinary Arts CX programs.) CX lets them explore not only a new environment, but also what programs of study future students may be interested in pursuing.
In Providence, the first two weekends of July saw a very busy Harborside Campus, as the College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT) hosted the Culinary Arts CX programs — see a glimpse here.
The third weekend of July saw a much busier Downcity Campus, as students attended Criminal Justice, Health & Wellness and Hospitality CX programs. After spending their days learning, they relaxed in the evening and got to know each other and JWU’s CAT Student Ambassadors even better through games and group activities.
CAT Ambassador Tess Vogler ’27 says, “CX offers a genuine taste of college life, giving students real-world insight to help them figure out whether their interests align with their dream jobs, with only four days rather than four years.” Below, see what some of that taste looked like.
Criminal Justice
Students in the Criminal Justice program learned the ins and outs of the industry through staged crime scenes and a surveillance exercise.
“CX really gives students a great inside look at JWU. Students get to experience hands-on learning in programs related to the majors they’re interested in, which is super helpful in making sure they’re on the right path,” says CAT Ambassador Maria Garcia Damasco ’26.
She says that, “Beyond the academics, students also get a taste of independence — staying in the residence halls, managing their own schedule and meeting other students from different places. This helps them build confidence and start thinking of themselves as future college students.”
“The students were presented with a scenario and crime scene to process using an array of equipment and tools that those in law enforcement use when they conduct such an investigation and gather and seize evidence,” explains Dr. Paul Sylvestre, professor in JWU’s Criminal Justice Program and chair of the Social Science Department. “Part of evidence collection is knowing what to look for and its relevance to the investigation.”
Health & Wellness
Students in the Health & Wellness program viewed lectures and participated in discussions and hands-on analysis while learning about topics in exercise and sports science, healthcare administration, dietetics and applied nutrition, public health and psychology.
“I met so many people at my CX, some of whom I am still close with today. After classroom or lab activities, the weekend goes full summer camp mode,” states Vogler, who participated in a 2022 Baking & Pastry Arts CX session. She credits her time as a CX student for helping her decide to study Baking & Pastry Arts instead of Culinary Arts when she started attending JWU as an undergraduate.
“One of the best parts of CX is seeing the friendships that form over just a few days. Many of them mentioned how surprised they were by how quickly they bonded with the group. I think it’s really comforting for them to know they might already have friends when they get to campus for real,” adds Garcia Damasco.
Hospitality Management
Students in the Hospitality Management program toured local hotels, restaurants and Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. They also spent time with JWU faculty exploring the wide variety of career possibilities available through this degree.
“One of my students this year verbally committed to the soccer team halfway through the academic session. This made my whole summer. Watching the transformation from quiet, nervous students to passionate, confident individuals by Sunday makes CX special,” explains Vogler.
“I truly believe that CX is such a valuable program — not just for the academic preview, but for the personal growth and connections it fosters,” says Garcia Damasco. "It helps prospective students feel like they belong here, which can make all the difference when deciding where to go. I’m really grateful I got to be a part of it this summer and connect with the next generation of Wildcats!”
Although registration is not open for next year’s Career Explorations yet, more information about participating can be found here.
