The university has been closely monitoring the current COVID-19 situation and devising action plans accordingly. It has been decided that out of an abundance of caution all university events scheduled this spring with 50 or more attendees have been cancelled.
If you have registered for this event, you will receive an email with cancellation details. If you have any questions, please contact Alumni Relations.
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New events. New experiences. New memories. Forever JWU!
Reunion 2020 in Providence is a weekend designed entirely for JWU alumni! Return to campus to reconnect with old friends and professors, reignite your JWU pride and reimagine yourself as a student as you immerse yourself in today’s university. Discover all that is new at JWU and celebrate the people, places and things that made your experience so memorable.
Weekend Passes are the easiest and most cost-effective way to experience all that Reunion has to offer. If you can only spend a day with us, select the events you wish to attend “a la carte” to purchase tickets individually.
We look forward to welcoming you back to campus and celebrating with you at Reunion 2020!
REGISTER NOW
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Full Schedule
Reunion 2020 at a glance
Friday, April 24
10am - 2pm: Professional Series Culinary Master Class: Farm to Table Cuisine
10am – 2pm: Professional Series Culinary Master Class: Viennoiserie
5pm – 5:45pm: Downcity Campus Tour
5pm – 5:45pm: Harborside Campus Tour
5pm – 6:30pm: Distinguished Alumni Awards Reception
7pm – 9pm: Opening Reception
Saturday, April 25
10am – 11:30am: A Peek Into the Future of Food
10am – 11:30am: Lab Tours
10am – 12pm: Meet the Greeks
12:30pm – 3pm: Taste of JWU
2:45pm – 4:45pm: NSO Meetup
3pm – 4:45pm: Mixin' It Up: Perspectives on the Craft Cocktail Movement
3pm – 4:30pm: Raising the Bar: An Interactive Chocolate Tasting
6pm – 7:30pm: Affinity Celebration: Greeks & NSO alumni
7pm – 11pm: Bayside Bash
Sunday, April 26
9am – 11am: Pop-up Brunch: Seating 1
11am – 1pm: Pop-up Brunch: Seating 2
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Event Descriptions
Plan your weekend
Professional Series Culinary Master Class: Farm to Table Cuisine
As Johnson & Wales University continues to build up our globally-recognized reputation for all things culinary, a new degree offering will launch in 2020 focused on sustainable food systems. JWU will educate the next generation of professionals on how they can influence menus of change and supply chain management by looking to underutilized seafood choices and returning to the craft of whole animal butchery. During Reunion, you can get a “taste” of this new curriculum. This class will illustrate how chefs collaborate with local farmers and producers to grow our menus. Working with Chef Branden Lewis, C.E.C., ’04, ’06 MBA and trained students, you’ll utilize a mystery basket to create a menu from scratch using an array of local ingredients.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a professional class and a culinary degree is required to participate.
Professional Series Culinary Master Class: Viennoiserie
From croissants and danish to quick breads, this class will help you perfect your baking and pastry arts techniques. Chef Jeffrey Alexander ’97, ’17 M.Ed., a master of his craft, will guide you through a variety of ways to prepare items at home and in a professional setting. Not only will you gain a new perspective on buying pastries, you’ll improve your skills and gain an edge in the pasty arts.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a professional class and a culinary degree is required to participate.
Downcity Campus Tour
Tour begins at Gaebe Commons
Whether you graduated last year or last decade, the Providence Campus you remember has grown and evolved. Explore the changes to Downcity with this student-led tour.
Harborside Campus Tour
Tour begins at Grace Welcome Center
Whether you graduated last year or last decade, the Providence Campus you remember has grown and evolved. Explore the changes to Harborside with this student-led tour.
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Culinary Arts Museum
JWU graduates can be found driving innovation in numerous industries and supporting their alma mater in various ways. Celebrate the achievements of your fellow alumni receiving the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
Opening Reception
Culinary Arts Museum
Kick off your weekend by reconnecting with JWU faculty, friends and your fellow alumni! Enjoy the nostalgia of the Culinary Arts Museum while reminiscing on your days at JWU. The relationships you formed with your professors were influential, and this reception is your opportunity to catch up and say “thank you” to someone who made a difference in your life.
A Peek Into the Future of Food
Food Innovation Design Lab (FIDL)
Next fall, Johnson & Wales University will launch the College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT) to connect health, technology, business and policies that will shape the future of food by defining its powerful role in people’s lives and its impact on our world. CFIT will help take JWU to the next level as the food industry continues to evolve. Alumni like you are already at the forefront of this changing industry and we want to share with you how we’re preparing today’s students for the future. At this demonstration and discussion in the Food Innovation Design Lab (FIDL), you’ll learn about the intersection of food and technology from a group of JWU chefs who will look at modern approaches to classic techniques, innovative ways to be sustainable and how food fuels performance both on and off the athletic fields.
Lab Tours
Explore JWU's state-of-the-art learning environments on this multi-disciplinary tour.
Center for Media Production
Tour the writing, recording and editing labs. Experience an immersive special effects video demonstration and step up to the microphone in the podcast studio to record a promotional spot for JWU Live, our campus radio station.
Delaware North SEEM Lab
Tour the multi-functional space for JWU's Sports, Entertainment, Event - Management (SEEM) students, inspired by design elements of Boston's TD Garden. Experience a game-day atmosphere as soon as you cross the iconic Bruins logo, and set your eyes on the largest interactive video screen on campus.
E-Sports Arena
With the global e-sports viewing audience expected to grow to more than 450 million worldwide in 2020, JWU is on the cutting edge of this emerging industry. The new E-Sports Arena features state-of-the-art gaming systems, seating and graphics. Learn about students competing against locally and nationally in games like Overwatch, League of Legends and Super Smash Bros.
Fashion & Retail Lab
See where Fashion Merchandising students experience simulated corporate retail environments. Market analysis, trend forecasting, merchandise buying, product development, visual merchandising--it all happens here!
Meet the Greeks
Wildcat Center Lounge
Are you in a fraternity or sorority? Learn what’s new on campus with Fraternity & Sorority Life and meet the current student members! Share your stories from the past and hear about the traditions that continue to this day. You’ll also have the chance to relive your days of the Greek Olympics with your fellow alumni and current students by your side!
Taste of JWU
Athletics Practice Facility Patio
The premier event of Reunion returns with a new location for 2020! Sample a variety of food prepared by alumni chefs and sip wines from around the country as you enjoy scenic views of Narragansett Bay. Alumni chefs and participating restaurants will be announced soon, so check back often!
NSO Meetup
Wildcat Center Lounge
DECA. SkillsUSA. FCCLA. Business Professionals of America. National Student Organizations (NSOs) have helped shape thousands of lives at JWU over the years. If you were a member of an NSO, don’t miss this opportunity to catch up with other members, including current students, and learn about the organizations that are active on campus today.
Mixin' It Up: Perspectives on the Craft Cocktail Movement
HAC Amphitheater
Learn more about the craft cocktail movement and taste samples prepared by alumni presenters and mixologists, including Jim Griffin, Ed.D., '88, '92 M.S. and Liz Smith '15.
Raising the Bar: An Interactive Chocolate Tasting
Cintas Dining Room
Do you love chocolate? We thought so! Just about everyone loves to indulge but how well can you describe your chocolate taste experience? This interactive session, led by a faculty expert, will take your taste buds on a flavor journey with samples of single-origin chocolates.
Affinity Celebration: Greek & NSO Alumni
Athletics Practice Facility Patio
This special celebration for fraternity and sorority members and former National Student Organization (NSO) members lets you reconnect with alumni from your group while overlooking Narragansett Bay. Catch up with friends who shared a similar JWU experience and share updates from your personal and professional lives. Admission to this event automatically grants you access to the Bayside Bash!
Bayside Bash
Athletics Practice Facility Patio
From the shores of Narragansett Bay, it's Reunion's biggest party! Eat your way "Around the World" with cuisine from across the globe, enjoy evening cocktails and dance to live music by cover band Fighting Friday. Spend your Saturday night on the waterfront!
Pop-up Brunch: Seating 1
Say farewell to Reunion weekend with a brunch prepared by the students in Club of Culinary Excellence. This experience is fashioned after the pop-up dining concepts students create in the Culinary Arts bachelor’s degree program. You’ll have your choice of several plated breakfast options on this is a great opportunity to see our students at work while spending the last few hours of Reunion with friends. Seats are limited!
Pop-up Brunch: Seating 2
Not going to make a 9am brunch on Sunday morning? Not to worry! We have a second seating option for those who needs a few extra hours of sleep. Say farewell to Reunion weekend with a brunch prepared by the students in Club of Culinary Excellence. This experience is fashioned after the pop-up dining concepts students create in the Culinary Arts bachelor’s degree program. You’ll have your choice of several plated breakfast options on this is a great opportunity to see our students at work while spending the last few hours of Reunion with friends. Seats are limited!
Full Schedule | Event Descriptions | Lodging & Transportation | Register
Lodging & Transportation
Accommodations in Providence
Hotels
We've arranged for special JWU alumni rates at several local hotels. Book now as space is limited and will be filling up quickly as we approach Reunion weekend.
Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton
$169/night – must book by March 24, 2020
Book Now
Homewood Suites
$179/night – must book by March 27, 2020
Book Now
Hotel Providence
$189/night
Call 1-800-861-8990 and identify the group name "Johnson & Wales Reunion Weekend 2020"
Providence Courtyard by Marriott
$159/night – must book by March 25, 2020
Book Now
Hampton Inn by Hilton Pawtucket
$139/night - must book by March 24, 2020
Book Now
Transportation
We will provide shuttle services between the Downcity Campus and Harborside Campus throughout the weekend.