Learning by doing has been a foundation at Johnson & Wales University since 1914. From internships and research to study abroad and volunteer work, JWU’s experiential education opportunities help you build a strong résumé and a clear career path before you graduate.
Learning by doing has been a foundation at Johnson & Wales University since 1914, where students develop practical skills and solve real-world problems. From collecting and analyzing data through research and fieldwork to volunteering with companies and events related to your field of study, JWU’s experiential education opportunities will help you build a strong résumé before you graduate.
We put students on the path to making effective career choices, identifying and pursuing internships and securing employment. With our help, you’ll explore interests, identify strengths and set goals to build on each year.
of interns were offered employment after their internship
Your Career, Our Focus
Get help identifying your field of interest and acquiring the knowledge, experience and connections to excel. Take advantage of our career education, both inside and outside the classroom, to develop the skills to stand out from others.
Our Experiential Education & Career Services (EE&CS) staff provide career readiness support including career fairs, mock interviews, résumé prep, employer visits, workshops and one-on-one advising support. We’ll connect you with employers and job postings and arm you with professional interviewing skills.
“I got to meet the employers firsthand, did an internship, got my résumé and went through many layers. I was fortunate to have the first job lined up right after school, which is something we want for all students. I like to think I was equally fortunate and prepared, and I expect that track to continue upward from here.”
Marquis Cooper ’14, manager of global internal audit at Boston Scientific
Internships
Employers seek experience, and JWU strategically partners with national businesses and local community organizations to help you gain work history and career skills.
Build hands-on work experience for credit at Hilton, Google, TJX Companies, Hill Holiday, Wegmans, Nordstrom, Hyatt, Johnson & Johnson, Fidelity, IGT, Charlotte Hornets, FM Global, Aramark, Compass Group, Disney, The Kraft Group, Marriott or another of JWU’s nearly 800 sites worldwide.
Your classroom experiences will take you beyond traditional lectures in unique, engaging ways to help you develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We call it REAL — Reimagining Experiential & Applied Learning. You could explore Narragansett Bay to study sustainable shellfishing in action, produce a marketing video for a local business, take care of a fictional calf to better understand animal science or investigate a cold case to identify new leads in a criminal justice class.
Connect directly with what you’re studying through research, field work, service learning, industry projects, role-playing, gamification, simulation, debates, field trips and other hands-on exercises. Then, after gaining new skills, you’ll reflect on what was learned and how to apply it to other experiences.
Connect directly with what you’re studying through research, field work, service learning, industry projects, role-playing, gamification, simulation, debates, field trips and other hands-on exercises. Then, after gaining new skills, you’ll reflect on what was learned and how to apply it to other experiences.
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) lets you apply what you learn in real time, with your hours counting toward your degree. You could participate in a cybersecurity competition, work at a film festival or complete an internship in your field. Before you graduate, you’ll have more than a diploma; you’ll have a portfolio of experiences that will interest future employers.
“This summer I will work as a paraprofessional at an elementary school and plan to work part time at an autism learning center in the fall. I also hope to intern at the Department of Corrections during my time at JWU. I’ll be able to use all of these experiences toward my WIL hours.”
Katie McPartlin ’28, Three-Year Career-Focused B.S. in Criminal Justice
Core Curriculum
As part of your JWU journey, you’ll approach complex issues and identify real-world solutions to problems through Core Curriculum explorations.
Through Integrated Learning courses taken in your second and in your final year, you’ll be encouraged to think critically about society by drawing connections across the humanities, social sciences, math and sciences.
Through oral and written communication, quantitative literacy, critical thinking, ethical reasoning and integrative learning skills, you’ll practice communicating, measuring, interacting, experiencing and connecting — becoming better prepared to meet challenges in your future.
Whether you’re learning about ecotourism in Costa Rica over spring break, studying the fashion greats in Italy during your summer vacation or improving your foreign language skills in Spain for a semester, JWU has an opportunity for you to navigate new environments, gain independence and build global connections while gaining college credits.
Connect with the community while gaining real-world experiences.
Volunteer opportunities include providing services to local shelters, planting trees in local neighborhoods, volunteering at the American Red Cross and more.
Serve the community or volunteer to learn about social responsibility, ethics and leadership.
“At Momofuku, I worked with a lot of great chefs and learned how to time-manage. I worked as garde manger and in the raw bar. I shucked lots of oysters!”
From addiction recovery centers to parole supervision offices, JWU Psychology students gain hands-on experience in diverse real-world settings. This spring, Parker Zapata ’27 added to that tradition through an internship at Mosaic Pediatric Therapy, a center that specializes in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children with autism
Two JWU Design students are bringing creativity to the RISD Guild, working to create interactive museum experiences that connect art, design and community
