For more than 200 JWU students and faculty at the Providence Campus, The Amadeus Project was an opportunity to contribute talent and skills to a groundbreaking educational effort. Using community service learning to create and promote art in the face of arts education budget cuts, the collaboration brought JWU College of Business and School of Technology students and faculty together with a local theatre group, along with students and educators from other Rhode Island schools and colleges.

Based on Peter Shaffer’s play about Mozart, “The Amadeus Project was founded on the principle of mentorship in education — learning through real-life experience,” says Max Vogler, coordinator and lead actor.

Under the guidance of College of Business Assistant Dean Joanne Galenski ’93, ’96 M.S. and CoB faculty members Michelle Morin, Erin Wilkinson, Rae Coloura and Frank Duchala, students devised business and marketing plans, created marketing materials, raised funds and staged media events. Amanda Lada ’09, team leader, handled message strategy and media. Senior Christopher Rosario, creative team leader and production manager, secured thousands of dollars in pro bono services from Graphic Innovations in Warwick, R.I. Senior Bruce Millard created a fundraising brochure and video. With guidance from School of Technology faculty, sophomore Jonathan DuPaul designed a website. Nova Marketing in Boston, Mass. brainstormed with students and later hired Lada and Rosario as interns.

All involved played the roles of both teachers and students — those on the business side learned from the artists, and vice versa.

“Working with Johnson & Wales was a perfect fit,” says Vogler. “Their practice of putting students out into the world working in real situations reflected our approach during The Amadeus Project … The caliber of the students’ work was exceptional and it helped to guarantee our success as a nonprofit organization.”

The production opened in November 2009 at Beneficent Congregational Church in Providence to a full house and rave reviews from the media.

Image: l-r: Jonathan DuPaul ’12, Christopher Rosario ’10, Amanda Lada ’09, Michelle Morin, CoB assistant professor, and Bruce Millard ’10 gather at a press party in June 2009 at Pizzico Ristorante in Providence.

Optimism High Despite Lull in Tourism
Anguilla, with its 33 beaches and powdersoft sand, is best known as a tropical tourist destination. But even there, economic problems beyond the island’s shores have taken a toll on tourism.

“The number of tourists visiting Anguilla has declined significantly … Every month in 2009 has shown a decline in tourist arrivals compared to the corresponding period in 2008,” says Andrew Gumbs ’95, ’98 M.S., director of internal audit for the island. The majority of tourists are from the U.S., Europe, Great Britain and other Caribbean islands, he adds.

Gumbs’ work includes developing and driving policies and procedures for the government and quasi-government agencies including the tourism office. “Everything is planned around tourism,” Gumbs says. “Within the labor force, tourism has quite a few jobs, including the restaurant element. It brings in a substantial amount of money.”

Fortunately the island has other industries generating money and jobs including construction, banking and government. Anguilla is also making strides in education and technology. A two-year college is slated to open in 2010, with hospitality courses to be among the first offered. Anguillans also have access to distance learning through the University of the West Indies. The entire government is computerized with wireless access available. “I think it is one of the few islands in the Caribbean that has the whole government up to date in technology,” says Gumbs.

The native Anguillan is optimistic about his homeland’s future. “Anguilla has the potential to rival any tourism country, but I think they have to plan, because right now it is a difficult time in the world.”

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