By Madeline Parmenter and Miriam Weinstein ’08 MBA

Culinary and Hospitality
8:15am Kelly Woodard ’11, iced coffee in hand, is on her way to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center to watch her boyfriend, Adam Moses ’10, graduate at Johnson & Wales University’s 96th Providence Campus Commencement.

Inside the cavernous venue, Gerri Graves of East Providence, RI, has a bird’s-eye view of the pristine blue carpet where her nephew, Andrew Puchalski ’10, will be part of the procession of 747 fellow graduates of The Hospitality College and the College of Culinary Arts.

8:40am On the lower level, dozens of students in black gowns and square Oxford caps crowd a table where faculty members Rhonda Robotham and Robert Zielinski distribute university medallions.

Back on the concourse of the second level, 88-year-old Bernard Mahon and his family, all from Annapolis, Md., gather to celebrate his granddaughter, Andrea Gruber ’10, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Food Service Management.

8:57am Music up. Commencement begins. A quiet settles in, then a rolling cheer surges from the audience through the stands as the Class of 2010 marches into the arena. The International Parade of Flags follows.

9:25am Kim Frenze, University Office executive assistant, takes a deep breath and makes her way towards the stage to sing the “National Anthem.” When she hits the high reaches of “… the land of the freeeeeee …” the audience explodes with spirit.

9:35am Student speaker Julianna Parker ’10, receiving her BS in management, tells her peers, “I am not afraid for the graduating class of 2010; I am excited to watch us change the world.”

9:45am Providence Campus President Irving Schneider, PhD, presents Sören Kühlwein Kristiansen, president of Copenhagen Hospitality College, with an honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in Hospitality Management.

University President John Bowen ’77, is the first to congratulate Danny Meyer, chief executive officer of Union Square Hospitality Group, upon receiving his honorary doctorate. A beaming Meyer takes the podium and greets fellow graduates, “Welcome home to the real world.”

10:08am Jeffrey Senese, PhD, Providence vice president of academic affairs, requests that bachelor of science degree candidates stand. One by one, they are named, as they reach out to shake hands with the dean and accept their diploma.

10:40am Sherry Drouillard, mother of culinary arts graduate Joseph Drouillard ’10, takes a breather in the lobby. Proudly, she notes that her son will relocate to Portsmouth, NH, to begin his career with the Smuttynose Brewing Co.

10:59am Edward Korry, chair of the beverage and dining services department, reads the final name of the morning, “And lastly, Alexandra Leigh Rodrigues.”

11:00am Commencement ceremonies end; real life begins for this group.

Business and Technology
2:15pm Vendors hawk their wares inside the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, getting ready for the second wave of JWU graduates and guests. Upstairs VIPs gather to be robed. Akhil Gupta, vice president of the Providence Campus, talks with RI Gov. Donald Carcieri while Providence Mayor David Cicilline sits on a couch with honoree, Malcolm Chace III ’10 Hon., chairman of Bancorp Rhode Island.

3:10pm President Schneider welcomes everyone to the afternoon ceremony of the 96th Commencement of Johnson & Wales University. Kim Frenze sings the National Anthem for the second time today.

3:22pm Student speaker Tara Coogan ’10, a management major, reminds her fellow graduates, “Our legacy here and in the working world is based on our actions.”

3:32pm Chace receives an honorary doctorate in financial services management. Laureen White ’10 Hon., president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, is hooded for an honorary doctorate. She tells students “in the last five years alone, $1.1 billion in economic activity was generated by JWU. Where would Providence be without Johnson & Wales University?” The crowd cheers.

4:04pm The first students stand to take the walk to the stage where they will receive their diplomas.

4:35pm The final degree is awarded 522 names later.

4:45pm The Dunkin’ Donuts Center crew begins to clean the concourse area. The alumni office packs up its display. A lone balloon floats in the arena as the last guests leave their seats

Providence Campus 96th Undergraduate Commencement
Dunkin’ Donuts Center

Total Degrees Awarded 1,269
College of Business 429
College of Culinary Arts 288
The Hospitality College 459
School of Technology 93
BS Degrees 1,128
AS Degrees 141

Honorary Degree Recipients
Doctor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management (Commencement Speaker)
Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group, New York, NY

Doctor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management
Sören Kühlwein Kristiansen, President, Copenhagen Hospitality College Copenhagen, Denmark

Doctor of Business Administration in Management (Commencement Speaker)
Laureen L. White, President, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

Doctor of Business Administration in Financial Services Management
Malcolm G. Chace III, Chairman of the Board, Bancorp Rhode Island, Providence, RI