Career Explorations®
Explore a variety of careers through our Career Explorations (CX) program at our Providence, Rhode Island or Charlotte, North Carolina campuses.
Program Details
Designed for rising high school juniors and seniors, this summer program allows you to experience JWU firsthand by spending a weekend on campus to explore a career path that interests you. You’ll participate in academic activities taught by our industry-experienced faculty, talk with current students and more!
Program Cost:
- Providence Campus: $499
- Charlotte Campus: $425
The program includes housing, all meals, instructional materials and activities.
Summer 2027 Dates: To Be Announced
CX Programs
Animal Science
Providence Campus
Step into the role of a veterinary professional by working with real animals to develop clinical skills like bandaging, venipuncture and suturing. You’ll take part in guided dissections to learn more about animal anatomy and explore a variety of species including horses, dogs, cats, cows, goats and more. The program also takes students on an off-site visit to local animal facilities to learn directly from experts in the field.
Criminal Justice
Providence Campus
This program brings you into our cutting-edge Criminal Justice Labs. In the Mock Crime Scene Room, you’ll investigate staged scenes to gather evidence, then analyze that evidence with industry-standard equipment in the Crime Lab. You’ll learn about law enforcement best practices, how to process a crime scene and analyze evidence like a pro, and discover how criminal justice impacts political science, psychology and sociology.
Design
Providence Campus
Dive into the world of graphic design and social media marketing by learning how to create your own logo and brand using vector drawing and digital imaging (no previous design experience required!). You’ll then build your own social media campaign to promote your brand and learn about digital and content strategies used by today’s most successful brands. Faculty experts will help you refine your design skills, and collaborative feedback from other students will help you grow as a designer.
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.”
Food Innovation & Technology
Providence Campus, Charlotte Campus
Sharpen your skills in culinary labs and learn from our industry-experienced JWU chefs. You’ll also explore how you can change the food industry outside of the kitchen through education, sustainability and research. Learn about our range of programs including baking & pastry arts, culinary arts, culinary nutrition, food & beverage industry management and more.
Charlotte Campus: Choose from Baking & Pastry Arts or Culinary Arts programming.
Health & Wellness
Providence Campus
Explore multiple fields of study and JWU Health & Wellness majors in this immersive program. Learn how to evaluate human performance in exercise and sports science, make a systemic difference in healthcare administration, design nutritious meals in dietetics and applied nutrition, track diseases in public health and analyze the human mind in psychology. These areas all work together to make a difference in the health of others through improving physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Hospitality
Providence Campus
JWU is renowned for our hospitality programs, and you’ll get to see why when you meet our expert faculty with years of experience and see our immersive lab spaces, which include a fully functional restaurant where students learn how to manage service.
You’ll also get to explore local venues through site visits and tours to discover the wide range of career options available within the industry: hotel manager, bed and breakfast owner, marketing promoter for a sports team, wedding or event planner, an account executive for an international hotel chain and more. Hospitality can take you anywhere!
After CX, I felt even more confident in my decision to attend JWU. It solidified that this was where I belonged.”
Refunds & Cancellations
Registration cancellations should be sent in writing (by mail or email) to Admissions Events. A full refund will be given if the request is received at least two weeks prior to the start of the program. Confirmation of cancellations will be sent to the student’s email address provided to us in the registration.
The university reserves the right to cancel any program due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen circumstances. In such cases, the full program fee is refundable.
The university assumes no responsibility for any other expenses incurred due to cancellation of a program.
For Parents & Families: Planning Your Stay
The Career Explorations program and costs are for students only. For families wishing to stay nearby after dropping off their student, we have a few recommendations for making overnight accommodations. JWU does not arrange family member hotel accommodations.
Contact Us
Please contact us with any questions about the program.
Providence Campus
Phone: 800-342-5598 or 401-598-1000
Email: providence@admissions.jwu.edu
Mailing Address
Admissions Events
Johnson & Wales University
8 Abbott Park Place
Providence, RI 02903
Charlotte Campus
Phone: 866-598-2427 or 980-598-1100
Email: charlotte@admissions.jwu.edu
Mailing Address
Johnson & Wales University
801 West Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202