Passion, Perseverance and a Strong Support Network Are His Ingredients for Success
Demetri Sianis, a JWU Online student living in Illinois, is traveling with his family to Providence in May to accept his diploma in person. For Demetri, who has learning disabilities, earning a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management has demanded exceptional determination, resilience and self-advocacy along with help from a supportive network of family members, JWU staff and professors.
Johnson & Wales University is dedicated to balancing academic rigor with accessible support services that help students with disabilities function in higher learning environments. Students of all abilities can benefit from an environment exercising an accessibility-first approach. Demetri, his mom and older brother, and four of his professors offer insights into how hard work and the support of JWU Online’s welcoming, inclusive, accessible culture, sets students up to succeed.
Why College Was Not Considered An Option
Demetri’s mom, Bessie, details, “Demetri was born with two holes in his heart and a torn mitral valve. When he was six months old, he had open heart surgery. He also has a narrow aorta and two leaky valves that we continue to get checked by the cardiologist every six months. He was in developmental, speech, physical, and occupational therapies from when he was eight months to three years old. He continued occupational and physical therapies until eighth grade and speech therapy through the twelfth grade. He has hearing loss, and at times, he stutters.”
Demetri adds, “Throughout high school, I had an IEP and attended special education classes.” His older brother, Bobby, shares, “Everyone told me that Demetri was different, but I never saw Demetri’s conditions as a limitation. I always encouraged him to follow his dreams and desires.”
Bessie continues, “In the lower grades, we felt sure that Demetri benefitted from the smaller classes, where the teachers could provide more personalized attention and adapt the pace to his learning needs. Tested in the eighth grade, Demetri’s scores had improved, but the school insisted he continue in special ed classes during high school. When it was time to apply to colleges, I met with Demetri’s case manager, his counselor, his speech therapist and a few of his teachers. All agreed that Demetri would not succeed in college.”
Demetri shares, “My case manager told me that instead of college, I would need to go to a transition school for students with disabilities. I would be taught how to cook, wash clothes, go shopping, and find a job. I already had all of the skills they would teach me — except for finding a job.”
Bessie says, “When I told his case manager that Demetri would be going to college, she claimed I was making a big mistake — we would lose the district’s funding for him to go back to transition school when college didn’t work out. Wondering what to do, I was reassured by the determination in Demetri’s eyes and his resolute words, ‘I want to go, I can and will do it. I will make you proud!’ I believed that with our support, Demetri’s decision would lead to a bright and successful future.
“Today I advise parents to not always take the high school’s words as gospel. Really listen to your child. If your child aspires to college, support them. Give them the opportunity to thrive. We learned at JWU that colleges offer disability services and a range of accommodations tailored to your child’s needs. Professors are ready to be part of your child’s success story.”
Passion For Cooking
Bessie recalls, “We knew Demetri always loved cooking. During high school, Demetri joined the culinary club and took all the culinary classes they offered.” Demetri affirms, “My love for cooking and baking has always been a driving force in my life, igniting my desire for a career in the culinary field. Despite the doubts of others, who believed I should not go to college, my passion for culinary arts burned brightly. It is this passion that has guided me to pursue my goals and overcome any challenges I encountered.” Bobby adds, “His high school underestimated him but that didn’t faze him. He had a clear vision of his future in the culinary industry.”
Demetri recounts, “In May 2022, three days after I graduated high school, I enrolled in an Associate in Culinary and Baking and Pastry program at a local community college. The first semester was particularly demanding, especially with the general education courses that were unlike anything I had experienced before.
“I faced these challenges head-on, knowing that each obstacle was a potential steppingstone toward success. By fully embracing the resources at my disposal and seeking support when needed, such as tutoring, study groups, and the help of my professors, I transformed those obstacles into opportunities for growth and learning. Later, when I encountered similar challenges in JWU’s Culinary Arts and Food Service Management program, I was able to again employ these strategies.
“In addition to my academic pursuits, I took the bold step of running for the student trustee position. Winning that role was not just an honor but a significant milestone in my journey. The position provided a platform to voice my ideas, engage in meaningful discussions, and contribute to decisions impacting our student body — most important it gave me confidence to consider getting a bachelor’s degree.”
Perseverance
Bobby remarks, “The one thing that I think really helped Demetri succeed in college is that he’s stubborn as hell — once he gets something in his mind, he will not let it go until he achieves it. That’s what he did while earning his bachelor’s degree.”
While he enjoys cooking chicken alfredo and vodka pasta and baking bread, Demetri aspires to a management career. “I always liked the customer-facing front-of-the-house because I enjoy serving and beverages. I needed to earn a bachelor’s degree to fulfill my dream of managing a fine-dining restaurant one day.
“I already knew JWU’s reputation for great culinary education. The chef professor I had at the community college, Lampros Tzimas, had attended JWU on-campus and earned a culinary degree. He recommended I attend JWU to earn my bachelor’s degree. I enrolled in the online Culinary Arts and Food Service Management Bachelor of Science program because the combination of culinary arts with management would prepare me for a career in both front- and back-of-the-house.
“I was surprised that even though I took my culinary classes online, I still learned a lot. I sometimes missed having hands-on classes on campus, but the professors who taught programs for JWU Online did a great job.
“After I graduate, I plan to work in a hotel or a regular restaurant to pursue my goals of becoming a general manager in fine dining. Looking ahead, I hope to open my own restaurant or share my passion for culinary arts through teaching, so that I can inspire others.”
Hard Work and JWU Online’s Supportive Faculty Are a Recipe for Success
Utilizing All Available Resources
“Important to my success was that I was able to email my professors for assistance and to log on to Zoom when they had office hours to meet with them. Using tutor.com, which is available 24/7, and the writing support services were both helpful resources.”
Professor Douglas Stuchel, who taught my Food and Beverage Human Resources and Advanced Food and Beverage Operations Planning classes was very helpful. Whenever I emailed him, he would reply and we would meet on Zoom.” Professor Stuchel recalls, “Demetri was a very engaged student and utilized all available resources to succeed in the course. He communicated often and his emails to me were always professional and cordial.”
Self-advocacy
Professor Robert Lothrop said, “I had the pleasure of having Demetri as an online student in Food & Beverage Strategies and Logistics during the fall semester of 2024. Each week his participation was exceptional.
“Sometimes it takes a couple of different ways of explaining a concept or assignment. Demetri was proactive in asking for help, so I was able to meet his learning needs by communicating through email and also during Zoom meetings. He was able to grasp what needed to be done and consistently submitted assignments with high quality. I admire his self-advocacy in asking for help. I believe that the extra time and explanations helped him gain the confidence to tackle the work and consistently submit a great product.”
Self-motivation
Professor Brian Warrener remembers Demetri as a serious and diligent student, “whose efforts earned him an excellent result in class. Learning online presents a special set of challenges for students. In face-to-face classes, an instructor can provide some of the motivation that students need, mostly as the result of regular personal interaction. To have the richest experiences online, students need to be self-motivated. I see my role as providing as much support as I can to students so that they can take the fullest advantage of their own drive.
“Demetri proved to be a very driven student. He reached out on a regular basis to discuss topics and assignments, to be sure that he was comprehending what was being presented and that he was meeting and exceeding the expectations of each evaluation. For the most part he was on the right path before I provided any feedback.
Putting in the Time
Praising Professor Graeme Cave, Demetri declared, “He went out of his way to help me. Global ethics was hard for me and I met with Professor Cave every week on Zoom. He explained the material very thoroughly, giving me as much time as I need to fully comprehend it.”
Professor Cave affirms, “Demetri gave 110%, throughout the whole semester. He always reached out if he needed any help and would even submit work ahead of time, so he could incorporate my feedback. He was also exceptionally kind, making clear that he always appreciated my time and wanted to be sure he was never a burden — and he never was.”
An Unexpected Hurdle Hit The Hardest
When he experienced a tragic loss, Demetri’s network of family and professors helped save his program. His mom recalls how tough it was for Demetri when his father passed away. “I needed to be his rock but I could hardly hold it together myself. Demetri’s father, a man of unwavering determination and love for his family, had a dying wish for Demetri to finish college. I reminded Demetri that just before his dad went into intensive care, while he was on a breathing machine and could hardly speak, he managed to say, ‘finish school, promise me.’ And Demetri had promised him. I urged Demetri to consider, ‘He’s looking down on you — he’s right next to you every step of the way.’ We both cried, and he said, ‘You’re right, Mom.’”
Demetri recalls, “While my father was on his death bed, I had a huge paper due. I reached out to Professor Cave for an extension.” Professor Cave explains, “As an online instructor for JWU Online, I’m allowed — even encouraged — to speak with students one-on-one. In Demetri’s case, that meant giving him extra time to complete his assignment, so he could focus on his family. Given his circumstances, I was more than willing to extend the deadline for the Week 6 assignment, provided he submitted it by Week 14 of the program.”
Demetri acknowledged, “There are not enough words that I can say about what a caring and compassionate professor he is!” Professor Cave qualifies, “JWU is that kind of place, where instructors will do what they can to help students, so that they can succeed in the face of the challenging circumstances that life throws their way.”
As Commencement Approaches
Thinking about the upcoming ceremony, Demetri muses, “I wish my dad were here to witness this moment, but I can feel his pride from above. His unwavering belief in me was my strength, and I’m sure he’s saying, ‘I’m proud of you, Demetri. I knew you could do it!’
“I’m proud that, despite being told I wouldn’t make it in college, I’m earning my bachelor’s degree in only three years, instead of four. A challenging journey, I’m glad I stood my ground and refused to go to transition school.” His brother Bobby agrees, “I knew he had the ability to succeed, and he proved me right.”
“It’s a tremendous honor to be the first person in my family to receive a bachelor’s degree. My grandparents from both sides of my family were from Greece; one hadn’t even gone past the second grade and the other had only a fifth-grade education. Grateful to have had the unwavering support of my family, friends, and the university faculty and staff, I am a testament to how a supportive online learning community has helped me achieve my goals.
“I have no words that can express how happy I am feeling. I am incredibly honored to participate in the commencement ceremony and graduate from such a fantastic university. Earning a bachelor’s degree at JWU Online is a step towards a promising future. The university’s excellent reputation will open doors to a wide range of career opportunities in the culinary field. My personal experience has been exceptional, thanks to the caring professors who are always there to guide and support you. At JWU, you learn not just the skills, but also the confidence to succeed in your chosen career.
“If you want to go to college, it doesn’t matter what anyone says. If you believe in yourself and your potential, then you should go to college and achieve your goals. I’m living proof that if you want something that much and you work hard, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.”