At Johnson & Wales College of Online Education, our students come from all over and bring with them a wide variety of backgrounds. From first-time college students to career professionals looking to take the next step in their journey, they manage to juggle their personal lives while pursuing their degree online —and it’s a lot more achievable than they first thought. Hear from some of our students in their own words about how they’ve made a college degree work for them.

Amanda York ’21: For Amanda, she says her educational goals came to a halt in 2017 while working towards her BA – Psychology when she was diagnosed with Chron’s Disease. However, she didn’t let that put an end to her educational journey. Instead she found that here at JWU, there’s no obstacle that can get in the way of perseverance.

“I entered into my second semester with Johnson & Wales, and halfway through the semester, I found myself facing difficulties with my health and felt devastated. I reached out to my instructors and received nothing but understanding and encouragement. It was at this moment I realized that this university cared so much about my success, leaving me feeling beyond encouraged and inspired. It is because of Johnson & Wales University's staff that I choose to continue pushing forward regardless of my pitfalls. They have influenced my actions towards continuing my education, because I know with them behind me I can do anything!”

Brian Butterworth ’19 MBA – Organizational Psychology: Ten years into his career, Brian was looking for a way to take the next step towards working up the ladder in his workplace. But with a job that takes him on the road and a love of traveling, he knew a standard in-class education just wouldn’t work for him. Instead, he chose the best of both worlds, pursuing his MBA – Organizational Psychology without giving up on his passions.  

“I do have to travel from time to time for work, so the idea of not being tied down of having to be there every Wednesday for class was a big thing. Also, any opportunity I can, even if it’s just for three or four days to go on a little mini-road trip, is why getting my degree online has been great the last couple of years.”

Joanne Cohen ’22: Even after a long and successful career modeling in the New York City fashion scene and her current role as an executive receptionist for a high-end law firm on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, Joanne still felt the itch to do more. Combining her knack for art, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship, she decided at the age of 57 to go back to school in order to weave her talents together and tackle her life’s next endeavor. Although she says juggling her daily routine and earning her BS – Residential Hospitality Management can be hectic, she’s looking at the bigger picture and is excited for what’s to come when she graduates. 

“Being an older adult, just the entire online school platform, I had a little bit of trepidation but it just feels like the right time to be doing this. It’s a lot easier than I expected, I expected to really struggle. I sometimes feel like I fly by my gut on a lot of the decisions in my life but I already kind of see something coming together.”

Reach out today to learn how you can start on your degree: call 855-JWU-1881 or email [email protected]. You can also fill out the “Request Info” form on this page.