Dan Gosselin, 2026

Spring Break at JWU: Student Experiences

It was an incredibly valuable experience, and I especially appreciated the time and openness that Dean Evans shared with us throughout the trip. Hearing him speak candidly about his background, leadership style, and the realities of the industry made a strong impression on me and added a lot of depth to the experience.

The hands on classes were the highlight of the trip for me. Getting to cook and serve a meal in Chef Poyourow’s therapeutic cooking class stood out because it connected food to real world health and care, which gave me a new perspective on the role cooking can play in nutrition intervention. I also really enjoyed Stacy Mirabello’s designing healthy desserts class, where I learned about the staggering number of types of flour one can use and how they behave differently in baked goods. The professors at JWU were all super knowledgeable and great educators; I really enjoyed picking their brains for the week. 

Overall, the trip helped me better understand both the technical and human sides of working in food. It showed me how much attention to detail, timing, and awareness goes into creating a great experience, and it pushed me to think about areas where I can improve, especially in slowing down and being more intentional. At the same time, it confirmed how much I enjoy learning in a hands on environment and being part of that kind of setting. Thank you to the staff who made this trip possible and all the students who were gracious enough to let me join their groups and probably mess up some of their dishes!