Mary Meixell | Dean, Johnson & Wales University College of Business
1. Can you describe the legacy of JWU’s female founders and how women’s roles in the College of Business have evolved? We’re incredibly proud of the legacy set by our founders, Gertrude Johnson and Mary Wales, 110 years ago. … A keystone of JWU’s educational mission has always been a culture of caring and a focus on academic excellence. … The College of Business footprint has greatly expanded to now include two campuses and online learning, with 30-plus programs ranging from associate to doctoral degrees. Women make up 60% of business students, and just over half of full-time faculty and staff are female.
2. What steps has the college taken to help address the ongoing skills gap? Part of JWU’s mission is to align learning with industry demand. … We track how jobs are changing in the business world, and continually update our programs to close the gap. Faculty use their connections to industry partners and JWU alumni to expose students to real-world work experiences and adapt programs to meet ever-changing demand.
3. How have you seen the economy affect women’s roles in business and business curriculums overall? In 1919, it was World War I that allowed women the ability to move into traditionally male-oriented careers, inspiring our founders to start a business school to help create those opportunities. In that way, the world’s political environment certainly affected the role of women in business. Today, the shortage of skilled workers has influenced and changed both opportunity and roles for women in business. Companies cannot afford to discount capable women for any position, especially in the case of those career paths with worker shortages.
4. How does JWU connect students with business leaders for mentorship opportunities? Our business alumni and undergraduate students connect through the university’s Alumni-Mentor program in Providence. … But mentorship strikes up in less-structured ways, too. We are fortunate to have a strong College of Business alumni base who want to connect with and support our students.
5. Since you became dean of the College of Business in 2021, how has JWU been able to help connect students with sectors they are most interested in? This happens in the classroom, especially in the foundation courses, where students learn about the functions of business and about the wide variety of sectors where business skills are essential to the success of the organization, aided by our faculty’s significant real-world work experience.