I know, I know. It’s been a while since I’ve given y’all an update about what’s been happening on our lovely Denver campus. And so much has happened! Color me sorry; I just wanted to let the anticipation build, of course. (Are you buying it? Yeah? Cool, thanks.)

Hey, let’s get down to what you really want to know, right?! What’s really been happenin’ in Denver?

Monsanto Speaks! (Queue the gasp from the audience)

I gave you a heads up the a few days before Robert Fraley, the Executive Vice President and Technology Officer of Monsanto, was scheduled to speak at our campus. The day of the talk, hundreds of students, professors, and chefs filed into the auditorium to hear what a representative of one of the biggest GMO-pushing companies in the world had to say.

He stumbled through a brief introduction before he could get into his memorized spiel of Monsanto’s attempts to cure world hunger through the use of genetically modified organisms. The floor was soon opened up for questions from students, which was the main appeal for many attendees: the chance to pose a direct inquiry and get real answers. The lines to the microphones soon filled out.

Fraley was approached with questions ranging in topics from the history of GMOs to the political issues, including the burning of Monsanto’s seeds by Haitians and farmers getting sued by the company. Robert Fraley responded to each of the questions with long, rambling answers. In the end, only about 10 questions were asked before it was announced that the talk would be coming to a close, but Robert would stick around to talk to anyone who still had questions.

By the way people swarmed towards him, it was clear that many still wanted answers. Among those who walked out, one could hear chattering on all sides about Fraley’s words and their... emptiness. Conclusion: Robert Fraley talked. A lot. But whether he actually said anything, most JWU Denver students would contend not.

Edible Book Contest

Book lovers and dessert lovers rejoice! A few weeks ago, Denver held an Edible Book Contest, with all the equipment and product provided for any students willing to enter. As it turns out, we really have some talent here (no surprises here!)

Some of my favorites included the various Harry Potter entries (Potterhead for life right here), as well as the Beauty and Beast cake and The Very Hungry Caterpillar piece.

Awards included Judge’s Favorite, People’s Choice, Funniest/Punniest Book, and Best Representation.

Culinary Connections: Chef D’Or

Coming up this weekend, we have a major culinary event happening on our campus. For several months, a few students have been working incredibly hard for a contest called the Chef D’Or, which means Golden Chef. It all comes to a culmination on Saturday at Culinary Connections. Many local business have been invited to come join us and take part in not only the contest but a silent auction and a few other opportunities in JWU Denver’s culinary department.

The winners of Chef D’or will be receiving not only a cash prize but also the truly priceless choice of a stage with several incredible restaurants, including Morimoto in New York City and Thomas Keller’s restaurant, The French Laundry.

Spring Springing

Perhaps one of the happiest things to be happening in Denver is one of the simplest...

Spring is coming to Denver.

Slowly, we are getting rid of the winter chill and the snowy days are getting fewer and farther in between, although we have had several “surprise” spring snows nestled in between weeks of lovely spring weather.

Day by day it is warming up and the feeling of summer is getting more obvious as people are busting out the flip flops and laying on the grassy lawn to soak up the sun.

Just like every major, culinary arts has its own set of oddities associated with not only the major itself, but the people studying it. I can confidently say, though, that no other learning environment comes anything close to the environment of a culinary lab. There’s a few things that only happen at a school with a culinary program.

Alcohol has a different significance than at a regular college.

We work closely with alcohol. We cook with it. We have a class on how to mix drinks (using colored water and not actual spirits, of course). We learn how to sell drinks and how to manage service. We even have skill sessions outside of classes to learn how to create drinks or how different alcoholic products are made. Yes, we taste a lot of products. No, we never drink. The campus is strictly sip-and-spit and for good (and obvious) reasons. For us, alcohol isn’t just a recreation.

It’s all about networking.

Get to know your chefs. Talk to the people in the hall. Stop at that employer’s booth that’s set up in the hall. Go to all the culinary events. In the culinary industry, having as many contacts in the industry as possible is so valuable. So many people get job offers to work with incredible chefs just because they presented themselves well and politely spoke to those around them. Skill can get you some of the way, but it is really about attitude and how you conduct yourself.

The kitchen isn’t the only thing that gets heated.

Tensions get high in any kitchen, even in lab classes. You are with the same 20 (or fewer) people for 6+ hours a day, 4 days a week, for 11 weeks. Obviously you usually end up getting pretty close to your peers during this time. You work with those people, joke with them, watch out for them... But tempers can flare up fast. Little annoyances can add up from so much time together, or somebody can just snap suddenly. People can fuss and argue, and sometimes it can actually get quite heated... But almost always, by the next day, things are smoothed over. There isn’t time for grudges in the kitchen, and the camaraderie formed in labs is strong to overcome the disagreements. 

Next week, Robert Fraley, the Executive Vice President and Technology Officer of agricultural super-business Monsanto, will be here to speak to our campus.

Now, if you are interested in food politics (and if you are in culinary arts, maybe you should be), you know the amount of controversy the surrounds Monsanto and their practices, especially regarding genetically modified grains. Rumor is, the majority of the speaker’s time will be an open floor for questions, after a brief introduction about feeding a growing population.

It should be incredibly interesting to see what Fraley is asked and what he has to say in return. If you have any questions you would like to see asked, reply to this post, ask our page, or make a post and tag it, #JWUasksMonsanto.

Hey San Diego… It’s been real.

It's that thing that you go into college thinking, "I'll never have that problem!" It is an issue that other people deal with, sure, but you? You're easygoing and dare you say it, a pretty cool person. Why would a roommate ever have an issue with you? And hey, if someone is annoying you, you just talk to them! No big deal! You are going to head off to college, be best friends with your roommate, and neither of you will ever lock the other one in the bathroom. Cool.

I'm going to get real with you. Everyone has roommate troubles. Everybody. Whether you move in "blind," not knowing your roommate from Adam until move-in day, or you met them at orientation, or they're your best friend from back home. Living in the "cozy" spaces of residential halls is enough to cause tension within any dynamic.

Am I saying that any roommate pairing is doomed to end badly? No way! It's all about how you manage the tension, especially as the year goes on and maybe those habits that didn't bother you at first are starting to make your eye do that little twitchy thing. Now, I would love to sit here and give you a list of solutions to dealing with situations with your roommate, but that wouldn't be fair to anyone. Every dynamic is different and there is no magic "Solve It" button. I'm sure you know all of the clichés already anyway. Everyone expects to hear "Communication is key!" to pretty much every problem nowadays. I mean, it's true though. Communication is HUGE. It is THE most stereotypical piece of advice ever, but in practice, it is actually so difficult. It is worth it though. When it is hardest to communicate your feelings is probably the most important time to do so. Tell your roommate when there is an issue so you can get it fixed right away instead of letting the situation sit and build up. Let me repeat that point because it is really important: Tell your roommate when there is an issue so you can get it fixed RIGHT AWAY instead of letting the situation sit and build up. Because you can be surprised at how quickly things can build up, and dealing with the mess when those issues blow up can ruin relationships.

On Wednesday, the Campus Activities Board hosted a Town Hall meeting here at JWU Denver. The speakers were President Robin Krakowsky; Richard Wiscott, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs; and Jeff Ederer, the Dean of Students. The three spoke about the construction that was happening on campus, specifically that of the rennovations of our new residential hall, Founders Hall (formerly Yena Hall, before that the student center) and Centennial Hall (formerly Treat Hall).

They also covered topics such as new majors, changes in Room & Board costs, and parking passes alterations. The meeting was very open, with people asking questions throughout the presentations. Many great questions were posed, and valuable information was gained through the interactions with some of the leaders of JWU Denver.

The Town Hall was incredibly informative and cleared up many concerns. I and many others left feeling very optimistic and excited about what the upcoming years at JWU hold!

Last week here at the Denver campus was a blast! Even though it was winter week, the weather actually decided to be more like spring, which in my opinion made all the Winter in Wonderland activities even better! As a reminder, here are the events that CAB planned for us throughout the week:

My favorite two events were seeing Magician Peter Boie on Tuesday evening and the Winter Formal on Friday.

Peter Boie, A.K.A. the Magician for Non-Believers, was great! He had a perfect mix of humor, drama, and shock factor! I particular liked his paranormal-esque trick with some whiteboards that wrote by themselves, it was really crazy and I still am trying to figure out how he managed it!

Getting all dolled up and heading over to the Roxy Theatre was a blast! The music selection was incredible and the colored lights hitting the crowd gave the perfect mood! 

If you'd like to see more pictures from Winter Week or have more information about the type events that the lovely Campus Activities Board plans for us, visit their Facebook page here!

Next week at JWU is Winter Week 2015! This year’s take on the tradition will be Winter in Wonderland, with many activities each day throughout the week. Monday through Thursday, there will be crafts in the atrium during the day and a larger event in the evening.

Our Campus Activities Board has arranged do-it-yourself coffee mugs on Monday, with artists Nelly’s Echo following for that night’s Coffee House performance. On Tuesday, there will be a fun photobooth complete with props for taking some great shots during the afternoon and magician Peter Boie that night. The Cinema Showcase for this month will follow brownie and cookie decorating on Wednesday. To wrap up the school week, Thursday will include a DIY party hat booth and a “Verry Merry Unbirthday Party.” The whole week will culminate on Friday evening with the Winter Formal, which will be held at the Roxy Theatre from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.