Ward brings fresh ideas to Assumption dining services
Mike Andrews
Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: News Stories
Having first worked at a local Wendy's as a grill cook at the age of sixteen, Mike Ward would have never imagined that he would one day have a career in food services. Born and raised in Natick, Massachusetts, he left to join the military directly following his high school graduation. He returned eight years later, with his job waiting, and accepted the position as Assistant Manager, while taking courses as a part time student at Dean College in Franklin. His aspiration towards full service grew stronger as time passed, and Ward became interested in learning the trade of real table service. Putting his efforts to receive a degree in Business aside, he geared his attention towards food.
Moving forward, becoming the General Manager for Bertucci's and later a Kitchen Manager at Chili's, he was able to learn the tools of the trade. With his work day ending at 3 a.m., and five children at home, the restaurant business was becoming less exciting to Ward. Eager to learn more and excited to try something new, college dining became his focus for the next nine years. His hard work and enthusiasm towards change has brought him to Assumption College, and the response from the community could not be better.
First working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Ward enjoyed his first experience in the college environment. With two years at MIT under his belt, he wanted "to get new, creative and fresh," he says, and knew he wanted to try something else. Transferring to the University of New Haven in Connecticut, and moving his family of seven as well, he thought this position would suit him better. There he worked for a service company that was later bought out by Sodexo, and he was unfortunately unable to continue his work. Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island was his next step, where he worked as the Director of Retail Operations on campus. Shortly following, an opportunity came for Ward to return back to his roots. He was now living his dream where he had first began preparing for his future, and Dean College became his home for the next four years.
Moving forward, becoming the General Manager for Bertucci's and later a Kitchen Manager at Chili's, he was able to learn the tools of the trade. With his work day ending at 3 a.m., and five children at home, the restaurant business was becoming less exciting to Ward. Eager to learn more and excited to try something new, college dining became his focus for the next nine years. His hard work and enthusiasm towards change has brought him to Assumption College, and the response from the community could not be better.
First working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Ward enjoyed his first experience in the college environment. With two years at MIT under his belt, he wanted "to get new, creative and fresh," he says, and knew he wanted to try something else. Transferring to the University of New Haven in Connecticut, and moving his family of seven as well, he thought this position would suit him better. There he worked for a service company that was later bought out by Sodexo, and he was unfortunately unable to continue his work. Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island was his next step, where he worked as the Director of Retail Operations on campus. Shortly following, an opportunity came for Ward to return back to his roots. He was now living his dream where he had first began preparing for his future, and Dean College became his home for the next four years.
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