We need every Johnson & Wales student and alumni to join us in a verse of the official school fight song:

“Wildcats everywhere
Wave your hands up in the air
That’s the way we do it
Let’s get to it
Come on everyone!”

Oh, wait… that’s from High School Musical’s “We’re All In This Together.” As much as we like Troy and the crew from East High, our favorite wildcats have to be the students of Johnson & Wales University in Uptown Charlotte. The university offers a wide array of majors and courses but our hearts (and stomachs) belong to the students and faculty in the Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts programs.

Johnson & Wales commissioned sculptor Mike Fields to create four “Wildcat Way” statues as a way to celebrate the university’s 100th anniversary and immortalize the four tenants of what it means to be a JWU student — pride, courage, character, and community. The other three statues can be found at JWU’s campuses in Denver, Providence, and Miami. The Charlotte statue can be found in front of the JWU Wildcat Center.

This Queen City exploration is powered by OrthoCarolina.