Meridian Community College graduate Natacha Fortenberry gained more than just cooking skills from its Culinary Arts Program.

“It gave me hope for the future,” said Fortenberry, a 55-year-old Suqualena resident.

Fortenberry’s life changed profoundly in July 2021, when her son, Stanley Compton Powell III, Trey as he was known, took his own life shortly after returning from a deployment mission in Arkansas. Powell was a first-class Army sergeant who served in various positions across Mississippi, with his last being as the Awards Non-Commission Officer in Charge for the Joint Forces Headquarters in Jackson.

“After Trey’s death and everything – it left a hole,” she said.

It was MCC’s Culinary Arts Program that proved to be transformative.

“I’m not lying when I say that coming back to school to MCC probably saved my life because it made me get out of the house and gave me something to do,” she said.

“It gave me purpose and it helped me re-invent my life to live in a more peaceful way.”

Through this career and technical program, students like Fortenberry learn foundational cooking techniques and the science behind food preparation and explore a range of cuisines, including classical, American, and international styles. They also receive hands-on experience in baking and pastry arts, focusing on tools, equipment, techniques, and specialty ingredients.

A member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international academic honor society for community and junior college students, Fortenberry earned her associate of applied science degree and career and technical education certificates. She was also selected as a member of the Circle of Excellence for the Fall Semester 2024; an honor recognizing scholarship, leadership, spirit, and service.

Fortenberry has always enjoyed cooking. She continues to prepare breakfasts for Trey’s former unit in Decatur before they set out for long deployments. The lessons she learned from MCC’s Culinary Program have taken her skills to a new level – skills she’s applying as a line cook for the Downtown Meridian restaurant Harvest Grill.

“I like working with the kitchen crew – who is a lot younger than me – I’m kind of like their kitchen momma,” she said with a smile.

For now, Fortenberry wants to continue working; she hopes to shadow chefs at restaurants in larger cities when she and her husband travel on vacation, leveraging her MCC degree to learn from different culinary environments.

Reflecting on her journey, Fortenberry is grateful for the opportunities MCC provided. “I’m not that person I was before. But it’s given me a new identity to work for, and I truly love it.”

For more information, visit meridiancc.edu.