VALDOSTA — Wiregrass Georgia Technical College recently hosted a special dedication dinner renaming the Culinary Arts program after, James C. Fryslie. The dedication naming of the program was made possible due to a generous gift donated by his daughter and friend of the college, Nancy McGee. She wanted to leave a legacy in her father’s name. This donation helped fund recent renovations to the Culinary Arts kitchen.
Fryslie was an instructor at the Valdosta Technical College (now Wiregrass Georgia Technical College) in the computer science program. He had a huge fondness for Valdosta Tech and his students, was proud of the school, and always brought McGee as a child when she came to visit. Fryslie loved to cook and placed great value on the dinners he prepared. He would get upset if Nancy and others did not attend a meal that he prepared. McGee, like her father, is also a “foodie” and appreciates fine cuisine.
“Naming the Culinary Arts Program was a way for me to honor his dedication to the college and also support a program we are both fond of,” she said.
The dedication dinner was attended by a small group of McGee’s friends with the college’s Culinary Arts Instructors Chef Hunter Wills and Program Director Chef Mitchell Pitts preparing the meal. Wiregrass President DeAnnia Clements spoke about the tremendous impact this significant gift made on our ability to renovate the kitchen and purchase commercial-grade equipment to grow the hugely popular program. She expressed the school’s appreciation of generous donors like McGee who chose to invest in the students and programs at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.
“We have fantastic donors in our community that keep supporting us in so many areas of the college,” Clements said. “Students will be able to work now in a newly renovated kitchen thanks to Nancy’s generous donation.”
The Culinary Arts program is offered as a degree, diploma, or certificate program. Wiregrass is accepting new students for Spring Semester; classes start Jan. 8, 2024. Apply online at wiregrass.edu. If one is interested in learning how they can be a donor to the college, please contact Elizabeth Vickers, executive director for community relations and fundraising. She can be reached at Elizabeth.vickers@wiregrass.edu or by calling 229-333-2124.