Megan Middleton ‘08 never imagined that she would end up in jail after graduating from Johnson & Wales University — but that’s exactly where her career path has taken her. Just 22 years old, Middleton helps oversee meal preparation for the Denver County Jail’s 2200 inmates. Her official title is Institutional Food Steward; two others from each shift hold similar positions. (One of the other food stewards earned a degree from a culinary institution other than JWU, but Megan quickly assures me that she “doesn’t hold that against him.”) Most of Megan’s co-workers have ten or more years of experience in the culinary industry. Some of them were sous chefs; some were Army cooks. Middleton speaks fondly of Oscar, her supervisor and a 20-year veteran of the Air Force, who runs the kitchen. She adds, “I can’t forget to mention my two other supervisors, Smitty and Tony, who order food, oversee production and cater special parties.” Megan’s kitchen crew consists 65 male and a dozen female inmates, most of whom are older than her. She notes that they’re also “model inmates who are rewarded for good behavior by being in the kitchen.” Her descriptions of the hoagies, breakfast biscuits, cakes and cookies baked by the team each day are enough to make mouths water. “Our cinnamon rolls are truly amazing, but they’re for officers only,” she adds with a grin. In late spring, the entire team expects to move into brand new, $17 million kitchen facility that will serve both the Denver County Jail and Denver Justice Center–Detention Center. Of the space, Middleton says, “It’s like a dream come true! It’s beautiful and state-of-the-art, with huge, separate preparation rooms for vegetables, meats and dry goods.” Megan believes that her associate degree in Culinary Arts from JWU prepared her well for this new phase of her life. Through her co-op with Project Angel Heart, a community service nonprofit that delivers nutritious meals to those coping with life-threatening illnesses, she learned to prep large quantities of food in a fast-paced environment — an essential skill for her current position. She takes great pride in the work she did for them. “I was their very first co-op student from JWU!” Megan landed her current job thanks to a chance encounter at a JWU career fair with a recruiter from the Denver sheriff’s office. When she finished her coursework, she checked the job website listed on his card and saw that the kitchen position was available. Just weeks after graduation, she had a job offer in hand. Megan feels incredibly lucky that she’s found a position that satisfies both her desire to be in the bakery and her goal to give back to the community. It’s a lot of responsibility, but she’s unfazed by the challenge. In fact, she seems to love life “on the inside.” “I feel very fortunate to be living this life… what an amazing opportunity.”