Colleges celebrate firsts with prison education programs

“Though many colleges provide education programs for people in prison, some colleges are celebrating firsts this commencement season. Helping students build a future In New York, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) held its first commencement ceremony inside a correctional facility on May 8. BMCC in 2024 joined John Jay College’s existing Prison-to-College Pathways Pipeline (P2CP) program at Otisville Correctional Facility. The program offers the City University of New York’s (CUNY) first and only degree-granting program inside a New York state correctional facility: an associate degree in liberal arts. During the May 8 ceremony, eight graduates — including five who are now out of the facility — were recognized, according to a press release . “This program is not about where you began. It is about where you are going. It is about the future you are choosing to build,” BMCC President Anthony Munroe told graduates. Graduate David called the commencement one of the happiest moments of his life. “Programs like this one are important. It teaches us how to get back into the community and how to represent ourselves in the community,” David said. “What I hope for my fellow graduates, my peers in the audience and soon-to-be graduates, is that we continue to help each other and that as we grow, we grow together.” Marking a milestone Illinois Central College (ICC) marked a milestone on May 12 as the inaugural cohort of its Prison Education Program (PEP) graduated at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Pekin. Twenty students — 13 men and 7 women — earned their business specialist certificates. “Standing at the front of that classroom, I did not just witness incarcerated individuals earn a higher education credential. I witnessed resilience rewrite its story, potential break through barriers, and human dignity rise higher than any wall meant to contain it,” said program instructor Elizabeth Godinez, assistant professor of business, legal, and information systems. FCI Pekin and ICC began a partnership in 2023. ICC spent more than 18 months working alongside federal partners to develop the in-person, credit-bearing program, secure Higher Learning Commission approval, navigate federal regulatory requirements and obtain authorization from the U.S. Department of Education for Pell Grant eligibility. Now, students can pursue college credentials that support employment opportunities, continued education and long-term economic mobility. Students in the program completed 30 credit hours across 10 college-level courses delivered over approximately two years. Coursework included accounting, business math, management, customer service, finance, sales, marketing, human resource management and technology. The Business Specialist certificate is designed for entry-level employment and serves as a direct pathway toward an Associate in Applied Science degree at ICC. First associate degrees conferred On June 9, nine students at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution received associate degrees from Central Oregon Community College (COCC). These are the first-ever degree awards conferred at the institution. COCC introduced a fully accredited, cohort-modeled associate degree program in the spring term of 2024. Of the approximately 1,100 adults in custody at Deer Ridge, some 30 are enrolled during the academic year, taught by COCC instructors who travel to the site, according to a press release from the college. Students can take classes in biology, history, communication and human development. The degree is a transfer award, allowing students to continue their college studies upon release. “This program exemplifies COCC’s commitment to educational access, and we’re so excited to reach this milestone with our first graduating class,” said Tony Russell, instructional dean at COCC. The college has provided services at Deer Ridge since 2008, including a GED prep program, Adult Basic Skills classes and a welding program. The post Colleges celebrate firsts with prison education programs first appeared on Community College Daily .

Summary generated from the RSS feed of Community College Daily. All article rights belong to the original publisher. Click through to read the full piece on www.ccdaily.com.