NIANTIC, CT — People incarcerated at Connecticut’s only women’s prison could soon have expanded academic support toward earning their college degrees.
Connecticut State Community College has been awarded a $100,000 Accelerator Grant from the New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC) to strengthen transfer pathways and expand educational opportunities for students at York Correctional Institution.
CT State was one of four colleges across New England selected to receive funding through the competitive grant process, which supports innovative efforts to improve educational access and credit mobility for incarcerated learners, according to a statement from CT State. The proposal, developed in partnership with Wesleyan University, was selected by a panel of reviewers from across the region, including individuals who are currently incarcerated.
“This grant builds on years of work by CT State, Wesleyan University and the Connecticut Department of Correction to expand access to higher education at York Correctional Institution,” said Teresa Foley, CT State’s director of non-traditional programs and partnerships. “Education gives individuals the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and confidence that can support successful reentry and long-term career goals. When students have access to meaningful educational opportunities, the benefits extend beyond the individual to families, employers and communities across Connecticut.”
The grant will help CT State and Wesleyan strengthen educational opportunities at York Correctional Institution by expanding academic supports and creating more seamless pathways to certificate, associate and bachelor’s degree completion.
Funding will support efforts to align CT State Three Rivers’ marketing certificate program, CT State Middlesex’s general studies associate degree and Wesleyan University’s liberal studies bachelor’s degree into a more coordinated educational pathway. By strengthening connections among the programs, students will have clearer opportunities to earn stackable credentials as they progress from certificate to associate and ultimately bachelor’s degree completion.
Tess Wheelwright, director of the Center for Prison Education at Wesleyan, said she was inspired by the students at York who have navigated an evolving landscape of educational opportunities, and had recently become the first women in Connecticut to earn bachelor’s degrees while incarcerated.
“We’re glad to be strengthening coordination with our longtime partner and building more intentionally on our complementary credential offerings, so that all students at York have access to the academic resources, advising, and support they need to define and pursue their educational goals,” she said.
The enhanced pathway also will give students greater flexibility to apply credits earned across participating programs toward a credential, regardless of where the coursework was completed. As a result, students who do not complete a bachelor’s degree may still be able to earn a CT State degree or certificate that recognizes their academic progress.
The project will also fund 22 laptops at CT State Three Rivers and provide access to academic research materials, helping ensure all students have the technology needed to complete coursework and build workforce-ready skills. The investment will help ensure students have access to the same technology and digital tools that are now standard in higher education.
The initiative also may serve as a model for collaboration among colleges and universities seeking to expand higher education opportunities within correctional facilities. Lessons learned through the project will be shared with state and regional partners as Connecticut and other New England states continue to strengthen postsecondary education opportunities for incarcerated learners.