Northwestern University's prisoneducation program welcomed its first graduating class of incarcerated students on Wednesday, marking the first time a top U.S. university has awarded degrees to "students in prison," Reuters reported.
Northwestern University, based in Illinois, is ranked 9th among the best universities in the United States by US News & World Report and ranked 28th globally by QS World University Rankings in 2022.
Northwestern University has partnered with the Illinois Department of Corrections (Crest Hill) and Oakton College to provide educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals. A touching graduation ceremony was held for 16 graduates and their loved ones at the Stateville Correctional Center.
“I have no words to describe this, it's just unbelievable. With my past, what I've done and now I'm standing here, there's no words to describe it,” Michael Broadway, a 51-year-old “graduate,” said after the ceremony.
“51-year-old student” Michael Broadway looks at his mother, Elizabeth Broadway, before receiving his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University during a special graduation ceremony. (Photo: Reuters)
Broadway completed his bachelor's degree despite facing many obstacles, including battling stage 4 prostate cancer.
“ I am so proud of my daughter. She really looked beautiful in her graduation gown ,” said Elizabeth's mother.
For nearly 20 years, due to poor health, Elizabeth has not seen Broadway since he was imprisoned in 2005. During the ceremony, the two shared tears and hugs to make up for the time apart.
Broadway is scheduled to be released from prison in 2084. If released before then, he said he wants to start a nonprofit focused on youth empowerment.
Members of the graduating class of Northwestern University's Prison Education Program celebrate before receiving their bachelor's degrees. Photo: Reuters.
Professor Jennifer Lackey is the program's founding director. "Twenty years ago, some of these people were in rival gangs, and now they're sharing poetry and discussing sociology assignments together. The love and growth in this community is unlike anything I've seen at other college graduations," the professor said.
This has shown a remarkable journey of transformation in perception and action among individuals who were once considered “social criminals”.
About 100 students are enrolled in the Northwestern University program at Stateville Correctional Center and Logan Correctional Center (a women's prison).
James Soto, a recent graduate, plans to pursue a law degree. He hopes that people like him will soon be released so they can make a difference in their communities.
The American College Initiative provides educational programs for individuals in prison with the aim of providing them with the opportunity to access higher education, pursue academic studies, and earn a bachelor's degree.
Inmates attend classes at the Stateville Correctional Center. (Photo: Reuters).
These programs are often organized in collaboration between universities and correctional facilities. Some universities in the US that have organized these initiatives include:
Bard Prison Initiative (BPI): Bard College offers degree programs to individuals incarcerated in several New York State prisons. Students can earn their degrees while serving their sentences.
Prison Education Program at Rutgers University: Rutgers offers undergraduate courses and degree programs to individuals incarcerated at several correctional facilities in the state of New Jersey.
Boston University Prison Education Program: This program allows incarcerated individuals to pursue higher education through college courses offered at several Massachusetts state prisons.
Mount Tamalpais College (formerly the Prison University Project): This initiative operates in San Quentin State Prison in California, offering college degrees to incarcerated students.
Georgetown Prison Academic Program: Georgetown University offers college courses to individuals incarcerated in the Washington DC Metropolitan Prison, focusing on academic and personal development.
These initiatives highlight the diversity of programs that provide educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals, with the goal of promoting reparation, reducing recidivism, and promoting positive change in ex-offenders so they can quickly and confidently reintegrate into the community.
(Source: Vietnamnet/Reuters)
Source
Comment (0)