From Prison Cells to PhD

Our Program: The goal is to help people with criminal convictions obtain college education. Our scholars receive college/loan application assistance, SAT/GRE prep, an individual development plan (IDP), college readiness workshops, leadership training, paid mini-internship, sitting in on college courses (before enrolling), access to tutors, scholarship opportunities, community building experiences, access to national meetings, and 2-yrs of mentoring. Formerly incarcerated college graduates serve as mentors. Master’s level professionals with combined 30+ years’ experience serve as workshop facilitators. Website:http://fromprisoncellstophd.org/Flyer:https://goo.gl/35YtcGOur Mission: To help inspire others with similar backgrounds to excel beyond what society and life circumstances have set to be the norm. To provide mentoring and educational counseling to currently & formerly incarcerated people so that they may position themselves to start building their career as opposed to obtaining temporary employment.Our Vision: To reach, touch, and change the lives of individuals with disadvantaged backgrounds through advocacy, mentoring, and policy change.Our Advocacy: We are dedicated to promoting and advocating for higher education for currently and formerly incarcerated men and women. Below are the key issues we focus on.1.Ban the Box on College Applications: Removing the criminal convictions questions from college and federal aid applications locally and nationwide.2.Reinstate Pell Grantfunding for incarcerated people.3.First Step Act. Looks to ensure people are prepared to come home from federal prison job-ready and have incentives to pursue the life-changing classes.4.Promoting Reentry through Education in Prison (PREP).