An idea sparked 10 years ago by a philosophy course blending students from Marquette and the Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center has burgeoned into a program aimed at nothing short of transforming lives. Supported by $3.2 million in grant funding, including $2 million from the Mellon Foundation, the Education Preparedness Program has brought together 280 incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students and 310 campus-based undergraduates for 16 different credit-earning courses. It offers classes and programs at four prison facilities and on Marquette’s campus.
Demand for the courses is strong. At the Racine Correctional Facility alone, 200 incarcerated people applied for 40 available seats this spring. “We do not have enough spots to meet the demand. There’s a hunger for this,” says Dr. Darren Wheelock, associate professor of social and cultural sciences and director of the McNeely Prison Education Consortium, an umbrella initiative that connects Marquette and other southeast Wisconsin universities and colleges to offer justice-impacted learners more options for pursuing degrees.
Where EPP courses are taught in Southeast Wisconsin
Marquette University Campus
Courses have been taught in English and philosophy, including Creativity and Community, and Contemporary Ethical Problems. On-campus courses blend traditional students with formerly incarcerated adults of various ages, whom EPP assists with advising, peer mentoring, tutoring and more. “There’s a special kind of learning that happens because of the interaction across generations, across life experiences,” Tobin says.
Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center
Courses here have been taught in education and history, including Restorative Justice in Education. “There were things that I didn’t know about my history as I know them now,” says a student from the facility who took Smith’s African American History course. “Everyone should get the opportunity to take the class.”
Racine Correctional Institution
Courses at EPP’s most active site have been offered in biology, criminology and law studies, management, philosophy, psychology, social welfare and justice, and theatre arts. “I have seen my incarcerated students grow in self-esteem, their ability to communicate and their sense of belonging,” says Dr. Jonathan Shailor, a UW–Parkside professor who has taught Reading and Performing Shakespeare through EPP.
Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility
This facility for 18-to-24-year-old men has hosted an African American History course taught by Smith.
Sturtevant Transitional Facility
Programming at this facility includes a noncredit beekeeping course coordinated by Dr. Chelsea Cook, assistant professor of biological sciences.
Student survey responses tell the story of the program’s impact on individuals. One incarcerated student described a course experience as “an enormous help raising my moral and mental health.” Another concluded, “More classes [like this] should be introduced that would allow humans to undergo positive growth.”
The courses are popular with Marquette undergraduates too. “Unexpectedly one of the best classes I’ve ever taken at MU,” reported one student. Another said: “Best environment for open dialogue I’ve experienced.”
Dr. Theresa Tobin, Arts ’97, associate professor of philosophy, is director of EPP, which is housed within Marquette’s Center for Urban Research, Teaching and Outreach, directed by Dr. Robert Smith, Harry G. John Professor of History. Leading the courses are Tobin, Smith, Wheelock and other veteran faculty members including Dr. Manoj Babu, Grad ’02, of business, Dr. Angela Sorby of English, Dr. Ed de St. Aubin of psychology, Wendy Volz Daniels of social and cultural studies, and Dr. Gabriel Velez of education.
As a portion of the 23,000 incarcerated men and women in Wisconsin prepare for their release, research shows that prison-based higher education programs reduce recidivism by as much as 40 percent. So, the vision for EPP calls for expanding current course offerings, enabling the earning of four-year Marquette degrees inside prison facilities and leveraging the consortium so students can transfer credits across institutions to earn degrees. The result: a robust and affordable “education pipeline” to help people thrive after reentering the community.
