Lipscomb University's graduation at the Tennessee Prison for Women

Two weeks ago, more than 500 community members, activists, and fans of Orange is the New Black gathered at the Hartford Stage to join the Stowe Center, Twain House & Museum and Community Partners in Action for a program with author of Orange is the New Black, Piper Kerman. If you've read the book or watched the hit Netflix series, you will recall that when Piper arrived in prison she offered to help with educating the inmates through their GED program; she recognized that she could use her experience and education to help the other women. She soon learned, however, that education was not a top priority and was assigned to work in the electrical shop.
 
For some prison systems, however, education is a clear priority. Last week, the Huffington Post reported on Lipscomb University's special graduation at the Tennessee Prison for Women. Starting in 2007, the University offered weekly classes for inmates wishing to work towards their Associate's Degree. After seven years, the first class of nine received their diplomas from the President of Lipscomb in front fellow inmates and professors from the University on December 13.

The Prison and Lipscomb added two additional classes in 2009 and 2011, both of which continue to meet on Wednesday evenings and include outside students from the University as well as inmates. All classes  are at capacity, and the current graduates have a collective 3.7 GPA. The success of the program has lead to the development of a bachelors program which the nine graduates will earn in another 7 years.

To learn more about the services offered to inmates in Connecticut, visit the Department of Corrections website. For more on incarceration and local organizations like Breaking the Cycle and Community Partners in Action that work towards improving the system, visit our Event Recap: "What About the Kids: Incarceration’s Forgotten Victims" post.