Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Stout is set to launch a new bachelor’s degree program at Stanley Correctional Institution this fall. This initiative is part of the University of Wisconsin Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (UW CHEP), which provides in-person college courses, certificates, and degree pathways to students across seven correctional institutions in Wisconsin.

UW CHEP is coordinated by UW-Madison through its Prison Education Initiative (PEI) and involves partnerships with UW-Stout, UW-Green Bay, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Milwaukee, and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

“As Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, one of our goals is to prepare lifelong learners, ethical leaders and responsible citizens in an equitable, inclusive and sustainable environment through collaborative career-focused programs that integrate applied learning, theory and research,” said UW-Stout Provost Glendalí Rodríguez. “UW-Stout is fully committed to all people who seek to better their lives through education, including students who are incarcerated. With the return of Pell Grant support for incarcerated students, we embrace this opportunity.”

The coalition aims to help incarcerated individuals earn degrees and credentials that can improve their employment prospects after release and lower rates of returning to prison. Research shows participation in prison education programs reduces recidivism by over 40 percent. Additionally, every dollar spent on such education can save $4 to $5 in reincarceration costs.

“Higher education in prison can help people turn their lives around and break the cycle of reincarceration,” said Peter Moreno, director of PEI. “We are proud to be partnering with UW-Stout, which has become a leader in this area.”

Since its inception in 2023, UW CHEP has seen 19 students earn associate degrees while more than 170 have received digital badges signifying workforce skills and progress toward a degree.

UW-Stout began offering courses at Stanley Correctional Institution during the summer of 2024. Subjects included criminal justice and rehabilitation, sociology, applied social science, design, business accounting, and risk control. Students have earned credentials related to data analytics foundations, data accumulation and research methodology, as well as strategic planning and organizational management.

This fall marks the beginning of a B.S. management and leadership degree pathway for students at Stanley Correctional Institution. Upcoming classes will cover biology, business accounting, and industrial management. Fourteen students are enrolled for the fall semester; there is a goal of enrolling 15 for Winterm next January.

Faculty members from UW-Stout involved with these classes report positive professional experiences.

“Helping to establish a new construction of self and a narrative of redemption is very satisfying. I have seen the students grow academically, but also in self-confidence,” said Associate Professor Richard Gee, director of UW-Stout’s B.S. criminal justice and rehabilitation program.

Gee played a key role both teaching courses at Stanley Correctional Institution and helping set up the program at UW-Stout. He also assisted Assistant Professor Jonny Wheeler in preparing for teaching introductory design courses at both Stanley Correctional Institution and Oakhill Correctional Institution.

Wheeler noted that without access to cell phones or Adobe software in these settings, design classes relied on basic principles like sketching.

“It has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my professional career,” Wheeler said. “To witness firsthand the transformative power of education in a place where it is so deeply valued is to be reminded of our fundamental purpose as educators.”

UW CHEP was established as part of Gov. Tony Evers’ Workforce Innovation Grant program in 2023. Funding comes from sources including the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Ascendium Education Group—a nonprofit based in Madison—and potentially federal Pell Grants for student tuition support.

A focus on workforce development underpins the program: collaborations with employers ensure curriculum relevance while PEI advisors connect participants with job opportunities after release.

“We pride ourselves on evidence-based practices, but having hope also disrupts (recidivism),” said Wisconsin Department of Corrections Secretary Jared Hoy during a graduation ceremony earlier this year at Oakhill Correctional Institution where 15 students earned associate degrees through UW-Green Bay. “There’s nothing I can say that will outshine your stories. This is just the beginning of the positive things you will do beyond prison.”