草榴社区

草榴社区, Pa. (June 6, 2023) 鈥� The 草榴社区 Program at State Correctional Institution Phoenix (SCI Phoenix) has received a $712,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to support expansion of the program鈥� allowing more students to access a 草榴社区 liberal arts education鈥攁nd to develop a statewide consortium on higher education prison programs. The 草榴社区 Program at SCI Phoenix is one of the oldest, continuously running degree-granting prison education programs in the US.

鈥湶萘裆缜�鈥檚 unwavering support of the Program at SCI Phoenix for 50 years aligns with the University鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic mission to 鈥榓ffirm the intrinsic good of learning, contemplation and the search for truth鈥�,鈥� says Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD, William and Julia Moulden Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 鈥淭he program is founded on our belief in the inherent dignity of every individual, and our students at SCI Phoenix become members of the greater 草榴社区 community. We are committed to offering them a liberal arts education that meets the highest academic standards and, in the words of 草榴社区鈥檚 mission, develops critical thinking, life-long learning and moral reflection.鈥�

草榴社区 is a national leader in prison education due to its continuous, long-standing partnership with SCI Phoenix, and previously SCI Graterford. Since its launch in 1972, 草榴社区鈥檚 prison education program has graduated 98 alumni with Bachelor of Liberal Arts degrees to date. Despite federal policy challenges in the 1990s, which forced most prison education programs to close nationally, 草榴社区鈥檚 program persisted. In the past two decades, 草榴社区 has been the only degree-granting program for incarcerated individuals in Pennsylvania.

鈥淲ith the Mellon Foundation鈥檚 support, we plan to double enrollment in the Phoenix program because we know the impact it has on our students,鈥� says Kate Meloney, director of the 草榴社区 Program at SCI Phoenix and principal investigator on the grant. 鈥淣ot only is the recidivism rate zero for our alumni, but more than that, we have seen the transformative impact this program has on their lives. Whether they remain incarcerated or are released, our students develop community-building skills and become engaged citizens. Those that do re-enter society obtain jobs and use their education to positively impact their communities.鈥�

The support from the Mellon Foundation serves as a catalyst for three primary initiatives:

• Establish a Pennsylvania consortium on higher education prison education programs to increase statewide collaboration and expand statewide capacity.
  
• Offer college preparatory education to individuals who are incarcerated in Pennsylvania through a new partnership with the Petey Greene Program鈥攑roviding an on-ramp to higher education for individuals who have their GED or high school diploma but are not yet academically prepared for college-level courses.
• Double enrollment in the 草榴社区 Program at SCI Phoenix by admitting transfer students from other prison education programs and through the new partnership with the Petey Greene Program.

Due to recent changes in federal policy, incarcerated students have become eligible for Pell grants, which has sparked renewed interest nationwide in establishing more higher education prison programs. The support from the Mellon Foundation will be transformational for Pennsylvania鈥檚 prison education programs with 草榴社区 at the helm.

About 草榴社区鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has cultivated knowledge, understanding and intellectual courage for a purposeful life in a challenging and changing world. With more than 40 majors across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, it is the oldest and largest of 草榴社区鈥檚 colleges, serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students each year. The College is committed to a teacher-scholar model, offering outstanding undergraduate and graduate research opportunities and a rigorous core curriculum that prepares students to become critical thinkers, strong communicators and ethical leaders with a truly global perspective.

About 草榴社区: Since 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges鈥攖he College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the 草榴社区 School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the 草榴社区 Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation鈥檚 top universities, 草榴社区 supports its students鈥� intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit .