Eastern Michigan University celebrated a groundbreaking milestone: the graduation of the first cohort from its College in Prison program at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility—the only women’s prison in Michigan. EMU is the first public institution to establish a bachelor’s program for incarcerated women, where 12 students were awarded Bachelor of General Studies degrees, each graduating with a 3.93 GPA.
Launched in 2023, EMU’s College in Prison program now serves 75 incarcerated students, offering the same in-person instruction provided on the University’s main campus. Led by EMU faculty, the program empowers students to engage in academic research, contribute to scholarly conversations, and gain essential skills that support both personal growth and future reintegration into society.
“These women, their hard work, and this achievement represent the power and purpose of education in prison – an experience for the whole person to develop their critical thinking skills, harness their capacity for compassion, and demonstrate their gifts and abilities on a platform that is societally recognized as excellent,” said Meghan Lechner, director of the College in Prison and Returning Citizens Fellowship at EMU. “What started as a group of 20 students in 2023 has grown to 75 eager and engaged EMU students at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional facility. This is the first of many exciting graduations and celebrations to come.”…