Florida News Connection
July 25, 2022
By: Trimmel Gomes
Eighteen incarcerated students will become college
graduates Tuesday at Everglades Correctional Institution in
South Florida.
Imagine taking an Intro to Constitutional Law class while serving a sentence. A
group of 20 students joined the first class of the Second
Chance Pell Experiment program in 2021. It offers federal Pell
grants to imprisoned individuals, so they can earn a postsecondary education.
Samantha Carlo, co-director of the Institute of Educational Empowerment at
Miami Dade College, which facilitates the program, said the success rate for
the first class is pretty remarkable considering the many constraints of
teaching in prison. The group of 18 out of 20 are set to receive associate
degrees.
"Students in Cohort One who will still be incarcerated, all of them are
matriculating into our bachelor's degree in business, specifically in
Supervision and Management," Carlo explained. "The students will
continue on while incarcerated to get their bachelor's degree."
Carlo noted two students have been released, and both are employed in the
nonprofit sector. She credits their experience, college credits and their
abilities for securing jobs before graduation, which is set for 5:30 p.m. at
the Everglades Correctional Institution. The second class of students selected
in January is already underway.
Carlo emphasized many of the participants, who are now in their 40s and 50s,
said they regret not realizing the benefit of an education when they were
younger and are grateful for the opportunity to rebound from their mistakes.
Carlo added it is why the program is currently focused on issuing degrees in
business.
"We selected the business degree because it is most open and most
forgiving with people who have felony convictions on their records," Carlo
acknowledged. "So it will ultimately prepare them to work in an industry
that requires some business training."
Carlo stressed the program helps reduce recidivism and anyone with a high
school diploma or GED at Everglades can apply for enrollment, but showing proof
of Florida residency to obtain funding is the biggest challenge since being
incarcerated doesn't count.
Carlo stated the program tries to work with interested individuals to find the
required proof of residency one year prior to them being locked up.
Support for this reporting was
provided by Lumina Foundation.
Content for this Post is provided by Florida News
Connection, a Bureau of Public News Service.
Public News Service is a member of the The Trust Project.
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