Mississippi Valley State University Offering College Courses to Incarcerated People
An ongoing debate around prison reform is whether those who are currently prisoned deserve to have opportunities that will help them re-enter society and find viable work when the time comes.
Higher education and workforce training are two ways prisoners can develop their skills and gain experience during their stints, which can benefit them once they enter back into society. To assist incarcerated people in attaining higher education, the HBCU Mississippi Valley State University is now offering college courses in a new initiative.
Mississippi Valley State University’s Prison Educational Partnership Program (PEPP) will begin offering college courses to those incarcerated in Delta City’s two prisons. Those who decide to participate in the program, which starts in the fall, can work towards earning a four-year degree (Mississippi Today). As of now, Mississippi Valley State University is the only HBCU in the state with a program like PEPP.
The HBCU’s PEPP, alongside several other similar programs nationwide, receives funding through the Second Chance Pell experiment. The Second Chance Pell experiment, founded in 2015 by the Obama-Biden Administration, administers Pell grants to incarcerated people, which allows them to participate in postsecondary education programs. The program strives to help incarcerated people develop new skills and gain the knowledge needed to pursue opportunities after prison. Mississippi Valley State University is one of the 24 HBCUs selected to participate in the program.
Burl Cain, Mississippi’s Department of Correction commissioner, believes PEPP’s students can make a financial, emotional, and educational impact on the participating prisons.
PEPP has roughly 50 enrollees starting in the fall semester at Delta Correctional Facility and Bolivar County Correctional Facility. The Pell Grant is only eligible for incarcerated people with a high school diploma or GED, which will soon be released.