Georgetown Degree Program Launches for Maryland Prisons

By JASMINE HILTON, The Washington Publish

WASHINGTON (AP) — The primary cohort of scholars in Georgetown College’s diploma program for prisons in Maryland has begun lessons, officers introduced.

In-person lessons on the Patuxent Establishment, in Jessup, Maryland, began Feb. 14 for the 25 college students accepted into this system. Officers introduced the liberal arts diploma program final spring as an growth of the Jail Students Program that Georgetown gives on the D.C. jail. College students finishing this system will earn bachelor’s levels from the college.

“This diploma program is a mannequin for the way universities can convey transformative training alternatives into jail and assist second probabilities,” Marc Howard, the director of the Georgetown Prisons and Justice Initiative, stated in a information launch.

A second cohort of 25 college students will likely be admitted later this yr, and officers stated they anticipate 125 college students to enroll inside the subsequent 5 years within the 120-credit interdisciplinary program.

The college’s admissions course of for this system started final fall with the assistance of the Maryland Division of Public Security and Correctional Providers, officers stated. After greater than 300 individuals utilized from all through the Maryland jail system, these chosen from different amenities have been transferred to Patuxent Establishment, in keeping with officers.

The diploma program gives cultural humanities, interdisciplinary social science and world mental historical past as its three majors, officers stated. College students this semester are taking introductory lessons in writing and philosophy. This system will take about 5 years for many college students to finish, officers stated, with two four-credit lessons supplied every semester.

Officers stated the diploma program is supported by donors together with Georgetown alumnus Damien Dwin, the Division of Training’s Second Likelihood Pell experiment and the Andrew W. Mellon Basis, which made a $1 million grant.

“This new Bachelor of Liberal Arts program is an expression of our College’s deeply held Values — our dedication to training, service, and the widespread good — and we’re honored to welcome these 25 new college students as members of our Georgetown group,” Georgetown College President John DeGioia stated within the information launch.

Rasheed Edwards, a scholar within the new cohort, stated this system will open doorways.

“I believe that this Georgetown program goes to take me additional in life, take me to locations I didn’t even suppose have been doable for me,” Edwards stated within the launch. “It’s giving me an opportunity to alter my trajectory in life.”

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