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The College Program for Incarcerated Women receives ASU Women and Philanthropy grant
May 15, 2024 — The College Program for Incarcerated Women, operated out of ASU’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, has received a 2023-24 ASU Women and Philanthropy grant funding award for $50,000.
The annual ASU Women and Philanthropy grant program supports ASU initiatives driving innovative solutions to community challenges. This year’s winners were awarded between $10,000 and $50,000 to support their operations during the 2024-25 school year.
Fiscally sponsored by the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, The College Program assists incarcerated women in earning college credits, certificates and degrees. To reawaken and nurture incarcerated women’s hope and determination through the transformative power of education, The College Program offers a range of associate’s degrees and certificate options, from the arts to small business management.
Since its creation in 1997, more than 1,000 students have taken courses through the program. Typically 65-70 students are enrolled each year.
With the grant funding, The College Program will offer additional scholarships to students awaiting their educational opportunities, as well as a comprehensive program database and a documentary film about the program’s impact.
The College Program is run by a team of eight volunteers, led by Professor Emerita Peg Bortner. Because the students do not have access to online courses via computers, the volunteers facilitate students’ enrollment in traditional, paper-and-pencil, distance learning courses.
“We greatly appreciate this support. It will provide scholarships, as well as contribute to our program's sustainability,” said Dr. Bortner, founder of The College Program. “Incarcerated women are among the most excluded and forgotten members of society. Respect and educational opportunities make all the difference!”
The program’s support does not end at enrollment. Program volunteers make regular visits to the federal prison to liaison with instructors, facilitate study groups, offer tutoring and more. Participants also have access to student scholarships, financial aid workshops and educational materials like supplies and textbooks.
But, with a goal of more than just providing educational achievements, the College Program for Incarcerated Women also seeks to emphasize the personhood and potential of its participants. In doing so, participants are given the confidence they need to return to their families and society.
“It has been a privilege to participate in this program,” wrote a College Program participant. “The opportunity has grown me in ways I never could have imagined and has given me a confidence in my future.”
Image from the ASU Women and Philanthropy award presentation: Dr. H.L.T. Quan, ASU Associate Professor, School of Social Transformation; Dr. Peg Bortner, Retired ASU Faculty, Professor Emerita; C. A. Griffith, ASU Associate Professor, The Sidney Poitier New American Film School.
Story by Lillian Finley, ASU Lodestar Center
Support the College Program for Incarcerated Women
Make a donation to The College Program for Incarcerated Women to continue the work of assisting incarcerated women in earning college credits, certificates and associate degrees. We seek to reawaken and nurture incarcerated women’s hope and determination by providing substantial, engaging opportunities for educational advancement. We believe in our students as human beings and we believe in the transformative power of education.