USM receives grant to fund prison education programs

By Sarah Sternhagen, Editor-in-Chief

The University System of Maryland received a four-year grant of $4.1 million for prison education programs in late October. The grant will support the opening of two education hubs and other state-wide prison education programs.

The grant was awarded by the Ascendium Education Group. The group’s Senior Strategy Officer, Molly Lasagna, said the USM won the grant because it could influence a state-wide push for prison education programs.

“It just felt really exciting to us to have a whole university system really trying to think about how to bring all of its resources to bear on this population of students,” Lasagna said.

The USM has several ways to use the grant money, according to Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Alison Wrynn. 

The first step is to create a director position for prison programs in the USM. The new director will oversee the USM’s efforts in the prison education system. Two regional hubs in Baltimore and Hagerstown will also be established to serve as resources for incarcerated and recently-released people.

“Because a lot of times folks will start their academic career inside and then get out and want to continue it,” Wrynn said.

The USM will also use $400,000 each year that the grant is active to administer its own grants to people who want to do work in the field. The director will help with that process once they are put in place, and a second position will be created to assist them during the second year of the grant. Wrynn said they plan to have a director in place by March at the latest.

Zakiya Lee, the USM’s associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs, said the programs will help reduce recidivism, ultimately saving Maryland money in the long run.

“We’re talking about thousands and thousands of individuals who should have those opportunities and need them organized in a better fashion,” Lee said.