Register today: Supporting Justice-Impacted Students on College Campuses

In fall 2021, Towson University’s Fair Chance Higher Education Committee will begin its work to make TU a supportive campus for justice-impacted people and to build a credit-bearing, prison-based higher education program. We’re excited to be part of a growing national movement aimed at expanding higher educational opportunities for those who are, or have been, incarcerated. There are roles for all campus stakeholders, including students, staff and faculty, to play in this important work. We cordially invite all members of our campus community to be a part of the conversation.

Please join us Tuesday, March 30, 1–2:30 p.m. for our upcoming webinar featuring program staff and students from existing college reentry programs. Click here to register for this virtual event.

Speakers for this event include:

Joe Louis Hernandez, Coordinator, Rising Scholars Program, Mt. Saint Antonio College
Joe Louis Hernandez is a current graduate student at Claremont Graduate University working on his Ph.D. in Education; his research focuses on the experiences of formerly incarcerated students in higher education to develop an anti-deficit perspective. The Rising Scholars Program serves formerly incarcerated and system-impacted students.

Jennifer Leahy, M.S. Program Director, Project Rebound at California State University Fresno
Jennifer works as an adjunct lecturer at Merced Community College teaching in two Central Valley prisons, VSP and CCWF. She is passionate about education for formerly incarcerated people because it changes that individual’s life and in turn, every life that person touches.

Aaron Greene, Student Assistant, Project Rebound at California State University Fresno
Aaron is a Fresno State Undergraduate Alumni, and a current Graduate student. He graduated from Fresno State with his Bachelors in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude in May of 2019, and is set to graduate in May of 2021 from Fresno State with a Masters in General Experimental Psychology with distinction. He is a single father of two children, a 14-year-old son, and a 16-year-old daughter. He has held the position of Student Assistant at Project Rebound for over three years, currently teaches three Psychology Labs at Fresno State, and works as a Fulltime Drug Counselor.

Jeff Stein, Special Projects Manager, Project Rebound, California State University Los Angeles
Jeff Stein will earn his Master’s degree in Political Communication next year. He is also a graduate teaching assistant and consultant.

Summer Brantner, Coordinator, Project Rebound, California State University Los Angeles
Summer is an original member of Project Rebound and a two-time alum of Cal State LA, earning her graduate degree in Sociology where she received the sole nomination for the most outstanding graduate student.  She lectures part-time. She also works in tandem with the Center for Engagement Service and the Public Good and the Lancaster State Prison Initiative in preparing for the return of Cal State LA students whose life sentences have been commuted due to the transforming power of education and their commitment to the work.

Additional Information:

WYPR Interview: https://www.wypr.org/post/farm-prison-project-fair-chance-higher-education
BTU Partnership Awards: https://youtu.be/6_kXwMDuROg
Project Rebound Fresno State: https://www.fresnostate.edu/studentaffairs/projectrebound/
Project Rebound Cal State: https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/Project-Rebound.aspx
Rising Scholars Program: https://www.mtsac.edu/rising-scholars/
Human Centered Language Guide: https://undergroundscholars.berkeley.edu/blog/2019/3/6/language-guide-for-communicating-about-those-involved-in-the-carceral-system

If you have any questions about this event, please contact FairChance@towson.edu.

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This post was written by Brasington, David W.