IMRP Facilitates 5-Day “Expanding Access” Event

October 31, 2024

For five days, from October 21st through the 25th, policy makers, educators, correctional staff, advocacy groups and other participants gathered in cities across Connecticut for Expanding Access: The Future of Second Chance Pell Education in Connecticut.

The week began at UConn Storrs where Dr. Jane Gordon, Professor of Political Science and Social and Cultural Inquiry, welcomed attendees and guest speakers from Minnesota’s Transformation and Reentry through Education and Community (TREC) program. A working lunch session posed the question,”What can UConn Storrs unique contribute to a statewide higher education in prison program?”

Leaders of Minnesota’s innovative program Transformation and Reentry through Education and Community (TREC) share their findings with Storrs faculty, staff, and invited guests

Day 2 moved to the Hartford Club, a block from the IMRP’s home at the School of Public Policy, UConn Hartford.

Welcome remarks were provided by IMRP director Andrew Clark, UCONN College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Associate Dean Bandana Purkayastha, Chief Executive Officer of CT State Capital College Duncan Harris, and State Representative Toni E. Walker of the Connecticut General Assembly.

See the slideshow for images from the day.

Day 3 moved to Yale University and featured Connecticut State Senator Gary Winfield offering opening remarks along with an impactful panel, “Pathways to Reentry: Key Considerations for Justice-Impacted Students.”

IMRP staff members Santana Miller, Irvine Peck’s-Agaya, and Andrew Clark pose outside of Yale University’s Dwight Hall Commons with TREC presenter Dr. Soohee Ruthanne Kim (2nd from left)

Family Reentry / CRJ hosted Thursday’s event in Bridgeport which included a panel, “Connecting Higher Education Programs with Reentry and Career Services.”

Panelists in Bridgeport on Day 4 of Expanding Access

A small group of invitees gathered for a final morning session at UConn Hartford to wrap up the week with additional learnings and to discuss next steps.

A final, small-group working session was held at UConn Hartford on Friday, Oct. 25th

Highlights of the week were summarized in this CT Mirror article.

The IMRP would like to thank its partners, collaborators, invited guests, and attendees for contributing to this important conversation, especially visitors from TREC who traveled the state to share their work multiple times in front of various stakeholders.

“In our view, the restoration of Pell rights is the single largest federal intervention into our prisons in our lifetimes,” summarized Undersecretary Daniel Karpowitz, OPM CJPPD. “This is the dawn of a new day for this work in Connecticut.”