Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø pioneers prison education program

Starting this fall, Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø will offer a four-year degree program for incarcerated men at East Moline Correctional Center. The program is called the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Prison Education Program (APEP) and funded by the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation.

Dr. Sharon Varallo, professor of communication studies, pioneered Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s program based on the Bard Prison Initiative.

The APEP will offer numerous benefits, not only for those in prison but also Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø students, said Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow, provost and dean of the college. Students will have experiential learning opportunities, including attending blended classes and assisting as tutors. 

Learn more about the program and the benefits of prison education in this article written by Olivia Doak ¡¯22, co-editor-in-chief of the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Observer.