Yale Prison Education Initiative at Dwight Hall at Yale

At a ceremony held at the Danbury Federal Correctional Institution in Connecticut, 11 women recently became the first graduates of the only college degree program operating in any federal women's prison in the U.S.

One graduate is now training to be a nurse. "I really do have a future," she said.

Read their stories and learn about the Yale Prison Education Initiative at Dwight Hall at Yale: bit.ly/3Sj2Rbl

Earlier this summer, eleven extraordinary women crossed the stage to earn their associate degrees with YPEI and at the Danbury federal prison, marking our program’s fourth graduation ceremony and the FIRST for what is now the only college degree program available to any women in any federal prison in the U.S.

Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, President of the Mellon Foundation, served as the honored commencement speaker, reminding students, "What you have learned will lift up those around you, seeding hope and possibility wherever you go.” She encouraged our graduates to recognize their imperative as lifelong learners to continue sharing their stories and lifting up their communities whenever possible, invoking the words of Toni Morrison (whose writing many students explored during a seminar with Yale Professor Daphne A. Brooks), who wrote: "The function of freedom is to free someone else."

Also joining Dr. Alexander on stage to celebrate the graduates was President Jens Frederiksen, President Maurie McInnis, Executive Director Max Kenner, and UNH Professor and beloved YPEI faculty member Randall Horton, who read a poem for the occasion.

For our graduates, their families, our faculty, correctional staff, and everyone who helped make this moment possible, this was far more than a commencement ceremony. It was a celebration of perseverance, of second chances, and of the life-changing power of education, as well as a reminder that talent, curiosity, resilience, and brilliance exist everywhere; when we invest in people, extraordinary things become possible.

Last month, YPEI staff and fellows were invited for a special tour and conversation with Titus Kaphar at New Haven’s NXTHVN, where GLORY, curated by Tara Fay Coleman and Juanita Sunday, is on view through August 30.

YPEI College to Career Fellow reflected on the experience: “Hearing Titus Kaphar speak about his journey made something clear to me: the arts can open doors in ways that traditional education alone sometimes cannot. They create space to grow, to question, and to become.”

ABOUT NXTHVN: NXTHVN is a new national arts model that empowers artists, curators, and the community through education and access to a vibrant ecosystem. Supported by intergenerational mentorship, cross-sector collaboration, and local engagement, NXTHVN accelerates the careers of the next generation and fosters retention of professional art talent while helping catalyze New Haven into a world-class, sustainable arts community.

Thank you, NXTHVN!

This spring, YPEI students and staff donated over 40 textbooks and course books to the library at a state prison where we offer programming. The course books contain thousands of articles from classes and workshops we've offered since 2020, including Visual Thinking, Psychology, Law and Legal History, Poetry, Economics, and so many more.

Current students stewarded this project in hopes of spreading access to the materials that they've most cherished. Together we are working to ensure that all people in prison have access to the resources, books, and education that we all deserve.