Virtual Inside/Out Prison Education Program

Regis University is offering incarcerated men and women in Colorado the opportunity to earn college credit. Your gift to this transformative educational initiative has the potential to alter the course of someone's life forever. The Inside/Out program pairs 18 incarcerated (inside) students with up to seven Regis (outside) students in a virtual simultaneous class. Instructors travel between the prisons and Regis to ensure that all students have a mixture of in-person and virtual instruction. Inside students take six liberal arts courses consecutively as a cohort. They earn 18 credits toward a Bachelor of Arts degree in a calendar year. They can continue this degree after release through a special scholarship program that Regis offers. The mingling of incarcerated (inside) and non-incarcerated (outside) students creates a radically diverse and powerful learning experience for both student groups.  

For outside students, the program helps to build empathy, open minds and empower these undergraduates to learn from and stand with the marginalized. For the inside students, the educational opportunities this program creates help give them the tools they need to successfully re-enter their communities and serve the common good. When inside students are released, they are issued a computer and can seamlessly continue their education as outside students. Bringing together incarcerated people in the same (virtual) classroom enhances human dignity and mutual respect.  

The program also has the power to help reduce the rate of recidivism among participants. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Justice and the RAND Corp., those who participate in a prison education program are 43% less likely to return to prison than those who do not. There is no more powerful tool against recidivism and in promotion of human dignity than education. Your support will help to cover the cost of tuition for the incarcerated students. Your gift could change a life.  

An Inside Look at Education Behind Bars - 9News article

Beyond Prison Walls article

Regis University Prison Education Program Benefits Students Inside and Out article