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(New Haven, Connecticut) - Seven inmates from McDougall-Walker prison have become the first graduates of a college degree program offered by Yale and the University of New Haven.
The program not only offers a chance for education but also provides an opportunity for the inmates to pursue a bachelor’s degree from Yale.
MacDougall-Walker Correctional Facility inmate, Alpha Jalloh, said, “I stand here proudly, but sadly, as the first person among my group of friends to earn a higher degree. This program has enabled us to dream in different ways we never thought possible. It nourishes the soul and pushes us to find our place in this world,” according to a press release.
Seventy students have enrolled so far, with over 130 faculty members, staff, and graduate students involved in teaching.
The program offers also offers classes at the federal women’s prison in Danbury and is now part of a consortium that includes 15 schools and prison systems across the country.