This private RCHEP group was created after the 2024 HEP Grantee Convening in Montgomery, AL, to provide a dedicated virtual space for sharing resources, asking questions, and staying connected.
Group Content
Crossing the Lines - Undue Familiarity in Higher Ed in Prison Programs
Hey RCHEP Community,
Only two sessions left in FICGN's weekly series, “HEP Orientation Tuesdays: Learning & Feedback Sessions”. Join us next week as we explore Undue Familiarity in Higher Ed in Prison Programs in our "Crossing the Lines" workshop.
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Time: 11am ET/8am PT
Register and Attend: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/P8jVPdfHQieu0SSjj5Uw7Q
Event Information: This session examines the power dynamics between educators and students in prison and how undue or overfamiliarity poses risks to the long-term viability of HEP programs.
The session will include:
- A brief presentation about undue familiarity in prisons: being "friendly" vs. being "friends."
- An activity to learn "how to" build educational rapport with students and avoid forming inappropriate personal relationships.
- Feedback & Discussion Session
Reminder: FICGN is looking to refine our professional development offerings for educators and administrators working in Higher Education in Prison. Feedback from these sessions will be incorporated into the next iteration of the HEP Orientation resource.
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/P8jVPdfHQieu0SSjj5Uw7Q
Count Up: Reimagining Students' Lives Inside
Join the next session in FICGN's weekly series, “HEP Orientation Tuesdays: Learning & Feedback Sessions”.
Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Time: 11am ET/8am PT
Register and Attend: Count Up
Event Information: This session will explore "a day in the life” of a person experiencing incarceration and pursuing higher education.
The session will include:
- A brief presentation of carceral facility routines: assumptions, challenges, accessibility & possibility
- HEP Alumni Spotlight Featuring: Lamar Bacon (former NJ-Step student, now in reentry)
- Guided discussion and feedback from participants
We look forward to being in community with you!
HEP Orientation Tuesdays: Understanding HEP Stakeholders
The Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN) is inviting members of the RCHEP Community to the second session in our weekly series, “HEP Orientation Tuesdays: Learning & Feedback Sessions”.
Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Time: 11am ET/8am PT
Register and Attend: Understanding HEP Stakeholders
Event Information: This session will examine Higher Education in Prison stakeholder groups, their roles in implementing prison education programming, and strategies for engaging with every group at the custody and community levels.
The session will include:
- A brief presentation of all HEP stakeholder groups
- Guided discussion and feedback from participants
- Space to share insights from your own practice and experience
Your perspectives will directly inform refinements to this orientation as we continue developing it for the HEP field.
We look forward to being in community with you!
A New Path: Guatemala
A New Path: Deportation to Guatemala is a new guide from the Education Justice Project that provides clear, practical information for individuals facing deportation to Honduras.
The guide covers:
- What to expect upon arrival in Guatemala, including how to stay safe;
- Information on housing, employment, education, and more;
- Practical tips for navigating the return and reintegration process;
- A directory of organizations offering support.
Created collaboratively with non-profits and recently deported individuals, our goal is not to facilitate deportation. Rather, we aim to deliver critical information to those facing deportation.
Download the free pdfs (in English and Spanish) at https://reentryillinois.net/a-new-path-individual-chapters/#honduras-deportation-guide
This Guatemala deportation guide is part of a larger resource called A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges and Opportunities After Deportation. We are in the process of updating this guide for 2026 and are sharing out individual chapters as they become available. To request copies of the most recent print edition, please fill out this request form.
HEP Orientation Tuesdays: Learning & Feedback Sessions
The Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN) is inviting members of the higher education in prison field to participate in a series titled HEP Orientation Tuesdays: Learning & Feedback Sessions this winter.
These sessions are designed for HEP practitioners to engage with a module from FICGN’s HEP Orientation—a training developed to support faculty and staff who are new to working inside carceral settings. Equally important, we are seeking feedback from the field. We are eager to learn what resonates, what feels missing, and what could be improved so that this resource is useful to HEP programs nationwide.
Each session will include:
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A brief presentation of one of seven orientation modules
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Guided discussion and feedback from participants
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Space to share insights from your own practice and experience
Your perspectives will directly inform refinements to this orientation as we continue developing it for the HEP field.
Session Dates (all Tuesdays at 11am ET):
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January 20 - Education on the Inside
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January 27 - TBA
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February 3 - TBA
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February 10 - TBA
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February 17 - TBA
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February 24 - TBA
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March 3 - TBA
Registration links will be shared weekly via RCHEP and the Higher Education in Prison Listserv. Each session is capped at 20 participants. Practitioners at all stages of program development are encouraged to participate. Participants may attend one or more sessions, and registrants will be selected to ensure a fair and diverse group.
Sign up here for our session on January 20th:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/dcBf3t7MSKGem1OoD44apA
We look forward to being in community with you!
NEPEC Event: “Navigating the PEP Approval process: Forming Best Interest Determination (BID) Stakeholder Groups "
The New England Prison Education Collaborative invites you to the second session in our quarterly virtual workshop series, “Navigating the PEP Approval process: Forming Best Interest Determination (BID) Stakeholder Groups.”
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 17, 3-4:15 P.M. EDT
Register here: Navigating the PEP Approval Process: Forming Best Interest Determination (BID) Stakeholder Groups | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
Location: Microsoft Teams
Event Details: This workshop will focus on how to form effective Best Interest Determination (BID) groups, a critical component for prison education programs in the region applying for Pell-eligibility. The BID process ensures that programs are not only compliant with federal regulations but also intentionally designed to support the development of educational opportunities that benefit incarcerated learners and support reentry and long-term success. Panelists will discuss how they developed their BID processes and working groups—sharing practical advice, key successes, and the challenges encountered along the way.
Expert Panelists:
- Ruth Delaney, Initiative Director for Unlocking Potential, Vera Institute of Justice
- Laura Roda, Director of Adult Education, Staff Development & Training, State of Maine Department of Corrections
- Tyler Stoldt, Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Services, Washington County Community College
- Thom Anderson, Post-Secondary Education Program Coordinator, Vermont Department of Corrections
A portion of the session will be reserved for open discussion, offering stakeholders and attendees a chance to ask questions, raise concerns, and receive focused technical assistance. We encourage all attendees to come prepared to engage and collaborate.
If you’re unable to attend, we would be grateful if you could engage with and reshare our LinkedIn post on the event to help spread the word.
If you have any questions or need additional details, please don’t hesitate to reach out to nepec@nebhe.org. We hope to see you there.
A New Path: Deportation to Honduras
A New Path: Deportation to Honduras is a new guide from the Education Justice Project that provides clear, practical information for individuals facing deportation to Honduras.
The guide covers:
- What to expect upon arrival in Honduras, including how to stay safe;
- Information on housing, employment, education, and more;
- Practical tips for navigating the return and reintegration process;
- A directory of organizations offering support.
Created collaboratively with non-profits and recently deported individuals, our goal is not to facilitate deportation. Rather, we aim to deliver critical information to those facing deportation.
Download the free pdfs (in English and Spanish) at https://reentryillinois.net/a-new-path-individual-chapters/#honduras-deportation-guide
This Honduras deportation guide is part of a larger resource called A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges and Opportunities After Deportation. We are in the process of updating this guide for 2026 and are sharing out individual chapters as they become available. To request copies of the most recent print edition, please fill out this request form.
Deportation Guide from EJP
A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges and Opportunities After Deportation is a guide for people who live in the United States with the threat of deportation. This guide includes information on topics such as
- Know your rights
- Planning for possible deportation
- What to expect with detention and deportation
- How to connect with resources in your home country
- Employment options
- Building relationships
and much more!
Please help share this resource in your community. Download the full guide in English or Spanish, or individual chapters here: https://reentryillinois.net/reentry-guides/#new-path
Request hard copies here: https://educationjustice.jotform.com/222332910685050
EJP will send this resource for free to anyone who is currently incarcerated or detained. For more information, please contact EJP’s Reentry Resource Program at reentry@educationjustice.net or by calling 217-333-1159.
Welcome!
Hello all,
Welcome to the HEP Grantee RCHEP group. You can use this space to post questions; share insights, resources, and opportunities; and collaborate!
Feel free to (re)introduce yourself by replying to this post. I look forward to continuing the conversations that we started in Montgomery.
Warm regards,
Corinne Kannenberg
Communications Director
Alliance for Higher Education in Prison
