We are now accepting proposals for the third-annual Incarcerated Scholars Conference (ISC), which will be held virtually on October 28–29, 2026. This year's theme is "Learning in Motion."
Currently incarcerated students and currently incarcerated alumni of higher education in prison programs can submit a Presentation Proposal. Presenters (even those self-submitting) should be prepared to identify a proxy, who must be affiliated with an educational program currently in operation at the prison.
All…
MDRC, a nonpartisan - nonprofit research organization, is currently hiring for entry level research positions. Learn more about the positions here: https://secure6.saashr.com/ta/6162152.careers?CareersSearch=&InFrameset=0&HostedBy=www.mdrc.org&lang=en-US. There is a possibility of being able to work on our HEP portfolio but the bulk of the role would be related to other topics.
If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me:…
With generous funding from the ECMC Foundation, the Colorado Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (C-CHEP) has produced a research study of HEP coalitions. The report draws upon interviews with 33 leaders from statewide alliances, national advocacy groups, and leading HEP practitioners. Produced in collaboration with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students, the report offers a nuanced dive into the opportunities, challenges, and joys of building education-based coalitions rooted in a commitment to social justice.
MDRC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that studies programs and policies that affect people with low incomes and works directly with programs to help improve their effectiveness. MDRC recently launched a portfolio of new studies related to higher education & prison. The higher education & prison team is encouraging scholars connected with this community to apply for opportunities MDRC offers for summer 2026. If you do apply using the…
The Cornell Prison Education Program will be hosting a one-day, pre-NCHEP research symposium designed for researchers and practitioners who study or aspire to study higher education in prison.
This day-long event will be held in conjunction with the 2025 NCHEP conference on Wednesday, April 8th, 2026, at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown hotel (connected to the Cleveland Convention…
Earning a postsecondary credential is a critical pathway to economic success. However, for more than 70 million people with a history of arrest, conviction, or incarceration, involvement in the criminal legal system results in a series of collateral consequences that limit their upward economic mobility. Limited access to education is one of these consequences. For decades, individuals who were incarcerated were not eligible for Pell Grants, a form of federal financial aid to help eligible students pay for college. As a result, higher education in prison was rare.…
The Puttkammer Center for Educational Justice at the Petey Greene Program is launching a new working group focused on academic co-creation with incarcerated scholars. We hope to gather a diverse group of scholars, faculty, and advocates, including and especially those who are impacted by the criminal legal system, to share theories and practices of co-creation that engage incarcerated scholars. We look forward to learning from each other, and we are especially interested in exploring…
Please see the just-released special issue of Liminalities dedicated to Performance Praxis in Carceral Spaces. Edited by Kamran Afary, Greg Langner, and Allen Burnett, the issue centers performance as survival, disruption, and collective imagining across carceral contexts.
Founded in 2005, Liminalities: A Journal of Performance Studies is an open-access, peer-reviewed multimedia publication that addresses three needs in performance studies scholarship and practice: 1) expanding opportunities to share peer-reviewed work, 2) creating a space for the…
A growing body of research documents the barriers faced by incarcerated students—such as limited access to technology and conflicts with correctional staff—but far less attention has been paid to the role of the built environment in shaping educational experiences. This project, led by Ennead Lab and Ithaka S+R, examines how spatial, architecture, and design features impact learning inside prisons. It draws on qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated students and prison education program staff, and site visits to five correctional facilities, to advance both research findings and…
Grand Hyatt Washington - Washington, DC
Wednesday, June 4, 3:30 p.m. ET through Saturday, June 7, 2025, 12:00 p.m. ET
Join us this summer in Washington, D.C., for the Second Annual Prison Education Program (PEP) Convening, hosted by The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). This in-person convening will focus on the administration of higher education programs in prison and the critical services they provide to incarcerated students.
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