Inaugural HBCU Prison Education Summit Theme: Building A Prison-to-HBCU Pipeline

Summit Overview

The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates globally, disproportionately affecting Black and historically marginalized communities, with Black men and women significantly overrepresented in the prison population due to systemic inequalities. Research consistently shows that access to education improves life chances, fosters personal growth, and creates the conditions for upward social and economic mobility. Despite this, educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals remain limited. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with their legacy of uplifting marginalized communities, are uniquely positioned to lead the charge for prison education. Some HBCUs are already creating programs that use the Second Chance Pell Grant to transform the lives of justice-impacted individuals, yet these efforts remain fragmented and under-resourced. There is an urgent need for a cohesive network of HBCUs committed to prison education and reentry services, fostering racial equity and creating pathways for social and economic mobility for formerly incarcerated individuals. In response, Bowie State University will host the Inaugural HBCU Prison Education Summit to help build a robust Prison-to-HBCU Pipeline.

Our Mission

The mission of the HBCU Prison Education Summit is to build a Prison-to-HBCU Pipeline. This pipeline will establish a network of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that provide justice impacted individuals—incarcerated and formally incarcerated—with access to higher education, holistic reentry services, and opportunities for personal and professional development. By building this network, we aim to empower HBCUs to better serve our community through prison education, to advance racial equity for Black people, to use access to higher education to create pathways for upward mobility, reduce recidivism, and break the cycle of incarceration. Our mantra is, educate to liberate and vow to transform (ELVT) the lives our people and thus all people.

Summit Objectives

• Building Partnerships & Collaborative Conversations: The summit will provide a platform for constructive discussions among educators, advocates, community organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders on how HBCUs can actively lead in developing prison education programs. As such, the summit will amplify its impact by fostering partnerships and driving a unified effort toward sustainable change.
• Resource Sharing: Provide a platform for sharing resources, best practices, research findings, and innovative approaches in prison education and success stories. This knowledge exchange will enable attendees to leverage collective expertise and stay informed about the latest developments in the field. By showcasing both, the challenges and remarkable achievements the summit will underscore HBCUs resilience and unique capacity to drive positive change through prison education initiatives.
• Fostering Social Justice & Empowering Change Agents: The summit aims to establish prison education as a key component of the broader social justice narrative, leveraging the legacy of HBCUs in addressing societal inequities. It will emphasize the role of education in social transformation, reducing recidivism, and promoting racial equity for Black, marginalized, and historically oppressed communities. Additionally, the summit will empower attendees to become change agents within their institutions and communities by providing them with insights, resources, and actionable strategies through workshops, panels, and interactive sessions to initiate and enhance prison education programs at HBCUs.

Why Attend?

• Gain access to expert knowledge and resources for building prison education programs.
• Network with fellow HBCU leaders, policymakers, and community advocates committed to advancing educational equity.
• Join a movement to empower justice-impacted individuals through access to higher education, helping to reduce recidivism and create pathways for upward mobility.

Suggested Team Composition (for HBCUs)

While the summit is open to all, HBCUs are encouraged to bring a diverse team that may include:

• Financial Aid Departments: To explore Pell Grant eligibility and financial processes for incarcerated students.
• Admissions and Registrar Offices: To manage admissions strategies, student registration, and tracking processes.
• Student Accounts: To address fee structures and billing for incarcerated students.
• Faculty and Academic Departments: To coordinate academic programming within correctional facilities.
• Information Technology (IT) Services: To extend technological infrastructure to correctional settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who should attend? This summit is open to HBCU administrators, faculty, staff, policymakers, funders, community partners, reentry advocates, and anyone committed to expanding educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
2. Is a full team from each institution required? No, it is not mandatory to bring a full team, but HBCUs are encouraged to bring representatives from departments such as financial aid, registrar, student accounts, admissions, faculty, and IT to participate in sessions most relevant to them.
3. Will the summit cover how to launch a prison education program? Yes. The summit will feature workshops, panel discussions, and hands-on sessions focused on the practical steps involved in building, launching, and sustaining prison education programs, including compliance with Department of Education guidelines.
4. How can community partners and policymakers contribute? Policymakers, funders, and community organizations will play a vital role in policy advocacy, securing funding, program evaluation, and partnership-building. Your contributions will be essential to scaling prison education programs and sustaining long-term success.
5. Is there a registration fee? More information on registration fees and accommodations will be provided in the coming weeks. For now, please save the date and plan to attend this important event.

The Inaugural HBCU Prison Education Summit hosted by Bowie State University's Prison Education Program will serve as a pivotal moment to unite and galvanize the HBCU community around using expanded access to Prison Education as a tool to empower and ELVT our communities.

Educate to Liberate and Vow to Transform (ELVT) the lives our people and thus all people.

Bowie's Prison Education Program (BPEP)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)