Encountering Humanity: Building a College in Prison

Dr. Jody Lewen recognized the power of higher education in prison soon after she began volunteering as an instructor at a college program at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Her experience inspired her to become the founder and president of what became Mount Tamalpais College, an accredited independent institution offering hundreds of incarcerated individuals access to a liberal arts associate degree, as well as intensive college preparatory programs and student support services.

This webinar—moderated by Penn GSE Adjunct Assistant Professor Dr. Leland McGee—is one in a series presented by Catalyst @ Penn GSE featuring winners of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize for Education. For more than three decades, the McGraw Prize in Education has recognized outstanding individuals deeply committed to harnessing innovation in education to improve the lives of learners worldwide. Together, Catalyst and the McGraw Prize are advancing innovation in education through a growing array of programming.

Mount Tamalpais provides comprehensive individualized academic advising and support, particularly for students with learning challenges. Despite not receiving any state or federal funding, the college charges no fees or tuition, and all school supplies and textbooks are provided free of charge. Dr. Lewen is also a co-founder of the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, a national network supporting education for incarcerated students. She serves as a trusted advisor to policymakers and has provided consulting to dozens of prison education programs nationwide.

“There are tens of thousands of people in prison who are ordinary people who got there through whatever complex path, but they are people inside who are starving for educational opportunities,” Dr. Lewen said. “I envision a society where we just don’t warehouse humans. We respond to harm with an eye toward prevention and healing.”