PEWEE VALLEY, Ky. — The oldest historically Black college in Kentucky will soon offer classes to incarcerated women in a prison just outside of Louisville.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced that beginning this fall, Simmons College of Kentucky will begin offering college courses at the state’s female-only prison, the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women (KCIW) in Pewee Valley.
Simmons College, a private in Louisville, is the only recipient in the state of a federal Second Chance Pell Grant program that is working to transition justice-involved individuals out of prison and back into the classroom or the workforce at no cost to taxpayers.
Simmons College is currently offering courses at three state prisons, including Northpoint Training Center and Luther Luckett Correctional Complex, where 150 inmates are currently enrolled in classes.
Beshear said through this partnership between a Louisville college and a prison, people who served their time will have more access to jobs which will boost our economy and make Kentucky communities safer.
“My faith teaches me that there are second chances and that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers,” Beshear said.
Incarcerated people who have at least 12 months left to serve or to become eligible for parole may apply to Simmons College.
If accepted, they will have the opportunity to pursue an associate degree in general studies or religious studies or a bachelor’s degree in sociology or business entrepreneurship.
Simmons College is also assisting the Department of Corrections (DOC) population with financial aid, technology needs and career counseling.
Upon earning a degree, these individuals who have repaid their debt to society will be eligible to apply for jobs with a salary range of $40,000 to $80,000 annually.
“The goal of the program is to empower justice-involved Kentuckians, remove workforce barriers, reduce recidivism, increase access to education and develop citizens with the capacity for independent, critical thinking,” DOC Commissioner Cookie Crews said.
“Simmons provides not only college classes but offers vital support services for the women at our institution to leave here with the skills they need to be successful,” KCIW Warden Vanessa Kennedy said.
Officials say Simmons College plans to provide this educational opportunity statewide in the near future.
Simmons College Senior Vice President Dr. Frank M. Smith Jr. said employers throughout the Commonwealth should give their incarcerated students another chance through meaningful wage and career opportunities.
“Simmons College of Kentucky, the oldest Black college in the commonwealth, was established to provide higher education opportunities for students who needed liberation through learning,” Smith Jr. said.
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