Contacts:
Mneesha Gellman
Director of Emerson Prison Initiative
Email: [email protected]
617-824-3869
Program Description:The Emerson Prison Initiative (EPI) provides high-quality college courses to people incarcerated in Massachusetts. EPI’s mission is to democratize access to tertiary education for those who have been historically marginalized or otherwise unable to attend college. EPI aims to offer courses that are as similar as possible to our Boston campus, an emphasis that follows from a philosophy that education is transformative in and of itself. We aspire to equip all students, whether they are on the Boston campus or in prison, with critical thinking and communication skills in order for them to engage, critique, and transform the world around them.
EPI plans to continue expanding course offerings at MCI Concord and will admit new cohorts of EPI students moving forward. Emerson brings its unique arts and communications focus to this program, while also creating a strong foundation from which students can decide their own future courses of study, whether at Emerson, other college-in-prison programs, or colleges and universities post-release.
Degrees Offered:
Programs Offered:Courses change each semester.In Fall 2017, Cohort One enrolled in the interdisciplinary first-year seminar IN154 Introduction to Social Theory–Power and Privilege, taught by Dr. Mneesha Gellman. In Spring 2018, EPI students took WR101 Where Nonfiction Meets Poetry: The Personal Essay, taught by Andrew Dugan; and IN208 Rainbow Nation? Race, Class, and Culture in South Africa, taught by Dr. Cara Moyer-Duncan.
Unique Features:
Correctional Facilities Served:Massachusetts Correctional Institute at Concord (MCI Concord). EPI does not offer classes at any other facilities.
Population Served:20/year
Number of Students:20
Graduates to Date:
Year Founded:Fall 2017
Founders:Mneesha Gellman
College/University/Organization Partnerships:Emerson College
Funding:
Updated 4/15/18