By MaryBeth Matzek
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay awarded more than a thousand degrees this year, but 19 students stand out — all are prisoners.
The students were enrolled in the Wisconsin Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (UW CHEP), a collaborative initiative that delivers college courses, certificates and degree pathways to students in person across nine correctional institutions. The students were incarcerated at Oakhill Correctional Institution near Madison and received associate degrees with a liberal arts focus.
The program is designed to increase post-release job opportunities, reduce recidivism and build stronger communities across the state, said Peter Moreno, director of Prison Education Initiative (PEI) at UW-Madison.
“Higher education in prison can help people turn their lives around and break the cycle of being incarcerated again,” he said. “Giving the students the opportunity to envision a brighter future for themselves helps reduce recidivism.”
A 2023 grant through Governor Tony Evers’ Workforce Innovation Grant accelerated UW CHEP’s growth. In addition to 19 students earning an associate degree from UW-Green Bay, another 150 students earned microcredentials badges for their workforce ready skills. This fall, nearly 170 incarcerated students in Wisconsin are enrolled in a credited UW course or a set of courses.
Moreno said there are multiple proven benefits of prison-based higher education, including workforce development, reduced recidivism and taxpayer savings. Regarding workforce development, a career advisor and a reentry support coordinator connects students to job opportunities and community resources after their release. According to research by the RAND Corp., prisoners participating in educational programs are about 40% less likely to return to prison after they come home and every $1 invested in prison education saves $4 to $5 in reincarceration costs.
Dr. Courtney Sherman, associate provost at UW-Green Bay, said a key to the university’s prison-based program is providing in-person teaching as much as possible.
“We want to mimic what it’s like if you were on campus,” she said, adding classes are held on a regular schedule following the college’s calendar. “If someone is in a writing foundations course, they have two in-person classes per week plus a one-on-one tutoring session with the instructor.”
UW-Madison coordinates UW CHEP through PEI in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, UW-Green Bay, UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Milwaukee.
- UW-Green Bay offers courses at Oakhill, Green Bay, Kettle Moraine, Oshkosh, Red Granite and Taycheedah correctional institutions.
- UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout have a bachelor’s degree program at Stanley Correctional Institution.
- UW-Milwaukee will offer courses at Racine Correctional Institution starting in the spring 2026 semester.
- UW-Madison offers college jump-start courses at Oakhill, Racine, Columbia and Taycheedah through its Odyssey Beyond Bars program and through the Division of Extension.
UW CHEP is funded by Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the Department of Workforce Division and Ascendium Education Group. Incarcerated students may also be eligible for Pell Grants to cover their tuition.
“Our goal is to reach a variety of students in different circumstances whether they are in a minimum security prison or a maximum security prison,” Sherman said.
At the Oakhill graduation last spring, Sherman said the graduates read from their own writings about their experience and the opportunities the education will provide them with.
“What I heard over and over again was the gratitude they had for the opportunity. They also expressed hope for the future,” she said. “They are getting prepared for life after incarceration.”
To qualify for the program, Moreno said students need to have a good conduct record and show “a willingness to great UW students. We definitely have more demand than we have seats.”
Since the classes are held in prisons, there are some adjustments from a traditional education experience, Moreno said. For example, internet access is limited so instructors need to post more information in Blackboard virtual learning system than they might if a course was held on campus where students can conduct research online or in a library.
The students also use clear case laptops and are allowed to study in their living quarters.
With the program seeing so much success, Moreno expects it to continue to expand. “We’ll want measured growth; we don’t want to grow it too fast,” he said. “The Department of Corrections has been an excellent partner in this program.”