SC Connecticut News

Last week, the Yale Prison Education Initiative at Dwight Hall (YPEI) and the University of New Haven (UNH) held a graduation ceremony at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institute in Suffield, Connecticut. The event marked a significant milestone as 12 incarcerated students received degrees, including the first-ever Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees conferred within a Connecticut prison.

During the May 17 ceremony, ten graduates were awarded Associate of Arts (A.A.) degrees, while two received B.A. degrees in interdisciplinary studies. This historic achievement was highlighted by Zelda Roland ’08, ’16 Ph.D., founder of YPEI, who emphasized the program's growth from its inception to this landmark moment.

“We are so proud to celebrate our graduates’ incredible accomplishment, as well as this historic milestone for the program,” said Roland. “YPEI went from being a highly unlikely, long-shot idea to offering our first credit-bearing course offerings in 2018, to now, our first B.A.s in this profound and historic moment.”

Roland underscored that the program extends beyond academic achievements by providing support and community resources that can significantly impact lives both during incarceration and after release. Since its founding in 2018, YPEI has become a leader in promoting liberal arts education within correctional facilities.

All ten A.A. degree recipients graduated with High Honors; two achieved perfect 4.0 GPAs and were named co-valedictorians. Among the B.A. recipients, one graduated cum laude and the other magna cum laude. Claudia Rankine, poet and essayist, delivered the graduation address.

Graduates shared their transformative experiences through speeches. Michael described his degree as “arguably the most unlikely success of my life” and reflected on his past mistakes versus his recent accomplishments: “Now, the good I’ve done may not wash out the bad, but the bad sure as hell doesn’t wash out the good either.”

This was YPEI’s second graduation ceremony at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institute; last spring’s commencement saw seven graduates receive A.A. degrees—the first college graduation at this maximum-security facility.

Additionally, YPEI awarded its first A.A. degrees at Danbury federal women’s prison this year—the only college program available for incarcerated women in any U.S. federal prison—with plans for a graduation ceremony next year.

Khari, another graduate speaker, highlighted how participation in YPEI-UNH challenged him to grow: “Being in the YPEI-UNH program created an opportunity to challenge myself... I believe education is the key to any meaningful change.” He acknowledged that while demanding work could be overwhelming at times, it also brought immense fulfillment upon receiving grades each semester.