Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP) Support Grants is sponsored by Michigan College Access Network (MCAN). Statewide grants to develop and expand higher education programs in Michigan prisons, building infrastructure for Pell-eligible courses.

MCAN Receives $750,000 Grant to Support Higher Education in Michigan Prisons | Michigan College Access Network College Access Impact Awards Events & Professional Development MCAN Receives $750,000 Grant to Support Higher Education in Michigan Prisons MCAN Receives $750,000 Grant to Support Higher Education in Michigan Prisons LANSING, Mich.

— Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) has been awarded a three-year, $750,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to strengthen and expand higher education in Michigan’s prisons.

The grant will support the continued development of the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison (MiCHEP) as a statewide higher education-in-prison leader and enable new humanities-centered educational opportunities for incarcerated students across the state. The grant will advance two primary goals.

First, it will provide the resources necessary for MiCHEP to hire its first executive director, significantly enhancing the organization’s capacity to coordinate, advocate for and sustain higher education in prison at the state level.

Second, the grant will allow MiCHEP to establish a competitive subgrant program for its member institutions, supporting humanities-based curriculum development, co-curricular activities and community-building initiatives that enrich the educational experience for incarcerated students. The grant is facilitated through MCAN, which serves as MiCHEP’s fiscal sponsor.

MiCHEP is a statewide consortium of 14 colleges and universities that provide postsecondary education in 17 Michigan correctional facilities serving 1,300 incarcerated college students.

The organization works to strengthen academic quality, support collaboration among institutions, and advocate for policies that expand meaningful educational opportunities for incarcerated learners — all with the goal of restoring dignity, personal agency and economic opportunity through higher education.

“This grant is a game-changer for MiCHEP, its member institutions, and the nearly 1,300 college students incarcerated in Michigan prisons,” said Richard Ray, MiCHEP steering committee chair.

“A college education is a significant means by which these students experience personal transformation, develop the human skills necessary for success in the workplace and the community, and change the narrative of their lives in ways that permit them to flourish as people, citizens and neighbors.

Mellon’s partnership in MiCHEP’s work will allow us to continue to build on our efforts to sustain and expand the higher education-in-prison ecosystem in Michigan, which is a huge win for the citizens of our state. ” As fiscal sponsor, MCAN will provide financial stewardship and administrative support for the grant.

MCAN’s mission is to increase college readiness, participation, and completion in Michigan, particularly for students who have been historically underrepresented in higher education, including justice-impacted learners.

“As we work toward Michigan’s Sixty by 30 attainment goal, it’s crucial to include populations that are too often overlooked in the college conversation, including Michigan’s incarcerated people,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, MCAN executive director.

“This generous support from the Mellon Foundation will strengthen college-in-prison programs across the state, offering more incarcerated individuals the chance to reenter society with valuable skills that lead to good, stable jobs and strengthen their communities.

” A central feature of the grant is the new MiCHEP subgrant program, which will fund member institutions to design and implement humanities-based curricular innovations, co-curricular programming, and community-building efforts that strengthen learning environments inside prisons and support pathways to degree completion.

MiCHEP affinity group program manager Shawn England, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Calvin University while incarcerated, understands firsthand the value of humanities as part of a college education. “I received an education grounded in the humanities when I was in prison. This sort of education is essential to cultivating the kind of reflective, empathetic citizens our communities need,” said England.

“Studying literature, history, philosophy and the arts helped me grapple with ethical questions, understand diverse human experiences, and imagine new possibilities for my life. This is an investment in people’s capacity to grow, connect and contribute meaningfully to society.

Now that I have left prison and am working in the outreach community, I have seen how fully my education in the humanities prepared me to be a productive citizen, and, more importantly, a good human being. ” Together, the Mellon Foundation, MiCHEP and MCAN share a commitment to the belief that access to rigorous, humanistic education is a cornerstone of individual dignity, economic opportunity and democratic participation.

This grant represents a significant step toward sustaining and expanding higher education in Michigan prisons for years to come. For more information about the Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison, visit michep. org.

Inquiries can be directed to Richard Ray at richard@michep. org . Three-year investment will strengthen statewide leadership, expand humanities-based programming through Michigan Consortium for Higher Education in Prison View the 2024 Annual Report Suite 420, Lansing, MI 48933 © 2023 Michigan College Access Network | Login