INAUGURAL HBCU PRISON EDUCATION SUMMIT | 2025

THEME: BUILDING THE PRISON-TO-HBCU PIPELINE

HOST INSTITUTION: BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY

April 4th-6th, 2025

Contact: media.dpscs@maryland.gov

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Overview

The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates globally, disproportionately affecting Black and historically marginalized communities. Black men and women are significantly overrepresented in the prison population, highlighting systemic inequalities in education, employment, and the economy. Research shows that access to education improves life chances, fosters personal growth, and creates the conditions for upward social and economic mobility. However, comprehensive educational opportunities for incarcerated and formally incarcerated individuals remain scarce. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with their legacy of educating and uplifting marginalized communities, are uniquely positioned to address this need by leading the charge for prison education. Established during a time of racial apartheid in the United States, HBCUs were founded to provide educational opportunities to African Americans who were systematically denied access to mainstream institutions. This historical mission endows HBCUs with inherent cultural competency and a deep understanding of the systemic challenges faced by Black communities, both within and beyond the classroom.

There are a number of HBCUs that are doing great work in the area of prison education-offering post-secondary programming by using the Second Chance Pell Grant to positively transform the lives of justice impacted people and their families. HBCUs have a collective responsibly to not only support the institutions that are doing this work, but to work alongside them in a collaborative effort to empower and create lasting social and economic change our communities. However, existing prison education programs at HBCUs are limited, fragmented, and under-resourced. There is an urgent need to establish a cohesive, strategic, and well-supported network and community of HBCUs dedicated to providing prison education and reentry services. This network would bridge the gap between incarceration and higher education, fostering racial equity and creating pathways for social and economic mobility for formerly incarcerated individuals. HBCUs invested in prison education are essential to ensure that incarcerated individuals, particularly Black men and women, have access to higher education and the resources necessary to help create a more just and equitable society. In light of this, Bowie State University will be hosting the Inaugural HBCU Prison Education Summit to help take on the charge of building a robust Prison-to-HBCU Pipeline.

Mission Statement

The mission of the HBCU Prison Education Summit is to build a Prison-to-HBCU Pipeline. This pipeline will establish a network of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that provide justice impacted individuals-incarcerated and formally incarcerated-with access to higher education, holistic reentry services, and opportunities for personal and professional development. By building this network, we aim to empower HBCUs to better serve our community through prison education, to advance racial equity for Black people, to use access to higher education to create pathways for upward mobility, reduce recidivism, and break the cycle of incarceration. Our mantra is, educate to liberate and vow to transform (ELVT) the lives our people and thus all people.

Summit Goals

Network and Community Building: Strengthening a collaborative network of HBCUs, community organizations, governmental agencies, and private sector partners to support the Prison-to-HBCU Pipeline and create lasting community impact.

Educational Access and Racial Equity: Expanding access to higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, with an emphasis on degrees that promote racial equity, social justice, and align with workforce needs

Research, Evaluation, and Knowledge Sharing: Conducting research on HBCU prison education, reentry outcomes, and racial disparities in access to HBCU prison education. Sharing findings and best practices across the HBCU network and with broader stakeholders to inform and improve the Prison-to-HBCU pipeline's effectiveness.

Summit Objectives

Building Partnerships & Collaborative Conversations: The summit will provide a platform for constructive discussions among educators, advocates, community organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders on how HBCUs can actively lead in developing prison education programs. As such, the summit will amplify its impact by fostering partnerships and driving a unified effort toward sustainable change.

Research & Resource Sharing: Provide a platform for sharing resources, best practices, research findings, and innovative approaches in prison education and success stories. This knowledge exchange will enable attendees to leverage collective expertise and stay informed about the latest developments in the field. By showcasing both, the challenges and remarkable achievements the summit will underscore HBCUs resilience and unique capacity to drive positive change through prison education initiatives.

The Inaugural HBCU Prison Education Summit hosted by Bowie State University will serve as a pivotal moment to unite and galvanize the HBCU community around using expanded access to Prison Education as a tool to empower and ELVT our communities.

Details:

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