Prison Education Program

Students in the prison education program taking a test.

Southeast Community College partnered with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services to expand higher education access to individuals incarcerated in five southeast Nebraska facilities/locations. SCC enrolled 229 incarcerated individuals for the 2024 spring semester, and more than 30 SCC faculty are teaching on-site and revising courses to meet security needs.

Mission Statement
To empower and transform justice-involved students with the knowledge, skills and opportunitites necessary for personal growth and successful reentry into their communities through the UPWARD program's comprehensive education and developmental  inititatives. 

Vision Statement
Our vision is to create a community where every student, regardless of their past, has the chance to rise above their circumstances. We envision the UPWARD program as a source of hope and transformation, equipping participants with the tools and mindset needed to break the cycle of involvement in the justice system and engage with their families, communities, and workforce in meaningful ways. 

History
In July 2023, the Department of Education reinstated Federal Pell Grant eligibility to incarcerated individuals, paving the way for SCC to create a Prison Education Program (PEP). While waiting for approval to become a Pell-funded PEP, SCC has begun offering courses to incarcerated individuals using alternative funding.

SCC’s program, Unlocking Potential With Academic Resources and Development, currently offers a degree in associate of arts in academic transfer. Beginning in fall 2024, the associate of applied science in business, along with career and technical education programs, will be offered. These degree programs were selected because of the transferability of the courses as SCC expands UPWARD’s course offerings and locations. Classes are conducted in-person and on a similar schedule as SCC’s other campuses. For individuals who participated in admissions testing and have a release date prior to the end of the spring 2024 semester, SCC is working with them as they transition home to enroll in summer 2024 session classes at the college’s campuses and learning centers. 

Locations & Courses 
Classes are taught in Lincoln and York at the following locations: 

  • Nebraska State Penitentiary
  • Reception and Treatment Center
  • Community Corrections Center – Lincoln
  • Center for People for CCC-L students
  • Nebraska Correctional Center for Women (York)

Courses offered in the Spring 2024 semester included:

  • American History
  • Introduction to Business
  • Business Communications
  • Beginning College Reading and Writing
  • Intermediate College Reading and Writing
  • Composition I
  • Writing Workshop
  • Fundamentals of Human Communication
  • Public Speaking
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Microsoft Applications
  • Success at SCC
  • Transitions

SCC provides laptops for students to use and expand their digital literacy, working closely with NDCS to ensure these devices meet all security standards. 

SOAR Scholarship
The Scholarship for Overcoming Adversity & Rehabilitation will be used to cover educational expenses not covered by a Pell Grant or other sources for eligible students in the UPWARD @ SCC program. The SOAR Scholarship will cover educational expenses including books, supplies, tools, etc.