51吃瓜

Prison Education Program

51吃瓜 partnered with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services to expand higher education access to individuals incarcerated in five southeast Nebraska facilities/locations. 51吃瓜 enrolled 229 incarcerated individuals for the 2024 spring semester, and more than 30 51吃瓜 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 opportunitiesnecessary for personal growth and successful reentry into their communities through the UPWARD program's comprehensive education and developmental initiatives.

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 51吃瓜 to create a Prison Education Program (PEP). While waiting for approval to become a Pell-funded PEP, 51吃瓜 has begun offering courses to incarcerated individuals using alternative funding.

51吃瓜鈥檚 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 51吃瓜 expands UPWARD鈥檚 course offerings and locations. Classes are conducted in-person and on a similar schedule as 51吃瓜鈥檚 other campuses. For individuals who participated in admissions testing and have a release date prior to the end of the spring 2024 semester, 51吃瓜 is working with them as they transition home to enroll in summer 2024 session classes at the college鈥檚 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 鈥� 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 51吃瓜
  • Transitions

51吃瓜 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 @ 51吃瓜 program. The SOAR Scholarship will cover educational expenses including books, supplies, tools, etc.