ASU-PEP’S MISSION

The Adams State University Prison Education Program (ASU-PEP) endeavors to offer incarcerated students across the United States a high-quality college education. Adams State University is dedicated to ensuring equal access to education for all, and we strive to foster engaged, successful lives by nurturing, connecting with, and pushing our students and community.

ASU-PEP’S VISION

Adams State University boasts a proud legacy of championing diversity and inclusivity. As a distinguished Hispanic-Serving Institution since 1998, our commitment to serving and empowering students knows no bounds, regardless of their whereabouts. To this end, our ASU-PEP program aims to widen the horizons of our students and foster their growth while also providing our alumni with opportunities to serve as instructors in our program.

The first Incarcerated Instructor ponts to a whiteboard while teaching students at Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility in Colorado.
Photo: Rachel Woolf, Chalkbeat featuring the first Incarcerated Instructor teaching his students at Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility in Colorado.

VALUES

As members of the Adams State University Prison Education Program, we adapt the values of all of the Adams State University community; we value:

  • The ability of education to positively change our students’ lives, regardless of background or location
  • Teaching and learning strategies to engage our students and help them apply their learning to life
  • A campus community that embraces its diverse members and wants to grow through exposure to the diversity around them
  • A community that strives to exemplify trust, respect, and civility in our interactions with all campus members [no matter where they are located]
  • Students who want to engage their professors in meaningful ongoing intellectual discussion and activities
  • Development of lasting personal relationships between students, faculty, and staff.
  • Embracing innovative ideas and bringing them to fruition through collaboration across the campus community
  • Responsible use of our human, natural, and fiscal resources to support educational opportunities for all
  • Faculty and students who engage in scholarship, research, and creative work throughout their Adams Experience
  • Academic Programs that push students to experience and apply learning in ways they did not think possible
  • Collaboration, on and off campus, that is interdisciplinary and intersectional
  • Students, faculty, and staff who continuously strive to develop and apply new skills
  • A campus community that seeks to improve everything we do continuously
  • A curriculum that engenders personal and professional accomplishments beyond academic career
  • Quality of life for students and professionals

PILLARS OF ASU-PEP

EXPAND STUDENT ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES

ASU-PEP plans to enhance its academic offerings for students by expanding the range of courses available and offering more degree tracks. Additionally, the institution is exploring new ways to utilize Pell courses to expand its academic offerings further. Currently, ASU-PEP is investigating the possibility of offering additional Master’s degree options and exploring different ways of offering courses beyond the traditional correspondence approach.

EXPAND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

We are delighted to share that the Mellon Foundation grant has enabled us to boost our professional development offerings via our Turning Graduates Into Instructors program. Our department is proud to hire alumni and other individuals with credentials for teaching to empower them towards self-reliance and encourage them to leverage their earned degrees, thereby transforming their lives.

STRENGTHEN SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS RETURNING HOME

At ASU-PEP, we are committed to providing exceptional support to individuals who have been released and opted to pursue further education at Adams State. To this end, we have established the Elevation Community, a valuable resource for those embarking on their educational journey. As our esteemed alumni return to their homes, we extend our unwavering support in their professional growth and endeavors. This initiative is integral to securing the ongoing triumph of our PEP students post-release.

These initiatives will increase student enrollment and expedite degree completion, leading to higher-skilled workers upon their return.