UNC Asheville Prison Education Program
Welcome to the UNC Asheville Prison Education Initiative!
We see past the present to a post-carceral society achieved through intentional educational opportunities grounded in trauma-informed practices. Our Mission is to:
- Offer high-quality liberal arts education to students in carceral institutions in Western North Carolina
- Collaborate with community partners in developing resources to ensure those students’ educational success post-release
- Design and deliver educational opportunities for children and families of justice-involved individuals
- Advocate for education-related reform in criminal justice
Laughing Gull Foundation Grant
In November 2024, UNC Asheville’s Prison Education Program was awarded a $50,000 grant by the Laughing Gull Foundation (LGF) to support the program, specifically our collaboration with Mayland Community College.
Our Prison Education Network
UNC Asheville’s PEP actively participates in the North Carolina Prison Education Consortium (NCPEC), and Leslee Johnson, our PEP Director, currently serves as secretary of this organization, which brings together state universities, community colleges, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) and state-wide Re-entry Councils and non-profits serving justice impacted individuals with a specific focus on the role and value of Higher Education in Prison (HEP) on positive outcomes and increased opportunity.
Upcoming Collaborations
Collaboration is underway between UNC Asheville’s PEP, Mayland Community College, and the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections (NCDAC) to support a new cohort of incarcerated students. Mayland CC will deliver an AAS in Business Administration, supported by academic advising by UNC Asheville in order for students to continue their education journeys with a foundation that sets them up to pursue a four-year degree.
The UNC Asheville Prison Education Program is funded through the Laughing Gull Foundation