This photograph was taken at the Winter 2025 Colorado Higher Education in Prisons Conference, hosted by the UCD PEP on January 31. The image includes colleagues from the Colorado Department of Corrections (Leigh Burrows and Larissa Pettigrew); Adams State University (Jim Bullington and Lauren Hughes), REMERG (the Denver-based NGO, including Carol Peeples, Michael Clifton, and Jeff Wise); Red Rocks Community College (John Dunsmoor); UCD program leadership (Laurel Dodds, Meghan Cosgrove, and SJH); Promotores de Esperanza (Raymond Johnson); and former students Taylor Doucet and Geordan Morris (front middle, kneeling), and Sean Mueller (back right).
The CU Denver Prison Education Program (PEP) is rooted in the values of expanding access to education and working for social justice. This program creates educational pathways for incarcerated learners, empowering them to earn credentials and, ultimately, degrees. These opportunities enable participants to achieve their educational goals, develop into leaders, and make meaningful contributions to their communities both during and after incarceration.
The PEP emphasizes the transformative power of a liberal arts education, which we believe contributes to shaping healthy and productive individuals who can enhance our communities and contribute to our democracy. Research shows that individuals who engage in educational programs while incarcerated are far more likely to build successful lives post-release, significantly reducing their chances of returning to prison. More importantly, our primary focus is on fostering personal growth and community building, creating a sense of teamwork among students, staff, teachers, and our wide network of allies.
Over the past four years, we have provided educational opportunities to more than 60 students across five Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) facilities: Territorial, Sterling, Skyline, Four Mile, and Trinidad. Working in tandem with the CDOC, the Higher Learning Commission, and the U.S. Department of Education, we have built a program where incarcerated learners can pay for their educations with federal Pell Grants. Our incarcerated students accrue no costs, no debt, and no loans.
Our program offers college courses designed to equip incarcerated individuals with the skills and confidence needed to reenter their communities as capable, socially responsible citizens committed to justice. To achieve this, we offer a 10-course/30-credit Certificate in Applied Skills for Democracy, focusing on the essential skills required to navigate the complexities of our democracy. Our incarcerated students are encouraged, upon their release, to come to campus to continue their educational journeys.
For more information on our leadership team and allies, see the Our Team tab.
For more information on our courses, see the Our Curriculum tab.
For more information on our facilities, key CDOC contacts, and the application process, see the Information for Incarcerated Learners tab.
If you seek more information about higher education in prison, see the Resources tab.