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College Inside

A biweekly newsletter about the intersection of two major systems shaping our society: criminal justice and higher education. Written by Charlotte West, Open Campus staff reporter.

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Posted inCollege Inside

Workforce Pell is here. Prison education is still waiting.

By Charlotte WestJuly 17, 2026July 31, 2026

Workforce Pell officially took effect July 1. For prison education, though, the deadline has come and gone without much change.

Posted inCollege Inside

From prison tablets to Cleveland kitchens

By Charlotte WestJune 30, 2026August 5, 2026

How a culinary training program in Ohio helps keep people from returning to prison.

Posted inCollege Inside

The Magic of Gathering in Prison

By Charlotte WestJune 9, 2026June 20, 2026

From Magic cards to Dungeons & Dragons, games are bringing together people who might otherwise never sit together at the same table.

Posted inCollege Inside

How lived experience meets academic knowledge in a prison classroom

By Charlotte WestMay 26, 2026June 1, 2026

A Q&A with historian Reiko Hillyer, whose class at an Oregon prison is the subject of a new documentary, Classroom 4.

Posted inCollege Inside

A message of hope and activism from Sister Prejean

By Charlotte WestMay 6, 2026May 8, 2026

‘Dead Man Walking’ nun visits Depaul University, plus a new report on reentry and a look at ‘second chance’ bonds in Wisconsin.

Posted inCollege Inside

For those with a record, ‘checking the box’ can be a barrier to education

By Charlotte WestApril 21, 2026April 28, 2026

Some prospective Illinois graduate students say this shuts the door to education before they’ve even been considered on their merit.

Posted inCollege Inside

An art course designed in prison

By Charlotte WestMarch 23, 2026April 2, 2026

An incarcerated artist helped create a course and a scholarship for other students.

Posted inCollege Inside

‘If they ever open the door, watch what I can do’

By Charlotte WestMarch 6, 2026March 6, 2026

One of the country’s first incarcerated professors reflects on two years of freedom.

Posted inCollege Inside

Earning a degree behind bars is difficult. Finding housing after release can be harder.

By Charlotte WestFebruary 20, 2026March 6, 2026

Some prison education programs are expanding their services to provide their alumni with a place to live alongside job assistance and other support.

Posted inHigher Ed in Prisons

State coalitions emerge as key infrastructure for higher education in prison

By Charlotte WestFebruary 6, 2026February 20, 2026

This week, we look at the emergence of state coalitions for higher education in prison at a conference organized by the Colorado Coalition for Higher Education in prison. 

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