COD Launches Program For Formerly, Currently Incarcerated People

PALM DESERT, CA — College of the Desert is rolling out an educational initiative Tuesday for formerly and currently incarcerated people.

Through an approximately $1.5 million grant from the California Community Colleges' Rising Scholars Network, the program will fund on-site classes for young adults in carceral systems and resources for students who have been incarcerated in the past.

"By investing in these students, we are empowering a society where everyone has access to learning opportunities for personal and professional growth," Dean of Counseling Amanda Phillips said in a statement. "The Rising Scholars program will inspire those who have experienced the criminal justice system by providing them with the tools they need to succeed."

The $1,545,454 grant, which covers an initial five-year period, will apply toward an inaugural program on campus this fall.

The Rising Scholars Network, a byproduct of Corrections to College California, seeks to "increase public awareness of the benefits of career and education options for students who are and were formerly incarcerated," according to COD spokesperson Nicholas Robles.

"We're pleased to announce that nearly 25% of youth enrolled or detained at Indio Juvenile Hall are eligible for college, while 80% of Indio's Pathways to Success program participants are eligible to attend this year," Christopher H. Wright, chief probation officer of the Riverside County Probation Department, said in a statement.

Additional information about the program can be found at https://risingscholarsnetwork.org/.