Georgetown Opens Applications for Degree Program at Maryland Prison

Georgetown University opened applications for a new bachelor’s degree program for students incarcerated in Maryland. The university will accept up to 25 students to join the program’s inaugural class.

The program brings Georgetown’s rigorous liberal arts curriculum to the Maryland prison system and offers students an empowering and transformative academic experience. Holding a degree from Georgetown will strengthen graduates’ ability to succeed in their communities and workplaces after their release. 

“This degree program will open doors for our students academically, professionally, and personally,” said Marc Howard, director of the Georgetown University Prisons and Justice Initiative. “We are excited to begin building our first cohort and look forward to receiving applications from the many talented scholars who are currently incarcerated in Maryland.”

Classes will begin in 2022, and students are expected to complete their degree in five years. While the program will be located at the Patuxent Institution, applications are open to residents from across the Maryland prison system, and those accepted will be transferred to Patuxent. 

Robert Green, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, said the program prepares incarcerated students for successful reentry upon their release. 

“We are pleased to partner with Georgetown University on this remarkable reentry milestone of expanding opportunities for students in the Maryland prison system,” Green said. “This life-changing program will allow these students access to higher education and assist in their reentry into society, creating a less stressful pathway and providing the tools needed for a successful transition.”

Research shows that access to education programming while incarcerated significantly reduces the risk of recidivism and improves employment outcomes. Georgetown joins other institutions, including community colleges, Goucher College, and the University of Baltimore, to offer higher education in Maryland’s prisons. 

“This is one more example of how the Maryland Higher Education Commission continues to collaborate and innovate with institutions across Maryland and assist those who are instrumental in supporting a student’s higher education goals,”  Maryland Secretary of Higher Education Dr. James D. Fielder said.

Learn more about the program: https://prisonsandjustice.georgetown.edu/news/georgetown-to-launch-bachelors-degree-program-at-maryland-prison/

Full application details: https://prisonsandjustice.georgetown.edu/programs/scholarsprogram/bla-application/