>> I AM A FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSON WHO HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO ATTEND A COLLEGE IN PRISON PROGRAM WHILE INCARCERATED.

I WENT TO PRISON AT THE AGE OF 21.

MY BROTHER WAS 20.

WE WERE IN THE SAME PRISON AND WAITED 12 YEARS BEFORE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY TO A COLLEGE PROGRAM THROUGH SUNY CAYUGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND CORNELL'S PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAM.

AND SO ONCE WE WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM, IT WAS LIKE OUR DREAMS WERE CLOSE TO BEING REALIZED.

>> THE ACADEMIC RIGOR THAT WE PROVIDE IN THE COLLEGE PRISON PROGRAM IS THE SAME THAT WOULD YOU GET IN ANY SUNY INSTITUTION.

THAT IS ACROSS THE STATE.

THERE ARE COURSES ACROSS THAT ARE INCUMBENT UPON US BECAUSE OF THE KINDS OF RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE JUST AVAILABLE FROM BEING IN THE FACILITIES.

BUT THE MATERIALS WE USE, THE ACADEMIC FREEDOM WE HAVE, THE KIND OF STANDARDS THAT WE HOLD OUR STUDENTS TO ARE THE SAME.

>> THE BAR PRISON INITIATIVE IS A PROGRAM THAT BARD COLLEGE WHERE WE OFFER FULL BREADTH OF LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION IN PRISONS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE AND ARE ADVOCATES FOR THE RESTORATION OF FULL EDUCATION, COLLEGE EDUCATION IN PRISONS ACROSS NEW YORK A.

>> TO THE DEGREE THAT THESE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE ENTITLED TO TUITION ASSISTANCE THAT THEY WOULD OTHERWISE RECEIVE IF THEY WERE NOT INCARCERATED.

>> MY NAME IS HAEKWON GRIFFIN AND THE PROGRAM THAT I COMPLETED WAS HUDSON LINK OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

I GRADUATE SATURDAY.

THE PROGRAM WAS A SAFE HAVEN.

IT WAS AWAY FROM ALL THE DRAMA THAT CAME WITH PRISON.

IT WAS JUST A GETAWAY AND ONCE I STARTED THE PROGRAM, I REALIZED THAT ONE DOOR OPENED UP ANOTHER DOOR AND I STUCK WITH IT.

>> NEARLY A THOUSAND ALUMNI ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

WE ENROLL 450 STUDENTS IN PROGRAMS THAT CULMINATE IN ASSOCIATE, BACHELOR'S OR MASTERS DEGREES AND OUR STUDENTS, WOMEN AND MEN, REPRESENT THE FULL BREADTH OF THE INCARCERATED POPULATION HERE IN NEW YORK.

PEOPLE SERVING LONG SENTENCES AND SHORT SENTENCES.

THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, AS I SAID, A WIDE VARIETY OF INTELLECTUAL WORK AND GO ON TO MAKE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AFTER RELEASE.

>> WHY AM I HERE AND WHY I DO WHAT I DO IS BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT MY OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT THAT I HAVE, IT'S NOT A SINGULAR EXPERIENCE, BUT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY SUNY STUDENT WHO IS INCARCERATED HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE WHEN THEY TRANSITION FROM COLLEGE AND PRISON TO COLLEGE IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> THE DOORS THAT OPEN FOR ME SO FAR IS, YOU KNOW,I GOT AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.

I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD I HAVE THAT BECAUSE I DROPPED OUT OF THE COLLEGE BEFORE.

AND RIGHT NOW I'M CURRENTLY GOING TO ALBANY RIGHT HERE AND IT'S LIKE A CAREER PATH FOR ME NOW.

SO A LOT OF CLASSES I TOOK WERE HUMAN SERVICESES AND THAT'S LIKE THE FIELD I'M INTO NOW AND THE WORK I'M DOING NOW.

>> I WANT TO ENSURE, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON, EVERY NEW YORKER WHO IS INCARCERATED HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY AND KNOWS THAT SUNY HAS THEIR BACK, SUNY IS FULLY SUPPORTING THEM.

AND THAT ACADEMIA HAS A PLACE FOR YOU AND WE WANT TO CONNECT COLLEGE AND CAREER.

>> HIGHER EDUCATION, ANY EDUCATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT.

AND TO WITH HOLD THAT RIGHT IS, IN ITSELF, A CRIME.

SO WE-- THAT IS HOW I APPROACHED THIS WORK WHEN IT CAME TO US AS AN INSTITUTION.

I EMBRACED IT WITH THE SOCIAL JUSTICE PIECE OF ME THAT IS OUT THERE TEACHING EVERY DAY ANYWAY.

>> COLLEGE TRANSFORMS THE EXPERIENCE OF PRISON LIKE NOTHING ELSE.

>> I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO COME HOME FROM PRISON THAT WAS IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY FINISHED AND GRADUATED.

THEY SAID I MADE HISTORY; TO BE RELEASED AND TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION, ACTUALLY GRADUATE ON THE STREETS.

SO FIRST PERSON TO DO THAT.