BC Prison Education Program expands to women’s facility

The Boston College Prison Education Program, already the largest higher education prison program in the state, is expanding to serve women incarcerated at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Framingham.

This fall, BCPEP launched a one-year pilot program at the medium-security prison, funded by a $100,000 Accelerator Grant from The New England Prison Education Collaborative. The program, inspired by BCPEP’s work at MCI-Shirley, a men’s prison, will provide women incarcerated in Massachusetts with the same opportunity as their male counterparts—to further their education while earning credits toward a college degree. 

“We have seen firsthand how access to rigorous, supportive college learning can be transformative for individuals and for communities,” said Ignacio Chair and BCPEP Program Director Patrick Conway. “This new partnership reflects our deep commitment to ensuring that the liberating power of the liberal arts is not limited by prison walls.”

In September, program staff began holding information sessions for the roughly 200 women incarcerated at MCI-Framingham, the Commonwealth’s only women’s prison. The admission process, which includes an essay and interview, will run through November, with classes held in the spring and summer semesters. Students in the first cohort will be introduced to the liberal arts through courses in creative nonfiction, ethics, theology, and design thinking, all taught by BC professors who have experience teaching behind bars. 

Like at MCI-Shirley, students at MCI-Framingham will earn credits for the courses they complete, which they can put toward a bachelor’s degree in the Applied Liberal Arts from the University’s Woods College of Advancing Studies. Students who are released are encouraged to continue their education at the Woods College, where 15 formerly incarcerated students from MCI-Shirley are currently studying. 

“By expanding our partnerships and educational opportunities, we increase the success of individuals as they reenter communities,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. “We applaud Boston College for expanding their program to MCI-Framingham and for their continued commitment to supporting successful reentry.”

Since its launch in 2019, BCPEP has built a strong academic community inside MCI-Shirley, admitting six cohorts and offering 28 courses annually. This fall, the program held its second graduation inside the prison yard, awarding diplomas to four graduates before a crowd of current and former students, faculty, and guests including Bard Prison Initiative founder Max Kenner and Nurudeen Alabi ’25, a member of the first BCPEP cohort who went on to graduate from the Woods College following his release in 2022. 

Conway and his team hope to build a similar culture at MCI-Framingham, providing tutoring for students who need academic support and holding extracurricular events like concerts and debates. MCI-Framingham houses a significantly smaller population than MCI-Shirley, but a larger percentage of the women are considered college-ready, said Conway, and many are also familiar with BC through Prison Arts Outreach, a group of student volunteers who offer art and wellness workshops at the prison twice a month. 

“We recognize that we don’t know what we don’t know,” Conway said. “We’re going to learn from students what their needs are, and how they might differ from the students at Shirley. We’re using this year as a learning process with the goal of providing that opportunity long term.”