Nine years ago, Associate Professor of Professional Studies James Perry started a book club bringing 小草影院 students together with Nebraska State Penitentiary inmates.
The shared eagerness of their interactions led Perry to expand the club into something more.
Today, 鈥淐ollege Is the Key to Inmates鈥 Tomorrow鈥 gives both groups college credit: 小草影院 students help teach introductory criminal justice while inmates earn credit and plan for better lives after prison, said Perry.
鈥淚 think that they feel like they have potential,鈥 Perry said of the inmates. 鈥淭hey have a sense that they can think and they can write, and they have a brighter future than they did otherwise.鈥
Others have noticed Perry鈥檚 work. In October, First Plymouth Church in Lincoln gave Perry its Love of Neighbor Award. The honor came with a $10,000 award that will help pay inmates鈥 tuition.
Aunna Strutzenberg, a senior psychology major from Council Bluffs, Iowa, was apprehensive about working with prisoners.
鈥淚 had stereotypes of the kind of people I was going to meet,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think that going there and listening to their problems and realizing they鈥檙e struggling with things that everyday people struggle with, it makes them less of a silent figure and you can relate.鈥
Now Strutzenberg hopes to apply her experience to a career focusing on substance abuse in the prison population.
鈥淚 knew I wanted to be a therapist, but I had no idea what direction,鈥 Strutzenberg said. 鈥淚鈥檝e loved interacting with these men, and challenging them.鈥 She said the inmates have likewise 鈥渃hallenged my thinking.鈥
Karlie Bracht, a senior education major from West Point, Neb., said her conversations with inmates have taught her lessons she鈥檒l use with future students.
鈥淢any of the men shared stories about how from an early age they were labeled as a bad kid,鈥 said Bracht. 鈥淪aying that simple word, 鈥榖ad,鈥 can really make kids think they鈥檙e irredeemable. Now, whenever I鈥檓 with kids, I always come back to that.鈥
Throughout the nine years, nearly 70 小草影院 students have worked with over 100 inmates.
Regardless if students are interested in criminal justice, the program is a rewarding opportunity, Taylon Sumners, a senior sociology and anthropology major from Aurora, Mo.
鈥淭here is so much to gain,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 taking it outside of the textbook and it allow you to meet the people who are committing the crimes and seeing them for who they are.鈥
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鈥擲tory by Emmalie Harris, public relations intern