LC Meridian

Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: News

Media Credit: www.cpcollege.edu

You wouldn't necessarily consider it a good thing if a former robber, rapist or perhaps a murderer sat with you in class, but ex-convicts are now getting a second chance to attend college from the City University of New York.

The College Initiative Program, founded by Benay Rubenstein, provides assistance to ex-convicts making a transition from prison to college. Rubenstein started the program in 2002 at Episcopal Social Services. She brought the program to John Jay College of Criminal Justice in May 2006 with the help of the John Jay College President Jeremy Travis, who knows that released prisoners face many problems when returning to society, especially when trying get an education or a job.

Lehman professor Carl Mazza has been a consultant for the College Initiative Program for about five years. Mazza, a Ph.D. who has worked with incarcerated individuals, is helping the College Initiative participants with their registration, academic advisement and any problems they may face during the semester at CUNY Colleges.

"I'm a social worker," said Lehman social work professor Carl Mazza, "we help people help themselves. People coming out of prison are first and foremost."

The initiative also assists with job searching and housing. Since 2002, the program has helped about 327 former inmates to enroll in college, most of them CUNY colleges.

According to an article in the New York Times, 20 ex-convicts have received associate or bachelor degrees, and 144 are currently pursuing their degrees, including nine on the master or doctoral level. Most participants in the program attend Lehman College, the New York City College of Technology, the Borough of Manhattan Community College and La Guardia Community College.

But Lehman students like sophomore Diana Sheivprasad do not like the idea of having former convicts with them in class.

"Realistically, I would feel slightly uncomfortable because I know that they were in prison," said Sheivprasad.

Lehman senior Carlos Guzman is skeptical of whether a program like this can work at Lehman because it might be difficult for students and faculty members to accept.

"This is one of those situations where only time will tell if it will work out," said Guzman. "Of course, this kind of situation also calls for the cooperation of the student body and the administration's communication and support."

Charlene Griffin, Assistant Director for the program, explains that she does not use the words "ex-offender" or "ex-convict" to refer to the people that she works with. Griffin refers to them as "people coming home from prison." She adds that they work closely with parole officers and other authorities to ensure that their students are safe and not threatening to others.

"We see our students as people who have made mistakes, and paid the penalty that society thought was befitting to the crime," said Griffin. "We do not harp on their past. They come to us because they are ready to move on and build a career. "

One former convict, who will remain anonymous, attends Lehman and believes that the College Initiative Program has helped him better himself.

"It helped me put my foot in the door," he said.

Other students like Jakob R. Hostetter believe that former law breakers should be given a chance to educate themselves regardless of their past.

"Ex-convicts often have too many stereotypes and prejudices against them," said Hostetter. "Education should be available to all regardless of race, sex or past history."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools