NASFAA Convenes Experts to Bridge Gaps in Prison Education and Student Services
Nalia Medina, Assistant Director of Government Relations
NASFAA is set to host its second annual Prison Education Program (PEP) Convening, an event critical to strengthening higher education opportunities for incarcerated individuals. Titled "Aligning Efforts: Navigating the Intersection of Student Services and Prison Education," the in-person gathering will take place this week from Wednesday, June 4, through Saturday, June 7th, in Washington, DC.
This convening will bring together a diverse array of professionals pivotal to the success of prison education. With more than 50 institutions in attendance, each selected college will have a financial aid administrator and a prison education professional represented. Also in attendance will be professionals from various other student services roles, including admissions counselors, registrars, and business officers, along with representatives from a number of other prison education and higher education organizations from across the country.
The core mission of the four-day event is to explore strategic and practical approaches to best support college students who are incarcerated. The sessions will feature insights from practitioners, impacted students who are now field experts, educators, correctional oversight leaders, accreditation specialists, researchers, and national leaders in prison education and student services.
Attendees will have the opportunity to attend more than a dozen sessions on topics including accreditation, student data privacy, administrative capability, disability services, student orientation, and compliance in prison education. Attendees will also participate in a listening session with officials from the Department of Education (ED).
A particular highlight of the convening will be a reentry simulation designed to provide attendees with a deeper understanding of the challenges formerly incarcerated individuals may experience when transitioning back into society post-incarceration, and practical strategies to assist students through the reentry process.
As the approval process for PEPs accelerates, 2025 is anticipated to be a pivotal year for developing and expanding programs serving incarcerated students. This convening aims to foster essential collaboration between the professionals running PEPs, administering financial aid for incarcerated students, and those overseeing student services for this population, bridging gaps in understanding and fortifying the support systems crucial for student success.
This work is generously sponsored by a grant from Ascendium Education Group.
Publication Date: 6/3/2025
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