Prison inmates to receive associate degrees

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About a dozen inmates at South Carolina Department of Corrections facilities will receive associate degrees at a commencement ceremony Friday at Kirkland Correctional Institution. The degrees were earned through a partnership with Columbia International University.

Two inmates who previously earned associate degrees will receive their bachelor’s degrees at the ceremony, according to a news release from the S.C. Department of Corrections.

Since the CIU prison initiative began in 2007, 157 men and women at more than 20 state prisons have received degrees. The program is based on a similar initiative offered at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola in partnership with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

The courses are designed to prepare inmates for ministry within the prison system. Courses include Biblical subjects, history and English.

“Our CIU graduates help improve life inside our prisons every day,” Bryan Stirling, SCDC director, said in the release. “About 85% of our inmates serve fewer than five years in prison, and we are fortunate to have inmates who recognize that education is part of their successful reentry back into society. This program is a crucial part of our efforts to reduce recidivism and make our prisons safer.”

Inmates are eligible for state or federal financial aid by law, so the cost of the program is covered by donations.

Thad James Jr., vice president of Birmingham Theological Seminary, is the commencement speaker. James is the director of the BTS Prison Initiative, which provides degrees at Bibb County Correctional Facility in Brent, Ala.

Also on Friday, Columbia International University is hosting its fall commencement at its Monticello Road campus. The commencement is at 11:30 a.m. for 115 students who will receive degrees ranging from associate to doctoral.