The College Experience

Encouraging Higher Education as a Goal for Justice-Involved Youth

The College Experience program hosted by the Prisoner Reentry Institute encourages justice-involved youth to consider post-secondary education as a viable option. Far too many young people, discouraged because they fear stigmatization or failure in the classroom, fail to even consider a college education as feasible potential life path.

The Student Initiatives program helps foster dreams of higher education in such youth by familiarizing them with a university environment. Young people are invited to John Jay to participate in in-depth tours of the university and attend mock lectures delivered by established John Jay faculty that mirror typical undergraduate level classes. The program provides youth with a taste of college life through full immersion in the classroom and campus experience.

This college tour and mock lecture series, which began in 2013, furthers John Jay’s commitment to investing in higher education as a life-altering means of impacting those who live in vulnerable communities. As John Jay President Jeremy Travis has said, “Post-secondary education unlocks human potential, teaching critical thinking skills while exposing students to new ways of thinking about the world. For justice-involved youth living in some of the most disadvantaged communities in New York City, a college education can provide a pathway to meaningful career opportunities, while fostering notions of citizenship and belonging.”

We are always seeking participants in this free program. If your organization is interested in taking part in the College Experience, please complete the registration form below and our program coordinator will contact you within two business days.