Villanova University is among a growing number of schools that are helping inmates turn their lives around by giving them a chance to earn a college degree while in prison, writes Nick Anderson for The Washington Post.

Villanova has taught inside Graterford for decades. Since 1986, 75 men have earned bachelor’s or associate degrees from the university. According to program director Kate Meloney, they usually finish their education while incarcerated.

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However, Graterford’s and similar programs suffered a major hit in 1994, when Congress approved a ban on funding higher education in prison. However, in recent years, inmates have gotten opportunities to earn college credit, thanks to the launch of a federal program two years ago. This supports prison education at dozens of colleges, including Villanova.

“There is a growing bipartisan understanding that the right thing for the country is to make sure that while folks are incarcerated, they have the opportunity to gain additional education and skills,” said John B. King Jr., a former education secretary who oversaw the experiment’s launch in the final year of the Obama Administration.

Read more about the education available to prison inmates in The Washington Post by clicking here.

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