The Florida Department of Corrections and Florida Gateway College proudly recognized 42 inmate-students in the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program for being named to the President’s List and Vice President’s List for the 2018 Spring Semester.
The Second Chance Pell Pilot Program offers Pell Grant eligibility to inmates selected and supervised by the department of corrections who are eligible for upcoming release within the next five years.
“We are incredibly proud of this program,” Florida Department of Corrections secretary Julie Jones said. “The success of these initial students is further testimony that expanding educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals is a worthy investment for their future, and the future of Florida communities where these inmates will eventually be employed and live. I want to congratulate them on their accomplishment and look forward to seeing their continued achievements throughout this college program.”
The partnership between Florida Gateway College and Columbia Correctional Institute in Lake City, Fla. was one of 67 sites in the U.S. chosen for the pilot Pell inmate education program, which began January 2017. Courses leading to the Associate of Arts degree in General Studies or the Associate of Science degree in Environmental Science Technology: Water Resources are offered each semester. The anticipated graduation date for the first cohort of inmate-students is May 2019.
“We, at Florida Gateway College, are very proud of the academic performance of the students in the Second Chance Pell Program!” William Peace, program liaison, said. “Of the students not named on these lists this term, many have GPAs that would have qualified them as well had they been enrolled full time. This is a group of individuals who have worked hard to demonstrate that they are serious about making positive changes in their lives. We salute their diligence and commend them for this remarkable achievement!”
The President’s and Vice President’s lists require students to carry a minimum course loads of 12 semester hours and maintain high grade point averages (GPA) – 3.5-3.99 for the Vice President’s List and a perfect 4.0 for the President’s List.
Florida Gateway College – Columbia Correctional Institute
Second Chance Pell Pilot Inmate Education Program
Spring semester, 2018
President’s List: Travis Akins, Jeremiah Conner, Justin Donahue, Jared Dougherty, Richard Elliott, Joshua Evans, David Gallagher, Louis Garcia, William Giddens, Derrick Graham, Keith Kent, Michael Krupa, Matthew Luman, Jordan Motley, Christopher Murdy, Michael Opsincs, Walfrido Pina, Kenneth Reynolds, Berry Roberson, Michael Scott, Trevis Sherwood, Neondra Starks, John Wise, Jonathan Woods,and Johnny Yates.
Vice President’s List: Andrew Beam, Carlos Bueso, SoDonnie Christopher, Freddie Davis, Anthony Gautieri, Walter Golden, Elvis Hall, Everlett Jones, Chad Knight, Nicolas Kulpa, Arsenio Leal, Justin Midolo, Chad Morris, Patrick Pittman, Shane Roschel, Ronald Shaw, and Joseph Zavadil.
For more information, contact William Peace at Florida Gateway College at (386) 754-4229 or Kristina Hartman at Florida Department of Corrections at (850) 717-3180.
Special to The Herald
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