Second Chance Student Talks About Life in Class, After Prison
April 6, 2018
Contact: Office of Government and Public Affairs
Phone: 410.837.5739
Speaking to a writer at the Marshall Project, Marcus Lilly, a student in the University of Baltimore's Second Chance Pell Pilot Program, talks about life before, during and after his time in prison. It's a life he's turning around, day by day, as he pursues a UB degree.
"After I was released in December, after spending 13 years in prison, I started taking two classes at the University of Baltimore campus: Human Ecology and Business Ethics. I had taken eight classes while at Jessup [Correctional Institution], making me nearly a sophomore. Now I'm pursuing a degree in Nonprofit Management. At first, I felt like a fish out of water. The hardest thing has been socializing with other students. Prison can dehumanize you—it can make you feel insufficient, like you don't know how to interact with people. I’ve been working with my reentry coordinator, who was hired by the Second Chance Program to help me get adjusted to life after prison. She’s a great resource, and is helping me find work, showing me how to get on the computer and fill out assignments. In prison, they didn't teach us about technology.
"I think a few professors know that I am the first student from the Second Chance program to attend classes on campus; the rest of my former peers are still serving time. I am assuming a few students know it, too. No one has said anything bad, but I get some looks. Maybe it’s because of the way I dress: Most students dress professionally, but I haven’t been able to wear what I want for so long that I like to be more casual and wear designer shirts and fitted caps."
Read the Marshall Project article.
Learn more about UB's Second Chance program.