Dr. Al Gourrier, associate professor in The University of Baltimore's College of Puiblic Affairs, is one of nine scholars to receive grant support from the University System of Maryland (USM) to advance programs to provide higher education in prison in Maryland. The USM announced a combined $400,000 in grants on Sept. 9 following a competitive proposal process. According to the USM, the efforts "will enable the expansion of services to existing Prison Education Programs (PEP) and the establishment of new opportunities for incarcerated learners across Maryland."
Dr. Gourrier, who teaches in the College's School of Public and International Affairs, will lead a project called "Technology and Housing Support for Justice Impacted College Students." It will provide housing stipends to support living expenses and accommodations for students in the University's Second Chance College Program when released and enrolled in the University's academic programming, as well as laptops and other technology-related equipment for students in the program. The USM will provide $41,000 for the project.
The University of Baltimore has operated a four-year bachelor's degree program in Jessup Correctional Institution (JCI) since 2016 and recently became a certified Prison Education Program recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The Second Chance College Program also works with students when they are released to continue their education on campus and find meaningful and sustainable employment. Students are also provided with reentry support services, tuition assistance, and receive mentoring from their peers who are successfully continuing their education on campus.
In 2025, UBalt launched the Center for Justice Impacted Students (CJIS), expanding its services to assist in the coordination of University and community wraparound resources provided to previously enrolled and incarcerated students at JCI (returning students) as they navigate the challenges of reentry, while simultaneously continuing the pursuit of their education.
The University currently has 38 enrolled students in its Second Chance College Program at JCI, with an additional 30-student cohort starting this fall. In addition, the University has 14 students currently enrolled with the University on campus and serviced through CJIS.
"The grant is part of a larger initiative by the CJIS to better serve our students in the reentry and transition to on-campus students," Dr. Gourrier says. "We identified both housing and technology as major obstacles for our students, along with transportation, and this grant is the first step of many to help us address those challenges. Additionally, the CJIS has also partnered with the Manumission House as part of this grant which is founded and run by one of our very own Second Chance students and a current graduate student."
Last year, the USM received a $4.1 million grant to advance a statewide vision for prison education programs. Funded by Ascendium, a nonprofit organization, the Ascendium grant aims to invest in personnel, the development and facilitation of partnerships, higher education in prison symposia, resource and information sharing, and the distribution of subgrants, including the awards announced this week.
Priority areas for the USM included "the development of new prison college programs, collaborative projects between colleges and nonprofit organizations, and partnership projects between four-year institutions and community colleges."
"The awardees demonstrated their capacity to develop, expand, or enhance activities and support services that assist justice-impacted college students obtain degrees inside a Maryland prison or jail, or on a college campus," the USM said in announcing the winners.
Learn more about Dr. Al Gourrier and UBalt's College of Public Affairs.