Out of a population of about 2,400 people, one of Donnelly College’s most important programs serves only about 25-50 people per semester on average — many of whom typically are known by a number instead of a name.
While there are many logistical challenges associated with teaching college classes inside a prison, Dr. Steve Jansen, Lansing Prison Program Director, emphasizes the significance of providing a positive educational experience for those who are incarcerated.
“On our main campus, we’re about optimism, we’re about opportunity, we’re about ‘Let’s find a way to make this happen,’” says Dr. Jansen. “In prison, it’s not the same way. It’s more tracking, verification, control. And that’s understandable.”
Founded in 2001 by then-Donnelly President Dr. Ken Gibson, the Lansing Prison Program continues to serve inmates who want to work toward an associate degree. Credits are fully transferrable, and Dr. Jansen notes that regardless of whether an inmate finishes his or her degree through Donnelly’s program, everyone at Lansing can benefit from participating.
“What happens is these guys get thrown into the system, and they tend to age, and by the time they are 22 or 23, they have ‘X’ amount of time left before they see the review board, and they begin to realize, ‘What am I going to do with the rest of my life?’” Dr. Jansen explains. “And I believe that rehabilitation is possible, and I believe that education is a critical component of that rehabilitative process.”
In addition to providing on-site classes for Lansing inmates, Donnelly also funds the majority of the cost for each course. The student must only pay one-third of the cost per class, or $214 for a three-credit course, which includes the cost of books. The rest of the funding comes from fundraising, employers at Lansing, grants and donations by groups and corporations.
Yet aquiring funding to continue the program is not the only challenge Dr. Jansen faces in this role; he must also find qualified instructors who are willing to volunteer their skills and time to help inmates accomplish something remarkable while they’re incarcerated. The fact that the prison is located about 45 minutes from Donnelly’s main campus in Kansas City, Kansas only further complicates the search process.
All volunteers must also adhere to strict guidelines and restrictions every time they visit the prison. And in a world where most instructors are dependent upon technology to facilitate classroom learning, Lansing volunteers cannot use the Internet, and very few have access to computers at all.
“I always say if I can get the teacher there and have them meet the students, they will find the students to be generally receptive and interested,” Dr. Jansen says. “And then the teachers see the value of what they’re doing. But getting them there is not an easy process because they have to go through several hoops before you can have teacher in front of students and have that positive energy start to happen.”
Due to timing conflicts, Donnelly’s Lansing Correctional Facility program is only offered to medium- and minimum-security inmates. Security levels are determined based upon disciplinary infractions, so inmates frequently move between levels — another difficulty facing Dr. Jansen and his team, as they try to serve the most people possible notwithstanding the different physical locations of each unit.
Despite these roadblocks, Dr. Jansen continues to be dedicated to his students both at Donnelly’s Kansas City, Kansas location and in Lansing. Part of the reason Dr. Jansen so passionately believes in the Lansing program is that there is a strong correlation between those who struggle with schooling in K-12 and those who wind up in institutions like Lansing Prison. For Dr. Jansen, a personalized approach ensures that he treats all of his students with the respect and integrity that they deserve so that they can enact positive change in their lives.
“Our function is to treat them as much as possible as students, even though they’re inmates,” he says. “They’re surrounded by people who often don’t even know their name, who often know only their number. So by referring to them as people and treating them as people, I make it a point as much as possible to use first names and last names and ‘sir,’ and if you will, bend over backwards to be respectful.”
At the end of the day, whether or not Lansing students earn their AA degrees through Donnelly, Dr. Jansen says the program provides a way to “get something accomplished while they’re incarcerated,” instead of wasting their time while they’re in prison. Looking to the future and seeking new beginnings is the primary component of the Lansing Prison Program — an admirable goal for everyone.
While there are many logistical challenges associated with teaching college classes inside a prison, Dr. Steve Jansen, Lansing Prison Program Director, emphasizes the significance of providing a positive educational experience for those who are incarcerated.
“On our main campus, we’re about optimism, we’re about opportunity, we’re about ‘Let’s find a way to make this happen,’” says Dr. Jansen. “In prison, it’s not the same way. It’s more tracking, verification, control. And that’s understandable.”
Founded in 2001 by then-Donnelly President Dr. Ken Gibson, the Lansing Prison Program continues to serve inmates who want to work toward an associate degree. Credits are fully transferrable, and Dr. Jansen notes that regardless of whether an inmate finishes his or her degree through Donnelly’s program, everyone at Lansing can benefit from participating.
“What happens is these guys get thrown into the system, and they tend to age, and by the time they are 22 or 23, they have ‘X’ amount of time left before they see the review board, and they begin to realize, ‘What am I going to do with the rest of my life?’” Dr. Jansen explains. “And I believe that rehabilitation is possible, and I believe that education is a critical component of that rehabilitative process.”
In addition to providing on-site classes for Lansing inmates, Donnelly also funds the majority of the cost for each course. The student must only pay one-third of the cost per class, or $214 for a three-credit course, which includes the cost of books. The rest of the funding comes from fundraising, employers at Lansing, grants and donations by groups and corporations.
Yet aquiring funding to continue the program is not the only challenge Dr. Jansen faces in this role; he must also find qualified instructors who are willing to volunteer their skills and time to help inmates accomplish something remarkable while they’re incarcerated. The fact that the prison is located about 45 minutes from Donnelly’s main campus in Kansas City, Kansas only further complicates the search process.
All volunteers must also adhere to strict guidelines and restrictions every time they visit the prison. And in a world where most instructors are dependent upon technology to facilitate classroom learning, Lansing volunteers cannot use the Internet, and very few have access to computers at all.
“I always say if I can get the teacher there and have them meet the students, they will find the students to be generally receptive and interested,” Dr. Jansen says. “And then the teachers see the value of what they’re doing. But getting them there is not an easy process because they have to go through several hoops before you can have teacher in front of students and have that positive energy start to happen.”
Due to timing conflicts, Donnelly’s Lansing Correctional Facility program is only offered to medium- and minimum-security inmates. Security levels are determined based upon disciplinary infractions, so inmates frequently move between levels — another difficulty facing Dr. Jansen and his team, as they try to serve the most people possible notwithstanding the different physical locations of each unit.
Despite these roadblocks, Dr. Jansen continues to be dedicated to his students both at Donnelly’s Kansas City, Kansas location and in Lansing. Part of the reason Dr. Jansen so passionately believes in the Lansing program is that there is a strong correlation between those who struggle with schooling in K-12 and those who wind up in institutions like Lansing Prison. For Dr. Jansen, a personalized approach ensures that he treats all of his students with the respect and integrity that they deserve so that they can enact positive change in their lives.
“Our function is to treat them as much as possible as students, even though they’re inmates,” he says. “They’re surrounded by people who often don’t even know their name, who often know only their number. So by referring to them as people and treating them as people, I make it a point as much as possible to use first names and last names and ‘sir,’ and if you will, bend over backwards to be respectful.”
At the end of the day, whether or not Lansing students earn their AA degrees through Donnelly, Dr. Jansen says the program provides a way to “get something accomplished while they’re incarcerated,” instead of wasting their time while they’re in prison. Looking to the future and seeking new beginnings is the primary component of the Lansing Prison Program — an admirable goal for everyone.