The Universities of Wisconsin awarded bachelor's degrees to incarcerated students for the first time since 1975, May 18, 2026. (Photo courtesy: Wisconsin Department of Corrections)
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Individuals incarcerated in Wisconsin prisons are earning college degrees and planning for brighter days ahead.
Launched in 2022 with a $5.7 million grant, the Prison Education Initiative is a partnership between the Universities of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. So far, it has helped more than 200 incarcerated students earn associate’s degrees or other UW credentials “designed to increase post-release employment opportunities, reduce recidivism and build stronger communities across Wisconsin.”
The program is now celebrating a major milestone, as the UW system awarded bachelor’s degrees to incarcerated students for the first time in 51 years. The last time this happened was in spring 1975, when three inmates at the Wisconsin State Reformatory became the first incarcerated students to earn a degree from a Universities of Wisconsin school.
Graduation ceremonies were held Monday at both Oakhill and Stanley Correctional Institutions to mark the students’ accomplishments.
“Wisconsin believes in second chances,” Gov. Tony Evers said in a news release. “Investing in education in correctional facilities is a common-sense strategy to meet our economy’s need for skilled workers and to help individuals gain the skills needed to succeed in our communities. But growing beyond one’s past mistakes doesn’t happen by accident. This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work these students have done to overcome obstacles and work toward a better life for themselves and their families.”
The program began by supporting UW-Madison courses at Oakhill. It has grown to include UW-Green Bay, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Stout, which offer courses at 11 DOC facilities statewide.
According to officials, UWGB awarded 15 current or former Oakhill residents bachelor’s degrees in this week’s ceremonies. Another eight students earned associate’s degrees. At Stanley, eight students received bachelor’s degrees from UW-Eau Claire and six from UW-Stout.
“I feel like I have a future now,” said one UWGB graduate in a news release. “This degree means more than just career opportunities, although those opportunities are now sky high!
Earning this degree has given me a new perspective about what I want and who I want to be. There’s always been a balance between who I want to be and who I have to be, and for the longest time, I’ve done what I needed to. Now, earning this degree, I have the power to actually become the person I want to be. And that is an amazing thing to have finally earned.
Another UWGB graduate added, “This degree has provided me with valuable insights as to the type of leader I want to be, not just in general life, but in my ultimate goal of starting and operating a business. I know and understand how to lead them down a road to success as well.”
Cristobal Guerrero-Kresovich, who currently resides at Thompson Correctional Center, is one of the recipients of a bachelor’s degree. He is working a job in the community and preparing for a better future.
“I’m looking forward to turning in my blue collar for a white collar,” Guerrero-Kresovich said in the release. “When I go to the job board and it says ‘bachelor’s degree required,’ I know in 60 days I’ll be able to apply for those positions.”
I would say education is the best rehabilitation there is. It trumps anything that anyone could do inside the prison system.
Educational programs for incarcerated students are primarily offered face-to-face inside the prisons and focus on skill development in communication, management and leadership.
- UW-Green Bay offers a bachelor’s degree program at Oakhill, Redgranite and Kettle Moraine Correctional Institutions, an associate degree program at Oakhill, Oshkosh and Taycheedah Correctional Institutions and college jumpstart courses at Green Bay Correctional Institution
- UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout offer bachelor’s degree programs at Stanley Correctional Institution
- UW-Madison offers college jumpstart courses through its Odyssey Beyond Bars program at Oakhill, Racine, Columbia, Waupun and Taycheedah Correctional Institutions and horticulture courses through the Division of Extension at Sturtevant Transitional Facility
- UW-Milwaukee offers courses at Racine Correctional Institution
“Education can have a powerful impact on lives. That’s especially true in a prison environment,” said DOC Secretary Jared Hoy said in the release. “These students aren’t just preparing for a career. They are learning how to contribute positively to society. The average incarceration in Wisconsin is less than three years. These individuals will quickly have the opportunity to put their education to work and help move Wisconsin forward.”
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