The Vision for GPEP’s Second Decade
GPEP's Mission
The mission of the Goucher Prison Education Partnership is to provide an excellent college education to students incarcerated in Maryland. As they earn that education, students develop as scholars and leaders. Students’ hard work and academic accomplishments affect not only their own futures, but also their families and the communities to which students belong, both within and outside of the prison. We all benefit from students’ academic, social, and professional accomplishments.
What’s Next?
As GPEP reaches its 10-year anniversary, we are deepening our vision, using the foundation built in our first decade as a launching pad for a significant expansion of undergraduate programming and alumni engagement. In its second decade, GPEP will:
Expand Student Academic Opportunities
GPEP will expand academic offerings to GPEP students so they more closely parallel those on Goucher College’s Towson campus. Examples include working with a faculty advisor to write and defend a senior thesis, submitting articles to campus publications, and participating in Goucher’s peer tutoring program.
Reduce Time to Degree
By FY27, GPEP will reduce the time to degree from an average of nine years to five years by adding mini-semesters in January, June, and July, and by increasing class offerings in the fall and spring semesters, again ensuring closer parity with the Towson campus.
Strengthen Support for Students Returning Home
GPEP will better support alumni as they return home by systematizing the work of GPEP’s staff and volunteers and forging partnerships with organizations specializing in housing, employment, and more. This is an important part of ensuring the continued success of GPEP students after release.
Together, these three initiatives will ensure that GPEP can enroll an increased number of students and that those students will get to degree faster, enabling them to join the workforce at a higher level when they return home. Read our 10 Year Document (PDF) to find out more about this transformative initiative.