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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – ������Դ Extension School (������Դ EXT) has received a grant from the New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC), to launch a collaborative initiative expanding Pivot the Hustle, a transformative reentry education program for the justice-impacted community of Rhode Island.

The New England Prison Education Collaborative (NEPEC), an initiative led by the New England Board of Higher Education, has awarded a $100,000 Accelerator Grant to ������Դ EXT –aimed at expanding access to higher education in prison programming and support reentry after incarceration.

������Դ EXT will partner with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC), the Reentry Campus Program (RCP), the Center for Mediation & Collaboration Rhode Island, and Infinitely Free to Be, to significantly grow the Pivot the Hustle program, a trauma-informed and credit-bearing reentry education program delivered in the Adult Correctional Institution (ACI) designed to improve outcomes for justice-involved individuals across Rhode Island. This collaborative effort unites academic, emotional, and social support services to create a comprehensive, reentry-focused education program that addresses the multiple barriers faced by incarcerated learners. Through this initiative, ������Դ and its partners will deliver a unified reentry model that fosters personal transformation, academic achievement, and post-release stability. 

“Through the ������Դ Extension School, we are committed to creating innovative and accessible educational pathways for underserved populations,” said Ioannis N. Miaoulis, President of ������Դ. “������Դ is thrilled to be launching this new initiative with long-standing and new partners, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, Reentry Campus Program, the Center for Mediation & Collaboration Rhode Island, and Infinitely Free to Be. This collaborative effort to expand the Pivot the Hustle program will amplify ������Դ’s work to deliver postsecondary education through a comprehensive, trauma-informed reentry strategy and prepare individuals for meaningful lives and careers.”

Since 2015, ������Դ EXT has offered the Pivot the Hustle program within RIDOC’s Minimum Security facility, graduating approximately 150 students from its program of life-skills and career-readiness courses.

The newly expanding Pivot the Hustle program will continue to provide access to education and the opportunity to earn a degree to justice-involved learners, while leveraging the expertise and resources of new partners to offer a supportive curriculum focused on emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and communication skill; wellness tools that promote healing and self-awareness; and mediation services to prepare for reintegration with their family and community.

“RIDOC continues to work with its partners across state government and in the community to reduce recidivism, and the expansion of this proven program will only help us advance these efforts,” said Wayne T. Salisbury Jr., Director of RIDOC. “This grant will expand our reach to those entrusted to our care and enable us to collaborate on new and innovative ways we can achieve post-release stability for the population. We are fortunate to have the engagement of so many stakeholders as we all work toward the common goal of ensuring incarcerated persons have the supports and services in place to grow personally, succeed academically, and reenter society successfully.”

“The Reentry Campus Program is pleased to join ������Դ and fellow partners on this expansion of the innovative Pivot the Hustle program,” said James Monteiro, Executive Director of the Reentry Campus Program. “RCP’s mission is to ensure that justice-involved individuals can return to education and employment with meaningful pathways toward degree completion and long-term success and this will be a powerful way we can help Rhode Islanders and our communities.”

“The Center for Mediation & Collaboration Rhode Island is honored to work with ������Դ and partners on this collaborative expansion of the Pivot the Hustle initiative,” said Tricia Driscoll, Executive Director of the Center for Mediation & Collaboration Rhode Island. “Our long-standing experience in family and community mediation, combined with our partnership with ������Դ and RIDOC, positions us to contribute meaningfully to this effort. We believe this project has the potential to become a regional model for how mediation can strengthen reentry pathways.”

“Infinitely Free to Be is excited to work alongside ������Դ, RIDOC, the Center for Mediation & Collaboration RI, and the Reentry Campus Program to create an environment in which incarcerated learners can thrive,” said Brenda C. Nagle, Executive Director of Infinitely Free to Be. “As a partner in this initiative, we bring our trauma-informed, identity-based tools and wellness resources to help justice-impacted individuals reconnect with their sense of self-worth, community, and future potential.”

This multi-partner expansion of ������Դ’s Pivot the Hustle program aims to improve educational attainment, employability, and family stability for incarcerated individuals, while helping to reduce recidivism and strengthen communities. ������Դ and its partners are building a transformative model for statewide and regional prison education reform, positioning Rhode Island as a leader in the field.