18 Incarcerated Women Just Made History Earning Degrees from Northwestern
Exchanging prison uniforms for caps and gowns, 18 incarcerated women in Illinois just made history on Oct. 16 by earning bachelor’s degrees through the Northwestern Prison Education Program (NPEP). The landmark commencement ceremony represents a historic U.S. first—marking the first time a top-rated American research university has awarded degrees to incarcerated women.
At the graduation—held roughly 130 miles southwest of Northwestern’s Evanston campus at the Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center—inmates received their diplomas from Northwestern University, a prestigious, Big Ten institution consistently ranked among the top 10 national universities in the U.S., and is known for its selective acceptance rate and world-class faculty.
“Today we celebrate our historic first,” said Maria Garza, who the university announced was released from prison in 2021, but returned to support her fellow graduates. “We are Northwestern University’s first women’s prison education cohort to graduate with bachelor’s degrees from a top 10 university. I stand here, back inside (this) facility, not as an incarcerated woman, but as a Northwestern graduate, as an executive director and as an advocate for criminal justice reform alongside the women in the community who shared this journey with me.”
Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, gave the ceremony’s commencement address, where she offered encouragement to the graduates. “Be confident, be yourself, that’s the most valuable thing I can say to you — there’s nobody like you,” she said. “Know your why, because it’s rough to contend and compete, so it has to be worth it to you for your why.”
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Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who made history as the first Black lawmaker to serve as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, and Latoya Hughes, the Illinois Department of Corrections acting director, also offered remarks alongside some of the graduates.
“I implore us all to imagine the potential of communities that protect and provide for their children so that young people have access to a degree like mine before they find themselves in a space like this,” said graduate Chelsea Raker. For Raker, the milestone was deeply personal: she shared the moment in person with her 12-year-old son—the first time they had seen each other in person since her incarceration in 2016. Another graduate, Shurese Bailey, said: “My daughter and my granddaughter, they are my ‘whys.’”
Graduates also expressed their gratefulness to their families, supporters, and Jennifer Lacket, the Northwestern Prison Education Program director.
“I am most grateful to Professor Lackey, who came to the mud and planted seeds through the NPEP program, which have bloomed into beautiful lotuses,” graduate Elbonie Burnside said. “Keep planting for the future you may never see,” Lackey said at the commencement. “Keep planting for the people you may never meet, keep planting because of what becomes possible when we grow together.”
The groundbreaking program—a partnership between Northwestern, Oakton College, and the Illinois Department of Corrections—has been delivering college credit behind bars since 2018, the university announced. After launching its degree program in 2022 and graduating two men’s cohorts, Northwestern expanded its reach to women.
Today, 68 students are enrolled across two Illinois facilities: Sheridan Correctional Center for men and Logan Correctional Center for women, where 16 previous graduates now serve as mentors and program support.
