Westheimer: Wilmington College Students Inside: The Wilmington College Prison Education Program

Registration is required. Please be sure to register for this session using the OneStop app.

Session Description:
This session highlights the Wilmington College Prison Education Program (PEP) through the experiences of faculty and site coordinators who work on regular basis with incarcerated students in the Wilmington College Prison Education Program. At the session you will learn a brief overview of the history of the Wilmington College prison education program; how classes are conducted in the PEP program, and the experiences of faculty and students inside the prison as they work toward their four-year B.A. degrees. You will have a chance to ask questions about the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections and the reason why education within the prison is critical to both the students and their communities on the outside.

Facilitator/presenter bios:
Hope Florea ('24) is the Wilmington College Prison Education Program (PEP) Site Coordinator for Lebanon Correctional Institute, where she works with Wilmington College students inside on a daily basis. Hope is '2024 Wilmington College alumn graduating with a double-major in English and Psychology and a minor in Political Science.

Dr. Ursula McTaggart is the Area Coordinator for the Wilmington College PEP program as well as professor of English at Wilmington College. Dr. McTaggart reestablished the PEP program in 2024 with the support of WC administration and staff. She specializes in American and African American literature, especially in literature’s interaction with social movements. Dr. McTaggart received her PhD in English and American Studies from Indiana University. In addition to her work as PEP Area Coordinator, she also teaches American literature surveys, Contemporary American Literature, African American Literature, Literature of Rural Life and the Environment, and composition, among other courses.

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