College-in-Prison

Since 2008, EJP has created opportunities for incarcerated individuals, University of Illinois graduate students, campus faculty, and community members to participate in academic programming at Danville Correctional Center. Our college-in-prison consists of 12 distinct programs, each with its own members and application procedures.  All are overseen by EJP’s Academic Director, Ellen Ritter. You’ll find information about each program below. For information about EJP’s application procedures, please visit the “Get Involved” page.

For Credit Courses

EJP offers upper-division courses at Danville Correctional Center to eligible incarcerated individuals. Most courses meet weekly for a three-hour class. The day and time of classes changes each semester, according…

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EJP students browse books at a Writing and Math Partners event

Writing and Math Partners (WAMP)

WAMP is EJP’s tutoring program. Several times a week, Writing and Math Partners from campus and the community attend WAMP sessions at Danville Correctional Center, replicating the structure and energy…

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Community Library

EJP’s Community Library at Danville Correctional Center contains over 4,000 volumes in addition to other resources that serve the academic pursuits and research needs of EJP at the prison. The…

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Computer Lab

EJP maintains a computer lab at Danville Correctional Center. Students use it to produce assignments and notes, watch uploaded content (there is no internet), and gain confidence on computers. Some…

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EJP students attend Community Anti-Violence Education support group

Community Anti-Violence Education

Prison is the perfect place to stop the cycle of violence. Many incarcerated individuals have sincere desires to turn their lives around and see their communities become safer places. CAVE…

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Mindfulness Discussion Group

MDG members meet weekly at Danville Correctional Center to discuss their individual mindfulness practices, including the obstacles they encounter and how to overcome them. Members also talk about the benefits…

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Writing Workshops

Students cultivate a range of writing skills through EJP’s on-going series of extracurricular writing workshops. Past workshops include Creative Writing, Composing Introductions and Conclusions, Practically Painless English, and Grammar Workshops….

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STEM Workshops

Our Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) workshops are not-for-credit offerings that invite students to explore a range of topics. There is great variety among the workshops. Some offer basic…

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Computer Workshops

These not-for-credit workshops, which are held in EJP’s computer lab at Danville Correctional Center, allow EJP students to gain confidence in diverse aspects of computing, from foundational skills like keyboarding…

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Language Partners

Language Partners was formed when EJP student Ramon Cabrales came up with a powerful idea. Observing that he and other bilingual EJP students were ideally suited to tutor incarcerated men in…

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Academic Advising

EJP’s academic advisors assist and work with students at the prison. They conduct individualized and group office hours, offer workshops on academic skills and success, and collaborate with other EJP…

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The Amplifier Newsletter

EJP’s student newsletter, The Amplifier, is produced in EJP’s computer lab at Danville Correctional Center. To date, it has been a publication of student writing, including book reviews, creative non-fiction,…

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