MADISON, Ind. (WDRB) -- Wednesday was a day of celebration at the Madison Correctional Facility.
Eight female inmates graduated with certifications from Ivy Tech Community College. Family and friends filled the prison’s auditorium to see their loved ones accept certificates they spent months studying for. For every woman, there was a round of applause. You could feel the overwhelming support in the room, and once the ceremony was over, proud parents and children hugged their incarcerated family members, getting to spend precious time with each other catching up.
“A lot of these women have never completed anything,” Warden Janice Davis said. “They’ve never felt like they were a success. So to be able to go to college, and ... then to receive a certificate, yes, they have to be feeling great.”
The prison and the college started the pilot program three and a half years ago.
The inmates go through a tough application process. Those who make it pick from three different programs: production work, machining and tooling, or welding.
“This program is a result of the governor’s efforts to train and equip offenders, both men and women, throughout the state of Indiana with high wage certifications,” said Molly Dodge, the chancellor of Ivy Tech’s Madison Campus. “Upon release, they can seamlessly transition back into their home community and qualify for a job at a sustainable wage.”
Program leaders said after three years, it’s paying off. Dodge said they’re seeing results as more women are graduating from the program and landing jobs upon release. The prison’s warden believes as the program continues, they could see recidivism rates drop.
As part of the graduation ceremony, one of the program’s success stories gave an encouraging speech. Rayna Russell was standing at the podium, but nine months ago, she was dressed in the same prison uniform as the inmates currently looking up at her.
“It was a blessing to actually look and see how far I’ve come in nine months,” Russell said.
When she arrived at Madison, she had 17 months to serve for her crime. She was a repeat offender, but this time around, she was ready for change. She enrolled in the program, earned her certificate and landed a job at Hilex Poly Company in North Vernon upon release. After four months on the job, she was promoted.
She said she lives with the acronym GRIP always on her mind: Growth, Responsibility, Integrity and Purpose. And she encouraged every woman in the room to take advantage of this opportunity.
“You might have to start a fresh start,” Russell said. “You might have to start at rock bottom. But now you have a solid foundation.”
Russell isn’t the only success story. The program is launching in prisons across the state of Indiana. On top of that, it’s gaining national attention with a feature story in the most recent publication of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce magazine.
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