18 Incarcerated Women Earn Northwestern Degrees
The first graduates of a prison program at a top 10 university show how incarcerated students in Illinois can earn bachelor's degrees.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Higher Education
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Eighteen incarcerated women in Illinois earned Bachelor of Science degrees in general studies from Northwestern University on Oct. 16, 2026, at a commencement held at the Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center. The graduates completed coursework through the Northwestern Prison Education Program, which provides college-level study to incarcerated students.
Why it matters
The program gives incarcerated students a route to a bachelor's degree from a top 10 university, a credential that can shape job prospects and further education after release. The graduates are described as the first incarcerated women in the United States to earn bachelor's degrees from a top 10 university.
The 18 graduates earned Bachelor of Science degrees in general studies after a five-year program that started in fall 2021. The Northwestern Prison Education Program launched in 2018, and the ceremony took place about 130 miles from the university's Evanston campus.
The players
Northwestern University
A private research university in Evanston, Illinois, that runs the Northwestern Prison Education Program and supplied the faculty who taught the graduates.
Nancy Pelosi
Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who delivered the commencement address at the ceremony.
Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center
An Illinois facility that hosted the commencement ceremony for the graduates.
The details
Students completed college-level coursework through the Northwestern Prison Education Program, which offers degree opportunities to incarcerated learners. Instruction came from Northwestern faculty who taught the courses inside the facility, allowing students to progress toward a degree while serving their sentences. The five-year sequence culminated in degrees conferred at a ceremony held at the Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center.
Timeline
2018: Northwestern Prison Education Program launched.
Fall 2021: The women began their studies.
2021: Maria Garza was released from prison and later returned to attend the ceremony.
Oct. 16, 2026: Commencement ceremony held and degrees conferred.
Education Landscape
The graduation extends the Northwestern Prison Education Program, launched in 2018, from enrollment to completed degrees. It places a top 10 university's bachelor's degree within reach of incarcerated students in Illinois, a sector where college-level study has grown more limited in recent decades.
Incarcerated students who want a degree can ask whether their facility offers college-level coursework and how credits transfer or count toward a program. Families and advocates can contact a correctional education office or a college's prison-education program to learn about enrollment steps and timelines.
The takeaway
Degree programs inside prisons can take five years or more to complete, so students and families should expect a long timeline. Anyone exploring this path can ask a program's office directly about admission requirements and course schedules.
Further reading
For broader context on college access behind bars, explore our Higher Education coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Black Enterprise.
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