Staff Associate, Program Coordinator Prison Education; Grant-Funded

Staff Associate, Program Coordinator for Prison Education (Grant-Funded) Position Information Title

Title Staff Associate, Program Coordinator for Prison Education (Grant-Funded)

From Bridgewater State University’s inception in 1840 by Horace Mann as one of the first normal schools in America to the current day, BSU has worked to ensure that our students receive an accessible, affordable, and exceptional education. BSU aspires to be the leader in our mission class for closing equity gaps for Black/Cape Verdean, Latinx, Native American, Asian, and other students of color.

BSU’s institutional values, the work of the President’s Special Task Force on Racial Justice, and leadership of the Racial Equity and Justice Institute underscore the campus’ commitment to racial equity and other forms of social justice.

The purpose of the collaborative Prison Education initiative is to design and implement a formalized pathway that enables students enrolled in Massasoit Community College’s Liberal Arts associate degree pathway at OCCC to transfer seamlessly into a bachelor’s degree pathway at Bridgewater State University. The Program Coordinator for Prison Education supports implementation of a grant supported collaboration with Massasoit Community College resulting in Bridgewater State University’s development of a state-recognized Prison Education Program ( PEP ).

The coordinator will be based at Bridgewater State University, with regular site visits to educational partners at Old Colony Correctional Center ( OCCC ) and Massasoit Community College ( MCC ).

Supervision Received:Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Supervision Exercised:N/A

Full-time, 12-month, APA position;
Monday – Friday: 9am – 5pm.

Evening and weekend work may be required on an as needed basis.

This position is eligible for hybrid work in accordance with BSU remote work policy. Regular work locations will include Bridgewater State University, Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, MA, and Massasoit Community College’s Canton campus site.

This is a grant funded position and is contingent upon availability of funds. This grant ends on July 31, 2027.

1. Via structured learning opportunities, become the PEP content expert on campus, and share information with key BSU stakeholders. Areas include:

• Department of Education compliance expectations
• Financial aid and Pell eligibility structures
• Correctional facility partnerships
• Student support models for incarcerated learners

2. Engage with MCC in planning and partnership development, to

• Establish collaborative planning meetings between MCC and BSU
• Identify aligned bachelor’s degree pathways
• Review transfer feasibility and institutional requirements
• Develop advising and transfer planning framework

3. Work with academic leaders on curriculum alignment and transfer development, increasing BSU’s capacity to:

• Conduct course equivalency and degree mapping reviews
• Develop transfer articulation structures
• Create advising tools and transfer materials for students
• Identify student support and transition needs

4. With the support of MCC partners, enhance institutional capacity building by:

• Gaining expertise in PEP operations and compliance
• Engaging with BSU faculty and staff in planning discussions regarding correctional higher education implementation
• Facilitate a campus review of operational considerations related to financial aid, student support, and correctional partnerships

5. Plan for pathway finalization and student transitional support including:

• Finalize transfer pathway documentation
• Introduce advising and transfer planning supports for students
• Establish long‑term collaboration and future pathway expansion opportunities
• Development of application materials for the University to officially apply for formal Prison Education Program ( PEP ) status

6. Additional Responsibilities:

• Generate quarterly and annual reports for BSU , federal and state agencies as required
• Assists in seeking additional funding sources to support reentry education programming
• Represents the University on statewide and national committees as assigned
• Performs other duties as assigned

• Ma…