EJP Writing and Math Partner; WAMP

Overview

Writing and Math Partners provide EJP students with academic support for credited coursework, writing, and extra-curricular learning. We operate out of a computer lab at Danville Correctional Center, replicating the structure and energy of office hours or study hall. WAMP sessions include around 15 students, working on various forms of scholarship—completing assignments, reading for classes, conducting independent research, collaborating on group projects, completing math and computer programming exercises, attending writing consultations, and discussing academic topics.

WAMP members typically provide writing and math support, hence the name, but we hope that WAMP members are passionate and curious about the diverse subjects that EJP students are studying and are able to lend lateral support and foster peer-learning in WAMP spaces. A successful WAMP member is one who is not only able to tutor and teach, but also able to learn in collaboration with others and contribute to interdisciplinary study.

WAMP sessions are currently held once a week. We are currently seeking members who are available to attend WAMP sessions at the prison in 2026-27. We are not sure when sessions will be, but during Fall 2025, they are taking place on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5:00-8:00. In the past they have also been offered in the afternoon. Members generally carpool together, and it is a 45-minute drive from Urbana.

We ask WAMP members to commit to a minimum of one visit a month. Please give serious thought as to whether your schedule will allow for this commitment.

Writing and Math Partners come from diverse University of Illinois campus departments, from other campuses, and from the larger community. What we share is a seriousness of purpose about the task of providing higher education to incarcerated students and assisting them in their academic endeavours. Right now, Writing and Math Partners who are presently students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are required to already have at least a Bachelor’s degree.

If you are presently an undergraduate student, we encourage you to apply to EJP’s intern program!

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We especially encourage applications from individuals with disabilities, members of historically underrepresented racial groups, first-generation college graduates, and post-traditional students. Please note that the classrooms are on the second floor of the prison and that there is no elevator. Our main criteria in selecting WAMP members are seriousness of purpose, flexibility, and maturity.

Minimum requirements for WAMP members are:

• passing the background security check and IDOC (Illinois Dept of Corrections) security clearance requirements. This includes a one-time drug test; IDOC does not permit clearance for those who do not pass the one-time test, which includes a screening for marijuana use.
• a schedule that allows enough time to staff WAMP once a month. This includes attending a training session and occasional meetings. Optional but highly encouraged are the EJP Convocation and various community-wide events on the Urbana campus.
• a commitment to social justice.

Finally, applicants should be aware that EJP approaches this work from a prison-abolitionist ethic, which informs the pedagogical and organizational values that structure EJP, as well as WAMP. Regardless, we invite applicants who have varied perspectives on the prison system and the role of education and hope that this work will challenge and inspire you, and that your contributions will refine and develop EJP.

The deadline for submitting your application is Nov 15, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

We hope that our applicants will be able to join the program in late Spring or early Summer 2026, but the timing depends on the prison's clearance procedures.

Please contact Tess Saxton-Fox tsaxtonf if you have any questions about WAMP.

Education Justice Project
University of Illinois
1001 S. Wright St
Champaign, IL 61820