Associate Director of Reentry and Student Success

Founded in 1831, Wesleyan University is a diverse, energetic liberal arts community where critical thinking and practical idealism go hand in hand.

Founded in 2009, Wesleyan University’s Center for Prison Education (CPE) provides rigorous liberal arts education and degree opportunities to students at Cheshire Correctional Institution and York Correctional Institution. Over sixteen years, the Center has expanded educational opportunities for incarcerated learners while building a community of students, graduates, and alumni.

In 2025–26, Wesleyan launched the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) Degree Completion Scholars Program, creating a pathway for former CPE students to continue their education on Wesleyan’s campus. Through small annual cohorts, the program extends the reach and power of Wesleyan affiliation beyond prison walls, supporting students on the continuum from in‑prison education to campus integration.

CPE is also deepening its commitment to the broader community of students and alumni returning home after incarceration. Since the Center’s founding, more than 80 students who began their studies through CPE have returned to communities across Connecticut.

As part of its next chapter, CPE is developing a comprehensive reentry and student success strategy that supports students pursuing a wide range of educational and professional pathways, including degree completion at Wesleyan, transfer and enrollment at Connecticut State Community College, workforce and professional certification programs, entrepreneurship, public service, and community leadership.

Reporting to the Director of the Center for Prison Education, the Associate Director of Reentry and Student Success will lead this emerging area of the Center’s work. The Associate Director serves as the primary point of contact for students transitioning from incarceration to community life and for CPE alumni pursuing continued education, employment, leadership opportunities, and professional growth.

Working across Wesleyan University and with partners throughout Connecticut, the Associate Director will design and implement programs that strengthen educational continuity after release, cultivate a strong and connected community of former students, expand educational and professional pathways, and connect students and alumni with the resources necessary to achieve their goals. The position is critical to ensuring that the educational journeys begun in the CPE classrooms continue to generate opportunity, belonging, and impact long after release.

• Lead the development and implementation of CPE’s academic reentry and student success strategy.
• Build relationships with students preparing for release and provide individualized educational planning and transition support.
• Serve as the primary campus navigator for BLS Degree Completion Scholars and support their transition into academic and student life at Wesleyan.
• Assist students in navigating admissions, transfer, enrollment, financial aid, and degree completion processes at Wesleyan, Connecticut State Community College, and other institutions.
• Coordinate academic and student support services related to educational persistence, academic success, and degree completion.
• Maintain regular contact with students and alumni pursuing educational goals and provide coaching and guidance.

• Develop and sustain community‑building and alumni programming for the Center for Prison Education community.
• Organize alumni gatherings, professional development programs, networking opportunities, and community‑building events.
• Recruit, train, and supervise CPE’s Alumni Engagement Fellows, rotating year‑long roles serving as community liaisons and peer reentry mentors from the CPE alumni network.
• Design and oversee peer mentorship initiatives connecting current students, recently released students, and alumni.
• Create opportunities for alumni leadership, public engagement, storytelling, and participation in Center activities.
• Support the development and maintenance of an alumni network.

• Build and maintain relationships with…