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May 20th, 2026, marked a profound and historic celebration for the Yale Prison Education Initiative at Dwight Hall (YPEI), which hosted its fourth graduation through its partnership with the University of New Haven and its Prison Education Program. The graduation marked the first graduation ceremony of the program at the Danbury Federal Correctional Institution (FSL) in Danbury, CT where the program currently offers access to the only college degree program available for any incarcerated women in any federal prison in the U.S. Among the guests were Yale University President Maurie McInnis ’96 Ph.D., Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander ’84, and University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen.
At the ceremony, University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen conferred degrees on 11 A.A. graduates, including one returning to the prison post-release. Students were joined by their family and friends as well as distinguished representatives of both University of New Haven (Newhaven) and Yale. Four graduates also earned their diplomas in absentia.
Founded in 2016 at Dwight Hall by Zelda Roland ’08, ’16 Ph.D., YPEI launched its first credit-bearing Yale courses and programming at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in 2018. This marked the first opportunity for incarcerated students to earn Yale credit.
YPEI continued to expand and in 2022, Dwight Hall’s Yale Prison Education Initiative (YPEI) began offering credit-bearing Yale courses to incarcerated individuals at the low-security women’s prison in Danbury Federal Correctional Institution in Connecticut. Unlike many other prison education programs across the country, which offer technical or vocational training, YPEI (which is a member of the Bard Prison Initiative’s national Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison) offered a wide variety of liberal arts classes, with the same syllabi and professors as classes offered at Yale and the University of New Haven.
When asked about the graduation ceremony, Zelda reflected on the significance of the occasion.
“This year marks YPEI’s tenth anniversary, and as we approach this milestone, it was incredibly moving at graduation to see so many people from both campuses and beyond who have helped not only build this program, but sustain it,” Zelda said. “What we’ve created is both unique and deeply impactful.”
Zelda also highlighted the significance of having Elizabeth Alexander in attendance.
“Having Elizabeth Alexander there was especially meaningful,” she said. “She has been passionate about supporting this program and was committed to attending our first graduation. Her presence felt like a promise fulfilled; she helped secure the initial funding that made it possible to establish YPEI as a degree-granting program, and for her to witness the results of that work firsthand was a powerful moment.”
The participation of Yale President Maurie McInnis ‘98 Ph.D. and other leaders was equally meaningful. Alongside University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen and Dwight Hall at Yale Executive Director Peter Crumlish ‘09 M.A.R., President McInnis’s remarks touched on the importance of institutional partnerships and how an initiative like YPEI can thrive with support from a host organization such as Dwight Hall.
At the ceremony, President McInnis stated that the event was the culmination not only of the graduates’ work and that of YPEI and UNH staff, but also the “culmination of work at Yale to expand the possibility of education in prison going back to the 1970s.” She further acclaimed that “Dwight Hall is the headquarters for the work our students do in collaboration with communities across New Haven, and Connecticut, and the world.”
She continued by telling graduates, “It seems to me that an occasion like this one is an opportune time to reflect on the blessings of thought, and to ask: Why are thoughts blessings? I believe that the degrees you’ve earned offer an answer to this question. In your classes, you’ve encountered the possibilities of thinking. You’ve experienced how contemplating ideas, events, and works of art and literature that may seem far removed from your own circumstances can nonetheless open new ways for you to think about yourselves, others, and the world.”
Tracy Westmoreland, YPEI’s Danbury Site Director, has been managing and stewarding the program and extended his deep appreciation for the celebration. “We had quite a few students who completed their associate degrees previously, so this graduation gave us the opportunity to celebrate graduates from our first, second, and third cohorts together. What’s been especially rewarding is watching that growth over time—seeing students take their first math class and then go on to become a tutor for others and watching them develop their writing and intellectual skills.”
At the ceremony, graduates gave speeches honoring their education and experiences. Karmen Englert, one of the graduates, highlighted the influence of YPEI and UNH on her life. “YPEI and UNH saw something in me that I didn’t. They saw the part of me I lost long ago—the part of me that still dreamed of. The part of me that still held drive and ambition. The part of me that still believed I could be something other than what I was.”
Erin Brown-Smolin continued these remarks by emphasizing the power of not only YPEI and UNH, but also the community of women within the cohort. “Working with the women in my cohort created a different kind of bond than what is usually formed in the prison environment. We were in uncharted territory and became a support system for each other. We were the foundation for subsequent cohorts, and as our academic family has grown, we have created a community of learning that inspires those around us and future students.”
Aside from celebrating the graduates, Zelda noted that one of the most meaningful aspects of commencement was seeing students and their families together.
“For many of our graduates, this is the first time they’ve been able to share a meal with their loved ones together in person in a long time. One graduate told me it was the first time she had shared a meal with her family in years. It’s not just about the ceremony — it’s also about being able to spend that time together.”
Similarly, Tracy noted that the presence and recognition of the staff and faculty that have shaped the program was remarkable.
“One aspect of the program that often gets overlooked is the dedication of the faculty from Yale and UNH. They do so much work behind the scenes and don’t always receive the recognition they deserve. At graduation, we were able to honor a few of them in front of a large audience, which was especially meaningful. It was an opportunity to acknowledge the commitment and impact our faculty have had on the lives of our students.”
In the coming years, YPEI hopes to continue expanding its outreach to other areas of Connecticut while investing in the growth of its programming. One example is a mural workshop at the Danbury site, where, this summer students are creating a large mural in the cafeteria under the direction of Dr. Kymberly Pinder, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of the Yale School of Art. For over two weeks, the students there worked twice a day to create a piece of art that will remain a lasting presence in the lives of the women who participate in the program. YPEI also recently collaborated with the Yale Repertory Theater and David Geffen School of Drama to bring a staged reading of its recent production, “Furlough’s Paradise,” to the facility.
YPEI’s work embodies the Advance pillar of Dwight Hall’s Engage, Grow, and Advance program delivery model. YPEI effects lasting change in the lives of its participants and the larger community while transforming Yale’s campus and leading the way in prison education nationwide.
The program’s success is driven by Founding Director Zelda Roland `08 PhD `16; Deputy Director Vanessa Estimé; Danbury Site Director and Transfer Coordinator Tracy Westmoreland; Program Coordinator Emme Magliato `23; and Program Assistant Emilia Thornton.
YPEI also extends its deep gratitude to the many individuals and institutions that make their work possible, including Yale, the University of New Haven, the Dwight Hall staff and student leaders, alumni who continue to support the initiative, the CT Department of Correction and Federal Bureau of Prisons, and hundreds of volunteers, supporters, and partners across Connecticut.
Learn more about the Yale Prison Education Initiative and contribute to advancing prison education here. You can make a direct contribution to the program through Dwight Hall at Yale, at this link.
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