The Furman Prison Education Partnership (FPEP) brings higher education’s transformative potential to incarcerated people, those recently released from prison, and Furman students through an interdisciplinary program centered around increasing understanding of mass incarceration.
Founded in 2018 by a group of faculty and staff at Furman University, FPEP is built on a dialogic pedagogy that sees the classroom as an equalizing environment for the respectful exchange and debate of ideas.
FPEP’s work is concentrated in three primary areas:
- Offering higher education classes in carceral settings using the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program model, which brings Furman students into classrooms with incarcerated students to learn and interact as equals.
- Facilitating the FPEP Student Group, an on-campus organization led by Furman students interested in learning about mass incarceration and working with our incarcerated partners.
- Hosting an annual speaker series on incarceration in America to inform thought and action on Furman’s campus and in the wider community around issues of incarceration and reentry.
In creating the opportunity for Furman students, faculty, and staff to teach and learn alongside current and formerly incarcerated students, FPEP strives to advance the core tenants of The Furman Advantage—focusing on engaging students in community-centered learning, real-world experiences, and transformative self-discovery.
