MILWAUKEE — A graduation ceremony at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) is giving 10 men a second chance.
“I could’ve sat back and done nothing with my time, but I’m trying to turn negative into positive,” Andrew Griggs, one of the graduates, said.
Griggs and the other nine graduates are in the custody of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
Over 16 weeks, they earned a welding certificate through MATC’s Second Chance program. It provides federal aid to students in state and federal prisons so they can receive post-secondary education while incarcerated.
The 17-credit program taught the men welding and job skills with the goal of preparing them for a job upon being released.
“It’s a long journey. They’ve really made some sacrifices but also completed it with really good grades,” Dr. Sadique Isahaku, Executive Dean of Academic Strategy & Innovation at MATC, said.
Family and friends gathered at MATC Tuesday morning for the official ceremony where the graduates’ work was on display.
“I hope others behind me and at-risk youth can see there are different ways to make it out of the environment. Other ways besides stealing cars and dealing drugs and playing with guns. You can make yourself better,” Jevon Curtis, a graduate, explained.
He is serving a seven-year sentence for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. After being released, he hopes to work in the welding field.
Since 2016, over 100 individuals have graduated from the MATC program.
A report by the Vera Institute of Justice found incarcerated people who take part in post-secondary education programs have 48% lower odds of going back into custody.
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