Education behind bars: EIU Degree Program transforming lives in Danville Correctional Center

DANVILLE, Ill. (WAND) — People incarcerated inside Danville Correctional Center are doing more than just serving time — they are earning degrees and redefining their futures.

The Eastern Illinois Degree Program gives incarcerated people the chance to earn a bachelor's degree while imprisoned.

Manuel Enrique, who is serving a sentence in the correctional center, said the EIU degree program has allowed him to grow as a student and a man.

"It made me start to evaluate who I am as a person, and I just wanted something different, because before that, I just wanted to give up," Enrique said.

Beyond the classroom, incarcerated people taking the degree program can also take part in the Community Anti-Violence Education (CAVE) Program. Students gather on Fridays for a session filled with open conversation.

"I've been incarcerated for 30 years, since 1997. CAVE was created to have a safe space where they could be separated from the cultural experience of what was happening in prison, to talk about your feelings, to acknowledge feelings because people will try to shame you for that," said Carlos Bowman.

More information on the programs offered by the Danville Correctional Center can be found on the Illinois Department of Corrections website.