Executive Director
From Prison Cells to PhD, Inc.
FOCUS
The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other country in the world (2.3 million people with an additional 4.7 million under supervision, with 70 percent being people-of-color). Obtaining higher education reduced the rate of returning to prison by 43 percent and was 4 to 5 times LESS costly than reincarcerating that person. Education provides opportunities for people with criminal records to move beyond their experiences with the system and reach their full potentials. Furthering one’s education is healthy to individuals, their families, and the community, by increasing income and reducing crime. Stanley’s vision for a Culture of Health is one of inclusivity, equal justice, and equal educational and employment opportunity for all people. As a young black male assistant professor at a top predominantly white institution and a top historically-black-college-and-university, and as a formerly incarcerated person, he has seen first-hand the disparities and inequities of society and the underrepresentation in medicine and science from multiple diverse perspectives.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE: Higher Education for Criminal Justice- involved Individuals: Pathway to Self-transformation
The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other country in the world. Higher education has been shown to decrease the five-year recidivism rate. My objective is to: (1) provide two-month career readiness workshops to prepare individuals from criminal justice involved communities to pursue and obtain postsecondary education using an asset-based community development methodology; (2) provide at least one year of continued support via weekly tutoring and mentoring utilizing a strength-focused framework and financial literacy; (3) instill a sense of hope, self-worth, and empowerment in our scholars to reach and achieve their full potential through asset-focused leadership development; and (4) enroll 35 people per cohort, which includes a two-month workshop and one year of individualized weekly mentoring and coaching sessions. This creates and empowers change agents to go out and make policy change, as well as empower and create more change agents.
MORE ABOUT STANLEY
Dr. Andrisse is a formerly incarcerated person with three felony convictions, sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking. He is now an endocrinologist scientist and faculty at Howard University College of Medicine and Georgetown Medical Center. Furthering one’s education is paramount to successful reentry into society.