My journey with CIU began almost six years ago when I was still incarcerated in Auburn Correctional Facility. I had just joined Cornell’s Prison Education Program and was doing well enough to start contemplating what it would look like to continue my education post-release. After a combined 9 years in juvenile and adult prisons, CIU helped me successfully earn my early release from the parole board.

After maintaining a 3.909 GPA throughout my undergraduate studies, I was encouraged to pursue my graduate degree. With CIU’s help, I was able to identify a special admissions opportunity at Stanford that allowed me to matriculate into one of Stanford's Coterminal Master's Degrees Programs as an undergraduate. I chose to pursue a Master’s degree in Education, with a focus on Policy, Organization, & Leadership as a way to bring the same holistic support and educational opportunities I had to others returning to society. During my Master’s program I was able to collaborate with Cornell University’s Criminal Justice Employment Initiative to build a technology platform for justice impacted applicants looking for employment and educational opportunities.

I officially received my BA in Political Science, an MA in Education, and was granted early release from California State Parole. Without the academic, financial, and community support of CIU and all of their partners it's hard to even contemplate where my life would have ended up. My next mission is to continue developing technology to improve outcomes for citizens and allies in the criminal justice reform movement.