It started with a class. In spring 2026, 17 students enrolled in Introduction to Creative Writing through Grand Valley State University's Bellamy Creek Program. By the end of the course, the writing that the students produced, and the process of getting there, prompted a new question for faculty in GVSU's Writing Department: What if there were a way to create that kind of space for people at Bellamy Creek who were not currently enrolled in the university's program? That quest

For years, commencement at Lake Superior State University was a familiar tradition for Marc Boucher, Director of Library & Academic Services. But this year, as he watched 15 students cross the stage to receive their associate degrees through LSSU’s STEP UP program, the ceremony carried a different kind of weight. “This is by far the most powerful and meaningful commencement I have been to,” Boucher said. The graduates were members of STEP UP’s inaugural cohort, which began ta

A college degree can be a milestone. It can also become a foundation for leadership, advocacy, and community change. Jacara Moore graduated from Eastern Michigan University’s College in Prison Program in 2025 as a member of the inaugural cohort at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. She earned her Bachelor of General Studies degree with a 4.0 GPA, founded the EMU Business Club at WHV, and won EMU’s first annual Business Pitch Competition. After completing her certific