INDIANA — Gov. Mike Braun is expanding opportunities for incarcerated Hoosiers to gain skills to help them successfully reenter society through a new 10-year agreement between the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) and Ivy Tech Community College.
The renewed partnership reflects Governor Braun’s commitment to strengthening programs that reduce barriers to employment for those exiting the criminal justice system.
Access to workforce training ahead of release is proven to ease that transition and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
“Strengthening reentry programs is a priority for my administration because what happens inside our correctional facilities has a direct impact on public safety,” said Braun, who, after taking office in 2025, directed IDOC to advance opportunities for the recently incarcerated to secure employment. “We have a responsibility to prepare people for life after prison and give them a real opportunity to succeed. Continuing this partnership with Ivy Tech is an important investment in that work.”
140 Ivy Tech instructors provide educational services to 6,500 incarcerated people across 15 adult facilities in Indiana. Students receive career and technical training in programs that include welding, culinary arts, cosmetology, and more, with opportunities to earn industry-recognized certifications. Basic adult education in support of earning a high school equivalency diploma is also available.
IDOC Commissioner Lloyd Arnold considers the partnership with Ivy Tech a critical component of the department’s efforts to prepare inmates for life after incarceration.
“Our responsibility is to give the people leaving our facilities the best possible chance,” said Arnold. “We don’t want them to be idle while serving time. We want them to take advantage of what’s available to them through partnerships like the one we have with Ivy Tech.”
The partnership has seen significant growth both in participation and student achievement. Since 2021, enrollment in correctional education programs has increased by more than 3,000 students, while annual program completions have more than doubled, rising from 1,272 in 2021 to 2,833 in 2025.
“Education has the power to change lives, and that opportunity should extend to individuals preparing for a second chance,” said Ivy Tech President Dr. Marty Pollio. “Through this partnership, we are helping thousands of Hoosiers gain the skills, confidence, and credentials they need to build meaningful careers and successfully reenter their communities.”
“We are excited to build on this momentum over the next decade and help even more Hoosiers achieve their educational and career goals,” added Amanda Harsin, chancellor of Ivy Tech’s Madison campus, which oversees Ivy Tech’s correctional education programs. “Every student who gains a new skill or completes a program is better positioned to pursue employment, support their family, and contribute to their community.”
At a recent ceremony at Plainfield Correctional Facility, newly minted graduates of Ivy Tech programs reflected on what having access to education behind bars has meant to them. Antoine Bird, who also serves as a peer tutor for fellow inmates, was among those finding reasons to celebrate.
“I am not the man today that I was when I walked in here 22 years ago,” he said.
