Free to Learn
SF’s Free to Learn initiatives are supported by a Florida Humanities Greater Good: Humanities in Academia Grant for SF’s project Humanities Behind & Beyond Bars. Project initiatives include a podcast series, Free to Learn: Education In and Out of Prison, two Ethics Slams to engage both the SF campus and broader Gainesville community in constructive dialogue about incarceration’s ethical, humanitarian dimensions, and a Spring Symposium, Unlocking Purpose and Potential, which will provide a platform for sharing stories and information, considering the role that education can play in breaking the cycle of incarceration, and exploring steps that we as individuals, and as a collective college community, can take to provide opportunities and a community of care for our citizens who are impacted by incarceration.
The aim of this project and its initiatives is (1) to increase public understanding of incarceration in Florida, its impact on our communities, and the role that education can play in reducing rates of recidivism and promoting safer, stronger communities; (2) to raise the voices of current and formerly incarcerated individuals (especially current and former SF students with carceral experience) to help inform steps SF can take to support this segment of their student population; and (3) to shine a spotlight on the obstacles faced by those with carceral experience in gaining access to education and resources that support their successful re-entry into the community post-incarceration.
Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities
(Opens in new window) with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities
(Opens in new window). Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Free to Learn
Latest Episodes
Securing the Future part 1
We all pursue education is a path to a job or career that can put food on our tables and a roof over our heads. Others see education as a way to make a positive difference in the world which adds to our collective security. Post-carceral ...
Securing the Future part 2
Welcome to Free to Learn, a podcast exploring the stories of formerly incarcerated college students. My name is Jason Frank. I'm an Instructional Designer at Santa Fe College, and I'm interested in better understanding how we can create a learn...
Whatever It Takes part 1
When a person understands what education can do for them, when they understand the opportunities it opens, and its power to change lives, they will move heaven and earth to be able to pursue it. In this episode, we’ll be talking with John Wise ...
Whatever It Takes part 2
When a person understands what education can do for them, when they understand the opportunities it opens and its power to change lives, they will move heaven and earth to be able to pursue it. In this episode, we continue our conversation with...
