Anonymous Trust expands support for reentry, incarcerated education programs

Campbell University has received a transformative charitable grant from the Anonymous Trust to expand access to education for incarcerated individuals, including those transitioning back into the community as they pursue their educational goals.

The funding will support two key initiatives: the Women's Reentry Higher Education Initiative, in partnership with Arise Collective as well as scholarships and program support for students at Anson Correctional Institution.

"This investment reflects our belief in the transformative power of education to restore opportunity, dignity, and purpose," said Debbie Aiken, Executive Director of the Anonymous Trust. "We are proud to partner with Campbell University and Arise Collective to expand access to higher education and create meaningful pathways to workforce success for justice involved people."

The Anonymous Trust has been a dedicated partner of Campbell University's Second Chance Initiative since 2022, supporting the program's expansion to Anson Correctional Institution and strengthening local, community-based partnerships, including the Reentry Higher Education Initiative (RHEI) with Arise Collective.

"The Second Chance Initiative is one of Campbell University's true signature programs, and efforts to support successful reentry are aligned with our institutional mission," shared University President Dr. William M. Downs. "We are profoundly grateful to the Anonymous Trust for believing in these pathways and for their generous investment in recidivism-reducing efforts in North Carolina."

A core component of RHEI's success is the intentional, high-touch model of student support. Campbell's longstanding leadership in both incarcerated and reentry education underscores the university's commitment to providing individualized academic advising, foundational skills development, and, in conjunction with Arise Collective, peer-based educational mentoring and comprehensive wraparound supports. These services are essential for helping incarcerated individuals build confidence, strengthen academic preparedness, and persist through degree completion.

Following the graduation of 16 students from the Campbell University Second Chance Initiative at Anson Correctional Institution in January 2025, the program continues to see strong academic persistence. Currently, 12 incarcerated students remain enrolled and are two semesters away from completing their bachelor's degrees. Several graduates of the program have secured employment within 60 days of release.

"We are grateful to the Anonymous Trust for their continued investment in expanding access to higher education for justice-impacted individuals," said Kelly Morin, Assistant Dean of Adult & Online Education and head of the Second Chance Initiative. "Their support, now through a second grant, is helping us scale a model that not only increases access, but strengthens persistence, completion, and long-term outcomes for students across North Carolina. We also look forward to continuing our partnership with Arise Collective as we deepen this work and expand opportunities for the students we serve."

In addition to the primary award, the Anonymous Trust has approved a $300,000 "all-or-nothing" challenge grant to support the Pathways to Freedom Program, a well-recognized higher education initiative operating within the Western Correctional Center for Women in Black Mountain, NC and a NCDAC Professionals Program which would afford the correctional staff who share the environment with Second Chance access to higher education and professional development. To unlock the full $300,000, Campbell must raise an additional $300,000 in new, increased or from lapsed donors during the challenge period which runs through March 25, 2027. Click here to make a gift to the challenge grant.

About Campbell's Second Chance Initiative:

Campbell's Second Chance Initiative was established in 2019 through a public-private partnership with the Bob Barker Company Foundation (BBCF), the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, and Campbell University. The initiative originated from BBCF's interest in replicating the success of Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, a New York based program that had demonstrated significant reductions in recidivism through access to quality postsecondary education for incarcerated individuals.

Anson, along with Sampson Correctional Institution in Clinton, is one of two prisons taking part in Campbell's Second Chance Initiative, which is actively working to bring more education opportunities to correctional facilities throughout North Carolina.

In January 2023, Campbell University entered into a partnership with Arise Collective, a non-profit organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina whose mission is to equip women with the tools and support they need to heal, grow, and thrive, both in prison and in the communities to which they return. Campbell University serves as the educational partner for this initiative to provide student support services, tutoring, academic advising, and enrollment management for eligible women who are beginning or continuing their education upon re-entry.