Winner's Circle Launches Inspiring and Innovative Rehabilitation Program in Tennessee

Winner's Circle, a comprehensive digital personal development and workforce readiness program, is now available to residents at CoreCivic's Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville, Tennessee. The program kicked off with an event at Trousdale Turner, featuring program creator Shelley Winner and Nashville-based musician Struggle Jennings, the grandson of country star Waylon Jennings.

Winner and Jennings spoke to residents about their lived experience and how they were able to overcome adversity. Jennings also performed several songs featuring his life story, his incarceration and how he changed his life in a positive way-providing hope and inspiration for the justice-involved men in the audience.

Due to drug use, Winner faced a ten-year sentence. But during her time in prison, she actively participated in rehabilitative programs and turned her life around. She also participated in programs that taught her entrepreneurship and leadership skills. When she was released, Winner advocated for herself and ultimately earned a role at Microsoft where she became the company's number one global computer sales representative. Since founding Winner's Circle in 2019, she uses her experience to teach and inspire others. Her personal journey informs the program's practical, results-oriented design and commitment to second chances.

"I feel like I now understand the secret to success," Winner shared. "It's all a mindset, so I teach about mindset. I teach about energy and how your thoughts become reality, and if you change your thoughts, you can change your energy. And if you change your energy, you can change your life."

Winner's Circle provides personal development and workforce readiness skills designed to prepare incarcerated individuals for successful reentry into society. Delivered through CoreCivic's Go Further Discovery secure tablets and computer lab systems, the program provides a structured, self-paced curriculum focused on emotional intelligence, mindset transformation, life skills, and vocational training.

As one of the first fully scalable rehabilitative workforce development programs of its kind, Winner's Circle enables consistent, high-quality instruction to reach large populations efficiently across facilities. Its technology-driven delivery model ensures participants have equitable access to measurable, outcome-focused learning opportunities that can directly impact their long-term success.

"Programs like Winner's Circle are critical to preparing the men in our facility for successful reentry," said Stanley Lovett, warden at Trousdale Turner. "By focusing not only on job skills but also on mindset, accountability, and personal growth, we are giving individuals the tools they need to return to their communities better prepared, more confident, and positioned for long-term success."

Through measurable progress tracking and data-driven performance benchmarks, Winner's Circle supports the mission of the Tennessee Department of Correction to reduce recidivism, strengthen public safety, and equip participants with the tools, confidence, and real-world skills needed to build stable, successful futures.