
Instructors and volunteers are the lifeblood of CPEP. Each semester we actively recruit Cornell faculty and lecturers as well as Cornell PhD students and Law students to teach in-prison classes rostered either by Cornell or through our long-time partner, Cayuga Community College. We also recruit undergraduates (21 and older) and community members to support our students in-prison as volunteers. Below you will find additional information on the opportunities available to you and how to apply.
Teaching and Tutoring
Opportunities for Cornell Faculty & Lecturers to Teach in Prison
We welcome inquiries from prospective instructors who seek opportunities to teach college-level classes in prison. All Cornell faculty who are interested in teaching for the program are welcome to contact our deputy director to request additional information by clicking below.
The teaching faculty for the Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S.) program is currently under construction. Courses in the B.P.S. will include business, management, economics and finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, data analytics, global development, and the study of inequality. Instructors will be selected in consultation with the creators of each course, in collaboration Cornell’s School of Continuing Education.
Opportunities for Cornell PhD students to teach in prison
Occasionally, we place Cornell PhD students to teach Cornell-rostered courses in the facilities we serve. These courses are provided both as electives to supplement the SUNY associate degree curriculum and as additional courses that CPEP graduates can take for further credits and enrichment. These Cornell teaching placements are predominantly volunteer, but graduate instructors may qualify to receive a modest teaching subsidy. With their department’s consent, PhD students who have passed their A exam are eligible to teach a course. Use the button below to submit a course proposal for teaching a Cornell-rostered course in prison. Any inquiries regarding Cornell teaching should be directed to Keisha Burrow, Deputy Director.
With greater frequency, we refer prospective graduate instructors or community members to teach a community college-rostered course through Cayuga Community College as part of our partnership. In this case, instructors are hired directly by CCC at the college’s adjunct instructor rate. Prospective instructors ABD or who hold a master’s degree in the subject they intend to teach may qualify to teach a CCC course. Please click the button below to submit an interest form to teach a CCC class in prison. Any inquiries regarding CCC teaching in prison can also be directed to the Cayuga Community College PEP Coordinator, Dustin Stalnaker.
Opportunities for Cornell Law Students
Each spring semester, via partnership with Cornell Law School, CPEP offers undergraduate level, Cornell rostered government courses focused on different areas of the law. These courses are taught by second- and third-year Cornell law students as part of the Prison Education Practicum. Past courses include Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Civil Procedure, Contract Law, Torts, Immigration Law, and Legal Writing. These courses transfer in as electives for incarcerated students seeking an associate degree through Cayuga Community College. Graduates of the associate degree program also continue to take Cornell elective courses for their own enrichment.
For law students who are interested in teaching in prison, please contact Professor Mizutani, who leads the teaching practicum.
Opportunities for Undergrads & Community Members to Volunteer as Tutors
CPEP welcomes undergraduates age 21 and older, as well as community members, to volunteer as in-prison tutors. Tutors commit to a weekly session held in our computer lab over the course of a semester, where they work directly with students to support coursework, assignments, and ongoing projects.
If you are interested in becoming a tutor for an upcoming semester, please send an email to Keisha Burrow.
Support CPEP
The Cornell Prison Education Program (CPEP) is entirely funded through private gifts and grants, making donor support essential to every aspect of our work. While Cornell University waives tuition and provides extraordinary academic resources and volunteers, CPEP receives no direct university funding and covers all program costs independently. Every class, book, educational resource, and opportunity we provide inside the prisons we serve is made possible through the generosity of supporters who believe in the transformative power of higher education.