Posted on Thursday, December 18, 2025
Students from Westminster College recently joined incarcerated students at Trumbull Correctional Institution (TCI) in Warren, Ohio, to celebrate the successful completion of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program during a closing ceremony held on Dec. 1.
The program, taught by Dr. Jamie Chapman, associate professor of sociology at Westminster College, brought together 10 Westminster students and 11 incarcerated students for the course Sociology of Family: Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. The class met for two hours every Monday morning throughout the fall semester inside the correctional institution.
Inside-Out Prison Exchange courses provide a distinctive experiential learning opportunity by combining traditional college students and incarcerated students in a shared academic environment. Through collaborative discussion and coursework, students critically examine sociological concepts while engaging across social differences in a setting where all perspectives are valued.
“I think that’s the most powerful part of this class—gaining perspective and insight into lives we may have never seen or a way of life we may have never experienced,” said Kole, a Westminster student who participated in the program. Inside-Out courses operate under strict guidelines designed to ensure safety and mutual respect, including maintaining semi-anonymity among participants by using first names only.
“This program is something that needs to continue. It’s a level of connection and perspective that is so important, especially for people like most of us majoring in sociology or criminal justice studies,” he continued.
Westminster College has partnered with Trumbull Correctional Institution for approximately a decade to offer the Inside-Out program. This fall marked Dr. Chapman’s third time teaching the course, continuing a longstanding commitment to experiential education and community engagement.
The closing ceremony recognized the dedication, growth and academic achievements of all students involved, underscoring the transformative impact of education in fostering understanding, connection and meaningful dialogue across communities.
For more information about the Inside-Out program, contact Chapman at chapmajj@westminster.edu.
Learn more about Westminster’s sociology and criminal justice studies programs at www.westminster.edu/cjs.
