Prison Ed Panel

Rehabilitation is a cornerstone of education and community building. On Sept. 22, the CSN brought those ideas together at the June Whitley Building for the Nevada Prison Education Program’s Fall 2026 discussion panel.

The event brought together public officials, educators, staff, academic professionals and, most importantly, people who had experienced incarceration. They shared their stories and discussed the role education can play in helping people rebuild their lives after prison.

“We named this panel Recovery, Accountability, and the Role of Education in Creating Change because these pieces are deeply connected,” said Genevieve D. Minter, Ph.D. “The CSN Prison Education Program is not about avoiding accountability, people go to prison for a reason. But if nearly 90% of people who go to prison will eventually return to our communities, the question becomes: who are we sending home?”

Minter described education as one part of helping people build a future after prison. She said its effects can reach beyond students to their families and the wider community.

“Education has shown to help people take accountability, move forward, and lift generations out of the cycle of incarceration and poverty. Our Program doesn’t just benefit our students, it benefits their families, saves tax dollars, while enhancing the safety of the broader community we all share.”

The panel’s message became tangible when one of CSNs very own students received a new complete set of tools from the school to continue to support her journey from prison to CSN. She shared what the gift meant to her as she continued building a future through education.

Throughout the event, the room responded with applause, smiles and moments of reflection. Many speakers’ stories brought tears. Together however, their experiences showed how access to education can help people move forward while strengthening the community they return to. That community is CSN

[See the photos from the event]