Federal Financial Aid Now Available for Students in Shared Cayuga & Cornell Program

Students in three New York State prisons in a collaborative program offered through Cornell University and Cayuga Community College are now eligible for federal financial aid, supporting the focus of both institutions to offer inclusive, accessible academic opportunities.

Students in the Cornell Prison Education Program (CPEP) who are matriculated in Cayuga programs are now eligible to apply for Pell Grants, offering them financial support as they pursue an associate degree and advance their academic goals. Greater financial aid opportunities will also expand equitable access to education and allow Cayuga and Cornell to serve a greater number of students.

Leaders at Cayuga and Cornell praised the announcement, saying the two institutions have made a substantial difference in the lives of students since their partnership began in 2008.

“Cayuga has a long-standing focus on creating academic opportunities for everyone in our communities, and an integral part of this effort is our partnership with the Cornell Prison Education Program. Through this collaboration, we’ve helped individuals earn their degrees and advance their academic and personal goals,” said Dr. Keiko Kimura, Cayuga’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Making Pell Grants available to CPEP students is a great opportunity for current and future students to further pursue their academic journey.”

“This is a major milestone in the partnership between Cornell University and Cayuga Community College, a collaboration that began almost two decades ago,” said Dr. Rob Scott, Executive Director of the Cornell Prison Education Program and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Cornell University. “We are proud to continue working side-by-side with our colleagues at Cayuga to offer high-quality associate degree granting programs in three prisons in Central New York. The work we do together has a positive impact on our students as well as their families and communities.”

Cayuga and Cornell will implement Pell applications for CPEP students starting in the Fall 2025 semester. The U.S. Department of Education approved Pell Grants for CPEP students earlier this month.

CPEP provides courses leading to college degrees, with a focus also on helping students build meaningful lives inside prison and preparing for a successful return to civic life. The program also encourages thought and action on social justice issues.

CPEP unites Cornell faculty, graduate students and undergraduate assistants in teaching a college-level liberal arts curriculum. Enrolled students can earn a Cornell Certificate in Liberal Arts or an Associate of Arts from Cayuga.

The collaboration between Cayuga and Cornell started in 2008, when Cayuga’s Liberal Arts and Sciences/Humanities and Social Sciences program was first offered at the Auburn Correctional Facility. This effort eventually grew to include the Cayuga Correctional Facility and the Five Points Correctional Facility.

Approval to offer Pell Grants to CPEP students will allow Cayuga and Cornell to serve a greater number of enrolled students. Pell funding has been unavailable for incarcerated students since 1994 and was reinstated through federal legislation passed in 2020 requiring restoration of this form of federal financial aid by the fall of 2023.

For more information on CPEP, https://cpep.cornell.edu/, or contact Jenna LaPietra at jl4637@cornell.edu.