MCC Hires New Director of Justice Impacted Education & Reentry Services

Middlesex Community College is excited to announce Lowell-native David Delvalle as the Director of Justice Impacted Education & Reentry Services. In his role, Delvalle will lead the college’s new Prison Education Program. Most recently serving as the Education and Reentry Director at Tufts University, he will assist MCC in supporting a population of students impacted by the justice system.

“I wanted to bring the mission of educational justice and reentry back to my hometown,” Delvalle said. “I also deeply believe in MCC’s mission to serve nontraditional learners, because I was once a nontraditional learner myself. I know firsthand how transformative access to education can be, and I wanted to bring that experience and commitment back to the Lowell community.”

Running in partnership with the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, MCC’s Prison Education Program allows incarcerated learners to take classes for credit toward a certificate or associate degree at MCC. As the director, Delvalle works with students as they complete their program of study, providing them with access to tools, support services, and college resources to be successful.

In his role at Middlesex, Delvalle most looks forward to watching the students he meets at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction in Billerica return home and continue their education. With a goal of leading them toward graduation, he hopes to guide them in building lives and careers that give them purpose. He also wants to emphasize the importance of the Prison Education Program to the MCC and greater community.

“I believe students will be inspired by the journeys of their justice-impacted classmates and by everything they have overcome to reach the classroom,” Delvalle said. “This mission of educational justice brings hope, builds community, and is a true testament to the transformative power of higher education.”

At Tufts, Delvalle was a founding member of the Prison Initiative at Tisch College and co-directed MyTERN, a reentry program on campus that supported students returning home from incarceration. Though Delvalle dropped out of high school, he became a first-generation college student. Earning his associate degree in liberal arts from Bunker Hill Community College, he holds a bachelor’s in civic studies from Tufts.

“My journey to higher education was anything but traditional,” Delvalle said. “During my incarceration, I fell in love with education. School ultimately saved my life and completely changed the way I saw myself and my future. That experience shaped my passion for educational justice, reentry, and creating opportunities for people who have historically been excluded from higher education.”

Delvalle chose to work at Middlesex because of the opportunities the community college provides to a variety of students. Drawn to the community-feel of MCC, he believes students are known, welcomed, and supported.

On September 3, MCC graduated four incarcerated learners who received their certificates in entrepreneurship. Calling the celebration a powerful example of the ways in which Middlesex provides students with access to education, Delvalle believes students can take advantage of opportunities to transform their lives for the better.

“Being part of an institution that believes in the potential of every student is incredibly meaningful to me,” he said. “My own journey is proof that where you start does not have to determine where you end up. Education changed my life, and I am excited to help create that same possibility for others.”