Prison Inmates Graduate from 'Pivot the Hustle' at Roger Williams

By Edward Fitzpatrick, Roger Williams University

BRISTOL, RI — Nine men, also prison inmates, graduated on Wednesday from “Pivot the Hustle,” an innovative program that helps Rhode Island inmates turn their lives around and head toward productive careers.

Roger Williams University’s School of Continuing Studies and the state Department of Corrections launched the career and job-readiness program in January 2016, and this class represents the third group of men to graduate. The first-ever group of female participants graduated in December. The program, which uses no taxpayer money, was developed and is managed by RWU.

RWU President Donald J. Farish said the program represents just one example of RWU’s goal of building the university the world needs now. “‘Pivot the Hustle’ supplies inmates with the skills necessary to help them get their lives back on track,” he said.

“Every person who can follow the path to financial independence, rather than a return path to prison, not only has his or her self-respect back, but also does not cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars each year to incarcerate,” he said.

Adriana I. Dawson -- assistant dean of RWU’s School of Continuing Studies, who oversees the Center for Workforce and Professional Development and serves as a program instructor – said, “The end of the program is always bittersweet for me. I have gotten to know these men over the course of the last couple of months, and I know how committed they are to turning their lives around. My hope is that employers recognize this population as a potential talent pool and are just as willing to support their successful transition with jobs on the other end.”

“Pivot the Hustle” builds on prison-based education programs, aiming to develop the “soft skills” that make former inmates more employable, Dawson said. At the outset, the program prompts inmates to analyze where they are in life, what changes they need to make and where they want to be in the future, she said. It prepares them to talk about their personal stories and to speak to an employer. It teaches them how to look for jobs and to match their skills with job opportunities. And it provides a model for giving ex-offenders the ability to contribute to the state’s economy, she said.

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