Spark

The Heritage Class gathered this fall for its annual “Corner of the Campus” talk. This year’s featured speaker was Calvin professor Todd Cioffi, who is leading the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI).

CPI is a partnership between Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary that offers a bachelor’s degree to Michigan Department of Corrections prisoners who apply and are accepted to the program. Once accepted, prisoners from across the state are transferred to Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia to start their Calvin education. This fall brought in the third cohort of 20 students, bringing the total enrolled to nearly 60.

Cioffi’s talk explained how the program was developed, the need it fills and shared stories of the positive ripple effects this program is having at redeeming the lives of those in Handlon prison.