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Houghton University-Buffalo East Offers Life Changing Education

April 23, 2021

For the 2.3 million individuals currently incarcerated in the United States in federal or state prisons, education can be a driving force in changing the trajectory of their lives and propelling them towards successful reentry into society following release.

Houghton University—Buffalo East is committed to offering Associate of Arts degree programs for local, justice-involved, and at-risk individuals. Many of these individuals believe that a college education isn’t within their reach—whether because of the arduous application process for people with criminal convictions, the cost of tuition, doubts about their readiness for college-level work, or concerns about whether they would fit in on a traditional college campus. Houghton Buffalo East, located in the King Urban Life Center, was established to address these concerns by providing a variety of academic supports and case management services not typically available on college campuses. Although Houghton University does not offer classes inside correctional facilities, its mission is similar to that of college-in-prison programs: to provide vulnerable members of our society with a crucial tool for re-entry, workplace readiness, and personal growth.

“The positive effects for the prisoner, their families, and the wider community are clear and well-documented. An education recognizes the God-given dignity of all individuals. It provides a fresh start. And it provides the confidence to face a new future and look candidly at the past,” CCCU President Shirley Hoogstra.

Houghton University is proud to partner with CCCU (The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities). The CCCU is a higher education association of more than 180 Christian institutions around the world. Since 1976, the CCCU has served as the leading national voice of Christian higher education.