PVCC to Deliver Tom Tom Festival Community Partner Program Examining the Restorative Power of Second Chances
Charlottesville, Va. – April 11, 2025 –Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) invites the community to an evening of discussion and film exploring incarceration, education and the power of second chances. The Tom Tom Festival Community Partner event “College Behind Bars: The Restorative Power of Second Chances” will take place in the V. Earl Dickinson Building Main Stage Theatre, Wednesday, April 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Dickinson Building is located at the south end of the main campus in Charlottesville, VA. The event is free and open to the public.
For nearly two decades, PVCC has been a leader in prison education, launching its first program at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women in 2006. Since then, the Higher Education in Prison Program has expanded to Dillwyn and Buckingham Correctional Centers, transforming the lives of over 150 graduates through post-secondary education.
The event will begin with a reading of student works from the PVCC Prison Creative Arts Program, offering a glimpse into the experiences and reflections of incarcerated learners. Following this, attendees will view “College Behind Bars,” the acclaimed Ken Burns documentary that highlights the impact of higher education in prison. The evening will conclude with a keynote address from Jesse Crosson of the Second Chancer Foundation, who will share his personal journey and advocate for the life-changing role of education in rehabilitation and reentry.
This program, held in recognition of Second Chance Month, aims to foster meaningful dialogue on the intersection of incarceration and education while celebrating the opportunities that learning can provide for individuals seeking a new path forward.
This event is made possible in part by a grant from Virginia Humanities.
Learn more about the event at https://tomtomfestival2025.sched.com/event/1xDfl/college-behind-bars-the-restorative-power-of-second-chances. Explore the PVCC Higher Education in Prison Program at pvcc.edu/pvcc-higher-education-prison-program.