Nancy Pelosi will address Northwestern Prison Education Program commencement

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Nancy Pelosi named Northwestern Prison Education Program commencement speaker

First woman speaker of the House will address incarcerated women receiving bachelor's degrees

• Link to: Northwestern Now Story

EVANSTON, Ill. - Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, will deliver the Northwestern Prison Education Program commencement address on Friday, Oct. 16. This graduation marks the first time incarcerated women students in the U.S. will be conferred a bachelor's degree from a top 10 university.

"We are deeply honored to have Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi deliver the commencement address for NPEP's inaugural cohort of graduating women students," said Jennifer Lackey, the founding director of NPEP and Wayne and Elizabeth Jones Professor of Philosophy and professor of law (courtesy) at Northwestern University.

"As the first woman to serve as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Speaker Pelosi understands the significance of being the first - and the responsibility that comes with opening doors for those who follow," Lackey continued. "There could be no more fitting person to celebrate this extraordinary moment with our students, whose graduation represents a historic milestone for incarcerated women and for higher education in the United States. Their achievement challenges assumptions about who belongs in our universities and who can contribute to the life of our democracy."

Pelosi served as the 52nd Speaker of the House of Representatives, having made history in 2007 when she was elected the first woman to serve as speaker. She made history again in January 2019 when she became the first person in more than six decades to regain the speakership. Pelosi continues to represent San Francisco in Congress, as she has done for 39 years.

For her lifetime of distinguished public service, Pelosi received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

After two decades of leading the House Democrats, Pelosi continues to fight for the people to lower costs, grow paychecks and create jobs as the Representative from California's 11th Congressional District.

"At Northwestern, we believe that new knowledge can change lives. NPEP provides an opportunity for incarcerated people to receive a world-class education and feel a powerful sense of accomplishment and pride," said Northwestern Provost Erik Luijten. "I am confident Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will provide enormous inspiration for these hard-working graduates. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate this special day with such an influential leader and public servant."

NPEP is the only bachelor's degree-granting program for incarcerated students offered by a top 10 university in the United States. Since 2018, it has partnered with Oakton College and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) to deliver credit-bearing courses to incarcerated students.

"The Illinois Department of Corrections is honored to support this historic commencement for NPEP's inaugural cohort of graduating women," said Latoya Hughes, director of the Illinois Department of Corrections. "Welcoming Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to this occasion underscores the significance of their achievements and highlights the impact that education can have in transforming futures and strengthening communities. This moment stands as a powerful recognition of the graduates' commitment and as an inspiring testament to what can be achieved within our facilities."

Northwestern admitted the inaugural class of 20 NPEP students in 2022 and has since graduated two cohorts of men. The current cohort of graduates includes 18 women. The program currently serves 68 students enrolled in NPEP across Logan Correctional Center, a multi-level security state facility for women located in Lincoln, and Sheridan Correctional Center, a multi-level security state prison for men in Sheridan, Illinois.