Yes We Must Coalition receives a two-year $248,820 grant from ECMC Foundation to support incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students

July 1, 2026 – Bronx, NY – Metropolitan College of New York, a Founding Member of the Yes We Must Coalition (YWMC), will participate in a new national initiative designed to increase access, persistence, and success in higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students.

The initiative reflects the Yes We Must Coalition’s commitment to expanding opportunity for justice-impacted learners while advancing MCNY’s longstanding mission of creating pathways to educational and career success for students from all walks of life.

The Yes We Must Coalition (YWMC) has received a two-year, $248,820 grant from the ECMC Foundation to launch a collaborative initiative to increase success for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students.

Eleven member institutions of the Yes We Must Coalition will participate in the initiative. Three institutions with established programs serving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students will serve as exemplar facilitators: Benedict College (South Carolina), College Unbound (Rhode Island), and Mercy University (New York). These Leader Campus institutions will help lead the project by sharing effective approaches and programs currently in place to engage and support justice-impacted students.

Additional participating institutions include Ferrum College (Virginia), Heritage University (Washington), Mars Hill University (North Carolina), Metropolitan College of New York, Mount Saint Mary’s University (California), Point University (Georgia), Saint Elizabeth University (New Jersey), and Trocaire College (New York).

The initiative will begin with an in-person gathering in Fall 2026, where experienced practitioners from the three Leader Campus institutions will share insights, resources, and proven approaches. Participants will engage in structured discussions, collaborative planning sessions, and team-based workshops designed to help institutions create actionable strategies tailored to their campuses.

Following the gathering, participants will continue their work through virtual Communities of Practice, where they will share progress, exchange ideas, and support one another as they refine and implement their plans.

All participating institutions have identified serving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students as an important expression of their institutional missions. The Yes We Must Coalition remains the only organization dedicated to supporting private, nonprofit colleges and universities in advancing student success in higher education for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Because individuals from low-income backgrounds are disproportionately represented within the justice system, the Coalition views this initiative as a critical extension of its mission.

Nearly 2 million people are incarcerated in the United States on any given day, and roughly 600,000 people return from prison to their communities each year. People from low-income backgrounds are disproportionately represented in the justice system, and an estimated 85 percent of incarcerated adults do not hold a college degree. Expanding access to higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students can improve economic mobility, strengthen communities, and support successful reentry.

“We are grateful to the ECMC Foundation for supporting this important project,” said Gloria Nemerowicz, President of the Yes We Must Coalition. “This initiative will help our member institutions better serve justice-impacted students and expand access to the transformative benefits of higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.”

“Metropolitan College of New York is proud to participate in this important Yes We Must Coalition initiative. Providing educational opportunities to individuals who are rebuilding their lives reflects our mission and our belief that every learner deserves the chance to succeed. We look forward to learning alongside our peer institutions and strengthening pathways that help justice-impacted learners thrive in higher education and beyond.” – Hui-Yin Hsu, PhD, Dean for Academic Affairs and Institutional Representative, Metropolitan College of New York.

About Metropolitan College of New York

Metropolitan College of New York provides Purpose-Centered Education that integrates academic study with professional application, empowering students to turn learning into immediate impact in their careers and communities. Founded by Audrey Cohen in 1964 and now serving adult learners for over 60 years, Metropolitan College of New York offers accelerated degree programs, including bachelor’s degrees that can be completed in under 3 years and 1-year graduate programs designed for working professionals.

The College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is designated as a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI), Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). Its three schools, the Audrey Cohen School for Human Services and Education, the School for Business, and the School for Public Affairs and Administration, prepare graduates for career advancement and leadership in high-demand fields.

Metropolitan College of New York is located at 463 East 149th Street, Bronx, New York 10455. For more information, visit www.mcny.edu or call 212-343-1234.

Media Contact:

Tina Georgiou
Director of Communications
Metropolitan College of New York
212-343-1234 ext. 2626
tgeorgiou@mcny.edu

About the Yes We Must Coalition

The Yes We Must Coalition is a national network of private, nonprofit colleges and universities committed to increasing access, persistence, and graduation rates for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Through collaboration, shared learning, and institutional innovation, the Coalition works to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in higher education.

About ECMC Foundation

ECMC Foundation is a national foundation whose North Star goal is to eliminate gaps in postsecondary completion by 2040. The Foundation’s mission is to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. ECMC Foundation makes strategic grants and program-related investments to support both nonprofit and for-profit ventures, guided by a strategic framework that aims to advance systemic change by removing barriers to postsecondary completion, building the capacity of organizations, institutions, and systems, and transforming the postsecondary ecosystem. Learn more about ECMC Foundation by visiting www.ecmcfoundation.org/.