Cal State San Bernardino has announced the launch of Education Beyond Barriers: BRIDGE Scholars at CSUSB, an innovative academic partnership with the San Bernardino County Department of Probation through ARISE (A Restorative Integration for Successful Engagement). The collaboration, led by faculty in the departments of English and Communication & Media, represents a significant step forward in expanding access to higher education for system-impacted youth ages 18-23.

The program reaches a key milestone this term as students enrolled through the juvenile detention center complete two university-level courses, ENG 2000 and COMM 3211. The courses are taught by CSUSB faculty members Alexandra Cavallaro, associate professor of English, and Julie Taylor, associate professor of communication and media, and are grounded in the Inside-Out model of prison education. This nationally recognized approach brings incarcerated and campus-based students together to learn side by side, earn the same academic credit, and engage in shared intellectual exchange.

The launch follows the formalization of a partnership agreement with the San Bernardino County Department of Probation, with the potential for annual renewal and long-term expansion. The initiative reflects CSUSB’s ongoing commitment to educational access, equity and meaningful community engagement.

Looking ahead, the Education Beyond Barriers program aims to expand course offerings beginning next year, allowing participating students to complete a certificate in public and professional writing. In the long term, the university envisions a rotating cohort model that would enable students to pursue and complete a Bachelor of Arts. This scalable pathway is designed to support continued education beyond students’ completion of their associate degree at Victor Valley College.

In reflecting on the program’s impact, Cavallaro and Taylor said, “This initiative represents a transformative step forward in how we think about access to higher education. By creating meaningful pathways from incarceration to the university, we are investing in the potential, talent and futures of all of our students.”

Rueyling Chuang, dean of the College of Arts and Letters, added, “the launch of the Education Beyond Barriers: BRIDGE Scholars program exemplifies our college’s and CSUSB’s commitment to providing equitable access to higher education and fostering transformative opportunities for system-impacted youth. This partnership demonstrates the power of innovative, community-engaged learning to open pathways to academic success and long-term impact.”