A Quarter Century of Expanding Access

Cornell University celebrated 25 years of expanding access to education through the Cornell Prison Education Program (CPEP) with a panel discussion titled “A Cornell Degree in Prison: Leveraging Library Access and Technology to Level the Playing Field for Incarcerated Learners.”  BKLW Partner Whitney Z. Bernstein, a Cornell alumna, spoke on this panel last week, which brought together educators, advocates, and alumni who have witnessed and support CPEP’s transformative impact. 

What CPEP Does and Why It Matters

For more than two decades, CPEP has expanded access to high-quality higher education for incarcerated students in New York State.  The program brings together Cornell faculty and volunteer student teachers to teach a college-level liberal arts curriculum at three correctional facilities in the region and enable successful students to receive an associate’s degree.  With its upcoming launch of an in-prison Bachelor of Professional Studies, CPEP is taking a historic step forward in expanding educational opportunity behind prison walls.

Beyond the classroom, CPEP’s impact extends into the communities its students return to by offering not just degrees, but a foundation for meaningful reentry and stronger futures.

Whitney’s Perspective: From the Classroom to the Courtroom

Whitney’s connection to CPEP began during her time as a Cornell student, when she taught in prison classrooms.  That experience, she shared, made the law “deeply human.”  It was not abstract doctrine; it was something her students were living every day.

“You see very clearly how access to information, to education, and to opportunity shapes not just outcomes, but futures,” Whitney reflected.  She also noted the intellectual rigor she encountered inside prison walls and how often it is constrained simply by lack of access. “When students are given the tools through programs like CPEP and support from Cornell Library, they meet that moment.  They do the work at the level you would expect anywhere at Cornell.”

Whitney went on to serve for more than six years as a public defender, advocating for individuals navigating the justice system.  There, she saw daily how inequities play out in real time and how differences in access to information, resources, and advocacy can fundamentally shape outcomes.  Those experiences continue to inform her practice today, where she handles complex white collar and civil litigation matters at BKLW.

Looking Ahead

Whitney pointed to both her experience and research for her Master’s in Criminology to reinforce that the evidence is clear: when people have access to education and meaningful programming, outcomes improve, recidivism drops, communities are stronger, and systems work better.  She sees the opportunity in reimagining how we think about incarceration by investing in education, libraries, and technology as foundational infrastructure.  

“Access to knowledge is not a supplement to justice, it’s a prerequisite for it,” Whitney said.  “And when you pair that access with thoughtful use of technology, you begin to close gaps that have existed for a long time.”

BKLW commends Whitney for her continued engagement in initiatives that advance access, fairness, and opportunity, and is honored to see her contribute to this important dialogue.  As CPEP enters its next quarter century and prepares to offer an in-prison bachelor’s degree, programs like these remind us what becomes possible when institutions match ambition with action.  To learn more about the Cornell Prison Education Program, please visit https://cpep.cornell.edu/.  To support the program, please visit https://cpep.cornell.edu/donate/.