Hope College and Western Theological Seminary are partnering to offer The Hope-Western Prison Education Program, an initiative that provides a Christian liberal arts education to men incarcerated at Muskegon Correctional Facility.
The program seeks to renew minds and form new persons while transforming the prison, the college, the seminary and the West Michigan community into places where righteousness and peace embrace.




“The trumpet has sounded! The call to a college education beckons, offering me a ride out of the abyss. A Hope College education offers an opportunity to regenerate my soul, edify my spirit, and bolster my ability to be of service to others.” —Student, 2019
The Hope-Western Prison Education Program engages its students at the Muskegon Correctional Facility in an academically challenging curriculum while also focusing on moral rehabilitation and spiritual formation. Students enroll in coursework to earn a bachelor’s degree with standards as rigorous as those expected of Holland-based Hope College students.
We Need Financial Support
“Most of my life has been a journey in the hope of finding something greater than myself. Getting a college education would provide me with the tools necessary to truly complete my journey… to be a better man… to be a bigger person than I once was… to contribute to the world around me in a more positive way… to be what God intended me to be: His true and faithful servant.” —Student, 2019
Recent Blog Posts
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Stand and Deliver
Posted by Richard RayEarly next month I’ll begin teaching a new course to the combined first and second cohorts ...
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Welcome Amy Piescer
Posted by Richard RayPlease join the students, faculty, and staff of the Hope-Western Prison Education Program in welc...
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New Creations
Posted by Richard RayOn this Saturday morning before Easter I stare out of my window at the weak Eastern light that be...
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The Wisdom of 3000 Years
Posted by Richard RayLibraries are repositories of all that is known and has been known for 3,000 years. They are plac...
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Remarkable Stories From B-104
Posted by Richard Rayre·mark·a·ble/rəˈmärkəb(ə)l/(adjective) worthy of attention; striking. Room B-104 is loca...
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“Being With” or “Doing For”
Posted by Richard RayAs we enter the last week of the semester, the HWPEP students at Muskegon Correctional Facility a...
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Support the program
For more information about how you can support The Hope-Western Prison Education Program, contact:
Dr. Richard Ray
ray@hope.edu
Dr. David Stubbs
david@westernsem.edu