EJP Policy & Research Team Application

Job description

The Education Justice Project (EJP) is a unit of the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a comprehensive college-in-prison program. The mission of EJP is to build a model college-in-prison program that demonstrates the positive effects of higher education on incarcerated students, their families, the communities to which they return, the host institution, and society as a whole. To accomplish this mission, EJP developed several programs and initiatives, including a Policy & Research Division. The mission of EJP’s Policy & Research Division is to educate and equip relevant stakeholders with knowledge, skills, and confidence to produce research and practice civic engagement that promotes equity-focused and evidence-based policymaking related to higher education in prison, reentry, and other relevant issues. Our team is supported by members across the country who are passionate about creating a more just and humane world. We work together to challenge the dominant narrative around incarceration, mitigate the impacts of incarceration, support the creation of more humane and just responses to harm and violence, and allow college-in-prison programs to flourish only as long as prisons exist. Team members contribute in various ways, depending on their interests and skills. Examples include: Serving as an EJP representative to relevant coalitions and campaigns (e.g., the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison) Participating in the design and implementation of tools and trainings to support EJP’s policy initiatives Monitoring legislation and policy developments that impact EJP’s work Collecting and analyzing data/research related to ongoing examination of policies and practices of campus units with which formerly incarcerated individuals to identify where supports exist and how to make campuses more inclusive and welcoming All members participate in trainings and events, attend monthly team meetings, co-present at conferences, and shape our work moving forward. Note: Becoming a member of EJP's Policy & Research Team is a non-compensated position, not a part-time job. Unfortunately, our platform does not allow us to change the word "job." If you think you'd be a good fit, please complete this online application, which you can access by clicking the "Apply for this Job" button in the top right corner. For more information, feel free to email us at