The unique experience of going inside the California Men’s Colony and spending an evening in class with the Rising Scholars was an amazing opportunity that I will never forget. While the classrooms are stuffy, the books are old and have been well worn by previous Rising Scholars, the men in that classroom could rival students at the top universities and colleges throughout the United States. Some people might be intimidated by being in a room full of convicted felons, but once you look past the tattoos and matching blue outfits, this was a group of really profound, well-spoken and educated gentlemen. 

On May 8, I spent the evening inside the classroom with Rising Scholars. The Rising Scholars program was founded in 2014 and is funded by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. The goal of the program is to offer higher education to those incarcerated. Cuesta College began this program in 2015 to help bring the opportunity of higher education to those incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony. 

While this program is available at many California Community Colleges, Cuesta’s has been quite successful. In the spring of 2024, 35 students graduated from CMC with associate’s degrees. Not only does this program give opportunities for incarcerated folks to receive higher education, but it also helps them overcome challenges they have faced and gain skills they can use once they are released. 

The head of the program is Director Rene Moncada. While he hasn’t been with Cuesta’s program for very long, he has experience working with programs very similar to Rising Scholars. Not only does he have experience, but he also has a passion for education.

“I’ve always felt strongly that education is the great equalizer and it offers folks more than just hope,” Moncada said “It gives them tangible skills and abilities.” 

Michael Bonfiglio has taken the opportunity to educate himself and grow as an individual while being incarcerated. “The biggest thing I’ve learned through the program is that we are not the worst moments of our lives, that people change, and given the opportunity, that we can do a lot better than some of the things we’ve chosen to do,” he said. 

Bonfiglio has aspirations of obtaining his master’s degree in social work. “I was a foster child and I want to work with children like myself that went through the same things that I did,” he said. “Be a voice for them.” 

The gentlemen in that classroom all have really amazing plans for the future, many of which include helping the marginalized communities they were once part of. 

Sean King is another student in the Rising Scholars program with big dreams and a lot of determination. Two big takeaways he’s had from the program are, “Learning and just intermingling with other students and professors and just you know getting the whole college experience.”

 King also plans to further his education all the way up to a Master’s degree and possibly a PhD. “I do not intend to stop here. So, I mean, the sky’s the limit really.”

 The key thing I took away from that evening was just how much hope all of the gentlemen in that room have. They have hope for their future. They have dreams and aspirations that seem totally possible for them to achieve just because of how passionate and motivated they are. These gentlemen participated in class in a way that I have never seen before. They were eager to speak about what they had just watched and learned about. They all had insightful things to say and there was almost always a hand raised ready to share thoughts, perspectives and what they had learned that they didn’t know before.  

I understand that for some people, it might be easy to judge them by what they have done or how they look. Once you actually sit in a room with them, talk to them and really take the time to listen to what they have to say, it’s clear to see that these gentlemen are no different than anybody else. They are working hard to better themselves, better their future and many intend to help others with the education they have received. 

As for the future of the program, King said it himself, “the sky’s the limit.” Cuesta College intends on expanding the degrees these gentlemen are able to receive, particularly the programs in addiction counseling. 

“The future is bright,” Moncada said.