Madison College celebrates the academic achievements of incarcerated students

Madison College and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) celebrated the academic achievements of 34 incarcerated persons during a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society induction ceremony.

Madison College President Jack Daniels, a PTK member, was the ceremony's keynote speaker.

“My challenge invites you to give through service, offers opportunities, experience scholarship and learning outside the classroom, promotes fellowship through your interactions with other PTK members, and above all, asks you to step up and be a leader,” he told the new inductees. “My challenge is extensive but achievable, and I know the experience you gain along this journey will have a lasting significance on your academic development.”

DOC officials also honored the participants during the Nov. 11 ceremony.

“Rehabilitation requires learning,” DOC Secretary Jared Hoy said. “One of the goals of incarceration is to provide individuals with the tools they need to thrive in the community. Education plays a huge role and achievements like this show persons in our care that they can succeed. This is a proud moment for each and every one of these students.”

PTK is the official honor society of two-year colleges and was founded to offer opportunities for students to grow as scholars and leaders.

“Becoming a member of Phi Theta Kappa — coming from where I started — is not only an honor but an accomplishment that proves my capabilities to myself and everyone else in my life,” said Jeremiah Janke, an Oakhill Correctional Institution student.

Janke and the other 33 students honored needed to have completed at least 12-degree credits and earned a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA to join.

“Acknowledgement for my efforts is another reminder that hard work pays off and that everything I am striving toward is achievable with persistence,” Janke said.

The new PTK members are among a cohort of Small Business Entrepreneurship Program students participating in the federal Second Chance Pell pilot program, which provides funding for colleges and universities nationwide to offer post-secondary education and training to incarcerated individuals.

This is the second group of Wisconsin DOC students to earn this prestigious national recognition.

The 34 new members honored fulfilled all requirements for membership while completing their studies online at six separate DOC institutions across Wisconsin.

Students took the Phi Theta Kappa induction oath before being admitted, in which members pledged to uphold the standards and ideals of the organization. Each new member will have their name added to the Chapter Record Book and receive a Medal of Honor recognizing each inductee’s achievements and designating formal induction into the society.