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In 2025, Sonoma State University launched its Project Rebound program to address the unique challenges formerly incarcerated students face in achieving academic and career success. The program is rooted in a 1967 legacy at San Francisco State University founded by Dr. John Irwin, who himself was formerly incarcerated. Project Rebound “transforms the carceral experience into a collegiate one.”
“The program—which we have adapted to meet the needs of the North Bay region—is situated within the Center for Academic Access and Student Enrichment [CAASE],” explains Sarah Ellison, Ed.D. associate vice president for student affairs at Sonoma State.
“This allows for strong alignment with equity-focused student support services. It also includes a dedicated physical space that houses both student community area and staff offices, creating a consistent and welcoming environment for connection, support, and engagement.”
Dr. Ellison says the catalyst for this work was a clear commitment to expanding access and opportunity for students who are formerly incarcerated and system-impacted.
“We saw both a responsibility and an opportunity to remove barriers to higher education while strengthening how our institution supports students with diverse life experiences,” she says.
“This was not simply a program launch; it was a reflection of our institutional values and our commitment to ensuring that all students have a pathway to academic and career success. While Project Rebound is a new formal program at Sonoma State, our career advisers have been supporting formerly incarcerated students for years. This population has always been a part of our campus community, and many of these students were the very ones who advocated for the formal launch of the program.”
A Program That Recognizes Complex Experiences
Project Rebound at Sonoma State is a high-touch, relationship-centered program designed to support students who are formerly incarcerated and system-impacted from admission through graduation.
Grounded in a trauma-informed approach, the program recognizes the complex and often layered experiences students bring and provides holistic support that prioritizes healing, dignity, and empowerment.
Project Rebound students often navigate multiple barriers as they transition into higher education. These can include:
- Unfamiliarity with institutional systems;
- Gaps in academic preparation;
- Stigma;
- Technology gaps; and
- Challenges related to housing and financial stability.
“At Sonoma State, we take a holistic approach to supporting the whole student,” Dr. Ellison says.
“We prioritize psychological safety and recognize that the transition from a highly structured environment to a self-directed academic setting can be both empowering and overwhelming. Providing clear guidance, consistent communication, and accessible resources helps students build confidence as they navigate the university.”
Equally important, she adds, is cultivating a strong sense of belonging.
“We are intentional about building community so that students feel seen, valued, and connected on campus,” Dr. Ellison says.
“This includes creating spaces where students can engage with peers who share similar experiences, as well as connecting them with faculty, staff, and campus partners who lead with compassion and care. We also ensure that basic needs, such as housing and financial support, are addressed so that students can focus on their academic and career goals. A visible, reliable support network, combined with meaningful community connections, is essential in helping students persist and thrive.”
The program integrates academic advising, career development, basic needs support, and community-building to create a strong foundation for student success.
“The students we serve are highly motivated and bring resilience, discipline, and perspective shaped by lived experience,” Dr. Ellison says.
“Many are navigating what is often referred to as the ‘hidden curriculum,’ the unspoken expectations and systems of higher education and the workforce that are not always visible or accessible. We approach this work from an asset-based perspective, recognizing that these students strengthen our campus community and contribute meaningfully to classroom and institutional life.”
Since its launch, Project Rebound at Sonoma State has grown to serve approximately 18 students.
“While enrollment is important, our primary focus is on persistence, academic progress, and career readiness through a holistic support model that addresses students’ academic, personal, and basic needs,” Dr. Ellison points out.
“Our data show that when our underrepresented students are supported in building confidence and navigating systems effectively, retention rates exceed 80%. Our goal is to ensure that students are not only completing their degrees but are also prepared to successfully navigate professional opportunities in the North Bay and beyond.”
Partnerships Add Campus-Wide Support
The Sonoma State Career Center plays a central role in ensuring that program participants are prepared to translate their education into meaningful employment.
Dr. Ellison says that for many of these students, earning a degree is only part of the journey.
“They must also navigate employment barriers related to gaps in work history or stigma associated with incarceration,” she adds.
“Our career advisers provide individualized, nonjudgmental support to help students build professional confidence and articulate their strengths. This includes resume development, interview preparation, networking, and navigating digital hiring tools, such as LinkedIn and AI-driven application systems. The career center helps students connect their lived experience with professional pathways, ensuring they are positioned for long-term success.”
Since the official launch, the Project Rebound program director and the career center team have collaborated on several key initiatives to scale their support. This includes:
- Career readiness—Leading focused discussions on resume building and interview prep tailored to justice-involved backgrounds.
- Employer education—Actively identifying second-chance-friendly employers.
- Legal logistics—Partnering with local justice departments to better understand the expungement process and its impact on professional licensing.
Project Rebound at Sonoma State is also built on strong cross-divisional collaboration, with active partnerships across:
- Student affairs;
- Academic affairs;
- Administration and finance; and
- Advancement.
Dr. Ellison says that this alignment allows the program to provide coordinated academic, personal, and career support.
They also work closely with external partners, including:
- The California Department of Rehabilitation;
- The County of Sonoma Behavioral Health Services;
- Bay Area System Impacted Consortium;
- Rising Scholars Network;
- Underground Scholars;
- Sonoma County Probation; and
- The Office of Youth and Community Restoration.
“These partnerships are essential in creating pathways from education to employment and ensuring that our work is connected to broader regional efforts focused on community stability and workforce development,” she notes.
Dr. Ellison says that it is important for career centers to partner with university programs that support formerly incarcerated students because, without intentional partnership, institutions risk leaving gaps between academic success and career opportunity.
“Career development must be integrated early and consistently,” she stresses.
“When career centers partner with programs like Project Rebound, they help ensure that students are not only retained and graduated, but they are also prepared to enter and succeed in the workforce. This kind of collaboration strengthens outcomes not only for these students, but for the institution as a whole.”
Outcomes Reflect Strong Performance
The effectiveness of Project Rebound at Sonoma State is assessed through a combination of academic and career outcomes, including GPA, retention rates, and engagement with career services.
Dr. Ellison says the academic data reflect strong student performance. For example, she says the fall 2025 cohort achieved an average term GPA of 3.38 and an average cumulative GPA of 3.29.
“This demonstrates that students in Project Rebound are excelling academically,” Dr. Ellison explains.
“More broadly, our data show strong academic performance and retention rates exceeding 80% for underrepresented students across CAASE programs, reinforcing the effectiveness of a high-touch, equity-centered support model.”
In addition, the program gathers student feedback to assess sense of belonging, confidence, and clarity around academic and career goals. It also tracks engagement with career services, including internships, networking, and job-placement outcomes.
“These combined measures ensure that we are supporting not only academic success, but also long-term professional outcomes,” Dr. Ellison says.
Throughout her work on Project Rebound, she has learned many lessons. One key one Dr. Ellison identifies is that relationships are as important as structure and students are most successful when they feel supported, seen, and understood within clear and consistent systems.
“We have also learned the importance of making the ‘hidden curriculum’ visible,” she adds.
“When expectations are clearly communicated and resources are accessible, students are able to navigate higher education more effectively. Finally, this work reinforces that designing programs with historically excluded students in mind leads to stronger, more responsive systems that benefit all students.”
For her colleagues looking to develop a program that supports students who are formerly incarcerated and system-impacted, Dr. Ellison recommends:
- Starting by adopting an asset-based approach that recognizes the strengths and resilience of these students.
- Developing a high-touch model that integrates academic support, career development, and basic needs resources from a trauma-informed lens. These services should not operate in isolation, but should do so as part of a coordinated strategy.
- Engaging partners across the institution early, including career services, faculty, and external stakeholders. Strong collaboration is essential for long-term success.
- Centering student voice in program development. The most effective programs are those that are shaped by the experiences and insights of the students they serve.
“It is important to recognize that programs like Project Rebound extend beyond individual student success. They contribute to workforce development, economic mobility, reduced recidivism, and strengthened communities,” Dr. Ellison says.
“Higher education has long played a role in expanding opportunity. Supporting students who are formerly incarcerated and system-impacted is a continuation of that mission. When institutions invest in this work, they not only change individual lives, they also contribute to a more equitable and inclusive society.”
