LONDON, Ohio — Some of the inmates at Madison Correctional Institution are working toward a college degree in partnership with the University of Akron. In this unique and innovative program, Ohio Penal Industries, The University of Akron, Summit Glove of Minerva and American Nitrile of Grove City are partnering to make jobs and an associate degree in applied polymer technology a possibility.

Ohio Penal Industries, or OPI, partnered with the College of Engineering and Polymer Science at UA to provide online courses taught like traditional college classes. OPI is an entity of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. It operates off no tax dollars and funds programs like its partnership with the University of Akron through its own revenue.

After incarceration, the inmates who earned a degree would be eligible to apply for a good-paying job with American Nitrile to continue using the new skills and degrees earned.

Currently, OPI employs 1,100 incarcerated workers across 12 prisons in Ohio. At Madison Correctional Institution, incarcerated people are going beyond just manufacturing PPE gloves, they are learning the science behind it.

"Everyone kind of looks down on us in here, we're proving that we're still human, we make mistakes, but we're also bettering ourselves in here as well," said Jeremiah Bintner.

Bintner and fellow inmate Lloyd Black are currently taking liberal arts courses at the University of Akron inside Madison Correctional Institution.

"The psychology class is hard," said Bintner.

Lloyd Black said, "So far, I am maintaining an A. I wanted an A plus, but I couldn't get it."

The men are taking part in study groups and sharing notes, working hard to get their assignments in.

"We get Chromebooks, which allows us to interact with the instructor they send the curriculum down to us, we read it, go over it," Black explained.

Associate Vice President for Research and Business Engagement Dr. Sadhan Jana said the incarcerated students are very engaged.

"They're all very good students, 3.7. 3.8 on a 4-point scale," said Jana.

Meanwhile, construction crews are building a first-of-its-kind factory inside Madison Correctional Institution where incarcerated people have the chance to work. The factory should be up and running by late summer of 2024.

"I'm excited for the guys to learn something new, I'm excited for the guys to have an avenue to employment at American Nitrile, the nation's first factory of its kind, we too will be the first factory of our kind in the U.S. The patented glove that we're going to be making is currently made in Malaysia," said Ann King, Ohio Penal Industries.

If the men keep up the coursework, they could graduate with an associate degree next year. "I'm hoping that some of them will come to our graduate program someday," said Jana.

The new focus on learning has already opened doors for Black and Bintner they didn't know were possible.

"I never thought I'd take a college course, so it's definitely something new. I'm learning a lot...and I know my parents are proud too," said Bintner.

"I would like to have something on the end of my name except ex-felon. I want a degree," said Black.