Teach a course

These courses have given me the opportunity to take a closer look at my past and my childhood traumas which played a significant role in my poor choice making as a younger and older adult. I have faced and relived these past events, through pen and paper, allowing me to express the pain from them in writing.

Sean Hardy, RCJ Resident

All VCU faculty members are welcome to propose service-learning courses for Open Minds in any discipline. Faculty members are also welcome to propose a smaller series of workshops, dialogues or conversations, art projects, music projects, and so forth, rather than a three-credit service-learning course. For courses, VCU student enrollment is limited to 12 men or women. Faculty should expect to teach at least 12 additional students from Richmond City Justice Center (RCJC) - either men or women but not both. Because jail is a transitional facility for people who may be released soon or processed into the Department of Corrections, faculty should expect fluctuation in their roster of RCJC students. 

To propose a course, contact Dr. David Coogan and Dr. Liz Canfield via email at dcoogan@vcu.edu and ercanfield@vcu.edu to discuss your ideas. Plan on visiting the jail to observe an existing class the semester before your course begins.