Sitting in a chapel with a fresh fifty year sentence, I remember thinking – ‘I can do that.’  The man behind the pulpit was sharing his story of redemption, a story I had heard repeated in one form or another countless times in this very chapel.  Yet somehow, his story was different.  He spoke of religious conversion and renewal of the mind as expected, but he also shared his pursuit of higher education, a pursuit he had started when he was incarcerated.  I remember first thinking, ‘I can do that?’  Then, ‘I can do that!’  In that chapel I was learning simultaneously that college in prison was available, and college in prison was how I wanted to spend my time.

I left that service and immediately began to research how I was going to attend college in prison.  I was quickly disappointed.  My unit did not offer college and because of the length of my sentence it would be next to impossible to get transferred to a unit that did.  But I refused to give up, I would not quit so easily.  I had quit school, quit my family, and most every other thing I had done.  Now, I would quit quitting.

I had dropped out of high school in the ninth grade and later earned a GED, but I knew nothing about college.  I eventually found a correspondence program but later learned that its accreditation was worthless, the school was a diploma mill.  I was back at square one, all the desire in the world, but no opportunity.

In 2011 opportunity finally presented itself, or so I thought.  Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was starting a fully accredited 4-year Bachelor of Science in biblical studies program.  I was excited, then crushed.  Once again, the length of my sentence made me ineligible.  However, the criterion later changed, and in 2014 I was accepted into the Bachelor program.  It was the most difficult thing I had ever done.  Five classes a week for 4½ years, I read thousands of pages and wrote hundreds of others.  I loved it!  I graduated in 2018.  My mom and sister watched me walk the stage.  At that point, I believed my college days were behind me.  I was at square one again, desire, but no opportunity.  Texas had one Master Program, and guess what?  I wasn’t eligible. 

When I learned that the Pell Grant program would be expanded I grew optimistic.  I obtained a Pell application, filled it out, and was granted Federal aid; however, once again, I learned that I wouldn’t be going to college.  My prison did not have a Pell approved program, but I refused to quit.  I located an accredited Master program, it was exactly what I wanted but affordable, and my family was agreeing to help.  So once again, I am a college student.

It has been almost eighteen years since I sat in that chapel, and soon I will have earned a Master’s degree, though I have had to fight every step of the way.  I believe one day I will earn my PhD.  All I have to do is keep telling myself, ‘I can do that!’  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR. This is the first time that Michael Nobles has written for WITS. Michael is interested in prisoner advocacy as well as reform and wrote this essay to reflect the experience of residents within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, often desiring educational opportunities but not being able to access them. Michael points out that the majority of people incarcerated in Texas will eventually be released, and the the higher their education level, the less likely they will return to prison. “It would seem to be in the best interests of public safety to provide more educational opportunities. Until those opportunities arrive, continue to tell yourselves, “I can do that.“

Michael can be contacted at:
Michael Nobles #1372765
Coffield Unit
P.O. Box 660400
Dallas, TX 75266-0400

NOTE: It has been the experience of WITS that since Texas began having all mail sent to Dallas for distribution that our mail is not always delivered, or it has taken several months for delivery. For that reason, we recommend Securus for contacting residents of Texas prisons.