Who we are

Unlocking Education is a multi-year labor of love rooted in two people’s passionate belief that education should and can be accessible to anyone.

James Evans and Mary Ehring-Maldonado met via written correspondence in 2021 through an online prison pen pal site. James, who was incarcerated at Ft. Dodge Correctional Facility, indicated an interest in higher education on his profile, prompting Mary to reach out and offer support in his educational journey.

Three years, hundreds of letters, emails, and phone calls, and an Associate’s Degree later, James and Mary launched Unlocking Education in an effort to increase access to higher education for incarcerated adults.

As our project continues to grow and adapt to the needs of its community, our current priority is establishing a scholarship fund for members of CRE, a men’s leadership group at Anamosa State Penitentiary, to begin their collegiate careers.