At Turn2U, the organization behind The Last Mile, we focus on expanding access to education for families impacted by incarceration as a concrete strategy for breaking cycles of involvement with the justice system. Our scholarship program supports children of program participants and alumni by removing financial barriers to education and pairing students with mentorship and guidance that supports long-term success. With support from our cofounders, board members, partners, and donors, we invest in education as a measurable pathway to stability, opportunity, and generational mobility.
At The Last Mile, our mission is simple and measurable: reduce recidivism, increase employment, and strengthen families and communities impacted by incarceration. Our results demonstrate what’s possible when education, opportunity, and long-term support are aligned.
Across our in-prison education and reentry programs, more than 75% of returning citizens secure employment after release, and fewer than 5% return to prison—a dramatic contrast to national recidivism rates that exceed 60%. These outcomes reflect over a decade of focus on marketable skills, employer partnerships, and sustained support before and after release.
The Turn2U Scholarship Program extends this same strategy upstream. By investing in the education of our students’ children and alumni families, we address one of the most persistent drivers of intergenerational incarceration: lack of access to stable educational and economic pathways. Scholarships reduce financial barriers while pairing students with mentorship, guidance, and accountability—critical factors in long-term success.
From being sentenced to life in prison at age 17 to recently earning a Doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy, JC’s path was anything but linear. But with relentless focus and the support of the Turn2U Scholarship Program, he created a new future—one rooted in healing, leadership, and community transformation.
For applicants pursuing post-secondary education via two- and four-year colleges and universities, as well as vocational schools and coding academies.
This scholarship is named in honor of Louise Redlitz, a lifelong champion of education and equal opportunity whose belief in learning as a pathway to dignity, independence, and generational change continues to guide this program.
This scholarship is reserved especially for the children of our students and alumni from San Quentin Rehabilitation Center where the Last Mile began.
The Founders Scholarship honors founders Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti and their commitment that education, opportunity, and early investment in children are essential to ending generational incarceration.
Specifically for adult graduates and alumni of The Last Mile from San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, and is awarded to one scholar per year.
This Scholarship is named in honor of Hans Schoenburg, a Yale graduate, technologist, and advocate for mutual aid and equity.
Through the Turn2U Scholarship Program, we’re committed to supporting you every step of the way. From mentorship opportunities to quarterly check-ins, our program ensures you’re set up for success throughout your academic journey.
We are deeply grateful to the donors and partners who believe in education as a pathway to stability, opportunity, and generational change. Your support makes it possible for students and families impacted by incarceration to pursue meaningful futures.
If you’d like to help expand access to education and invest in the next generation, we invite you to support the Scholarship Program.
