Thirty-First International Conference on Learning

Abstract

This paper examines the Professional Management Academy (PMA) - an innovative partnership between Tennessee State University and the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC). PMA offers TDOC employees (e.g. correctional officers, office managers, prison employees) with the opportunity to earn a certificate in Management and Leadership by taking six core courses in Urban Studies. This program integrates basic management and leadership skills and strategies with a foundation in public policy, urban history, social justice, and community engagement. This is important as employees working with some our most vulnerable citizens - persons who are incarcerated - are receiving academic training in the practical and policy implications of our correctional policy as part of larger societal and urban development. Started in 2016, over 100 TDOC employees have completed the PMA program and 15 have gone on to complete their Bachelor in Arts in Urban Studies degree (with more in the graduation pipeline).