Letters to P2P- a Student in oregon

By, Jessica Snow

​When we share our stories, the highlights, and the hard parts, it opens the door to invite others into our lives.  The transparency of sharing allows others to connect with where we have been and invites them along our journey. When someone can say “I’ve been there,”  or “I know how this feels” or, “I thought I was the only one” or “Me too” there is a moment of connection -we can feel less alone and learn from one another as we go.

When Dr. Stanley Andrisse shares his story in From Prison Cells to PhD: It’s Never Too Late, we receive humbling responses of meaning and connection from those who can empathize with Dr. Andrisse’s path through the legal system, and are inspired by his path through education to success. 

The sharing of our stories must be authentic, and it is this authenticity that drew this student from Oregon further into reading.  He found Dr. Andrisse’s demeanor, displayed through his experiences, relatable saying,

“There is beauty in finding peace in the middle of a storm. Remaining that calm person under stress, hardship, or chaos is something I admire in others and also something I strive to embody in my own life.“

This student also shared the hope he felt reading about the advocacy efforts described in From Prison Cells to PhD: It’s Never Too Late.  Readers need to hear and see that the world is being educated that felonies, or past mistakes, do not define us or our futures. 

We are grateful that From Prison Cells to PhD: It’s Never Too Late was incorporated into the curriculum at Chemeketa Community College.  If you would like to get this book into the hands of professors, libraries wardens, colleagues that you know, or friends or family, you can find it here:
From Prison Cells to PhD: It is Never Too Late to Do Good: Andrisse MBA PhD, Stanley: 9781642939408: Amazon.com: Books

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