DANVILLE (WSLS10) - Danville Community College is now part of a new pilot program to help state and federal prison inmates get an education.
200 colleges across the country applied, and DCC was one only 67 that got accepted.
Colleges agree to offer classes at prisons in their area and inmates can apply for Pell grants to take the classes.
The grants will pay for books and tuition.
Inmates will only be allowed to take certain trade and manufacturing courses and currently DCC is only working with Green Rock Correctional Center in Chatham.
"All of these are entry level type skills for the programs that we'll be offering," said Jimmy Tickle, dean of business, engineering, and technology at DCC.
Tickle continued, "but, at the same time it will give them those foundation courses where they could get out and be an assistant or a helper in some of those areas or continue their education."
The goal is to start enrollment in the next few weeks and eventually expand to other prisons in the future.