SLU Alumnus Shares Transformative Power of Higher Ed for Formerly Incarcerated
ST. LOUIS — Formerly incarcerated individuals often get a bad rap, but one Saint Louis University alumnus is changing the narrative.
Stanley Andrisse, Ph.D. (A&S Grad ’14) is the author of From Prison Cells to PhD, which chronicles his experiences with incarceration and higher education after his return to the community.
SLU alum Stanley Andrisse, Ph.D., signs copies of his book From Prison Cells to PhD at the Busch Student Center on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. Photo by Sarah Conroy.
Andrisse applied to six biomedical graduate programs. He was rejected from all but one – SLU, he said during a discussion and book signing hosted by SLU’s Prison Education Program (PEP) on Friday, Jan. 20, at the Busch Student Center. He credited a mentor from SLU who served on the admission committee with giving him a second chance.
For nearly 15 years, PEP has contributed to creating a world where everyone has access to quality and sustainable higher educational opportunities regardless of their involvement with the criminal justice system. Though not an alum of PEP, Andrisse is a staunch advocate for the transformative power of higher education.
SLU alum Stanley Andrisse, Ph.D., speaks about his book From Prison Cells to PhD at the Busch Student Center on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. Photo by Sarah Conroy.
He discussed being sucked into the school-to-prison pipeline, recounting more out-of-school suspensions than his peers, tepid support from his educators in the classroom, and his first criminal run-in with the law at 15. That led to multiple felony convictions on his record and serving more than three years of a 10-year sentence in a maximum-security prison on drug trafficking charges.
Andrisse was criminalized as a hopeless, repeat offender by the prosecuting attorney. Now, he is an assistant professor of endocrinology at the world-renowned medical institution Howard University College of Medicine and a visiting professor at Georgetown Medical Center.
He molds some of the brightest minds in medicine while researching type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, which is the disease that claimed the life of Andrisse’s father while serving time in prison.
“It’s never too late to do good,” said Andrisse in Creole, recalling the words of his Haitian father.
Andrisse says society shouldn't hold people’s prior convictions against them in pursuing higher learning, as he believes they aren’t indicators of one’s potential and ultimate contributions to society.
He referenced a 2013 analysis of several studies that found obtaining higher education reduced recidivism – the rate of returning to prison – by 43 percent and was four to five times less costly than re-incarcerating that person. Yet, he adds, less than 4 percent of people released from incarceration each year have a college degree.
As executive director and co-founder of the nonprofit From Prison Cells to PhD, Andrisse is dedicated to improving access to higher education for incarcerated or formerly incarcerated men and women.
The nonprofit is currently helping to "Ban the Box" on college applications nationwide, expand the Second Chance Pell grant, and remove the Convictions Question from the FAFSA. Through the Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, the nonprofit aims to change the face of the STEM workforce.
In the end, Andrisse credits his mentors for believing in his potential to chart a new course for his life and for helping him to rise above negative influences. After all, had Andrisse listened to the naysayers, he wouldn't have become Dr. Stanely Andrisse.
About Saint Louis University
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,500 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.
Latest Newslink
- SLU Celebrates Sinquefields and Research at Building Dedication CeremonySaint Louis University's hub for science and innovation on campus has a new name -- the Sinquefield Science and Engineering Center. Celebrating the generosity and dedication of donors Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield, the former Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building was officially renamed the Sinquefield Science and Engineering Center during a dedication ceremony Tuesday afternoon.
- SLU/YouGov Poll: Voters Support Local Control of Police Departments, Prohibiting Cell Phone and Social Media Access in SchoolsThe February 2025 SLU/YouGov Poll surveyed 900 likely Missouri voters about their opinions regarding public safety, technology in schools, state income taxes, Missouri education issues, and matters considered by the Missouri state government.
- Empowering Tomorrow's STEM Leaders: SLU School of Medicine Champions Innovative Outreach ProgramsSaint Louis University hosted the Anato-Bee Northwestern Regional Competition through its Adventures in Medicine and Science program for the second consecutive year. The Anato-Bee provides high school students across the U.S. with a unique opportunity to explore STEM education in a hands-on, engaging way. Recruitment is also underway for the AIMS Medical and Surgical Procedures Workshop.
- SLU Student Named Truman Scholarship FinalistSaint Louis University's Sam Aitchison has been named a finalist for the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Aitchison is a junior majoring in finance, leadership and human resource management, and Catholic Studies. He hopes to pursue an MA in Educational Transformation and would like to eventually work for the U.S. Department of Education.
- SLU School of Medicine Receives Transformational $10 Million GiftThe gift is one of the largest and most impactful contributions in the School’s history. The donation comes from a patient who wishes to remain anonymous in honor of Gerald A. Maguire, M.D. (SOM ’91). The accomplished California-based psychiatrist has also personally pledged $100,000 to support his alma mater.
- SLU to Host 4th Annual Be Heard: Women in Leadership ConferenceSaint Louis University's Emerson Leadership Institute will host its fourth annual Be Heard: Women in Leadership conference on Friday, March 28. The free half-day event, "Fostering Dignity and Belonging," will explore the role of dignity in organizational culture.