Georgetown University Prisons and Justice Initiative

09/10/2026

Last week, the Prison Scholars Program at the D.C. Jail celebrated 37 students completing the summer semester!

Keynote speaker Ramieka Robinson, director of continuing education and professional advancement at the Goucher Prison Education Partnership, reminded students: "Every course you complete, every paper you write, is an investment in your future."

Read more:

The Prison Scholars Program celebrated the completion of the summer semester at the D.C. Jail! Following a semester of rigorous coursework, the Prisons and Justice Initiative community came together to celebrate 37 students and their achievements. Over the summer semester, the Prison Scholars Progra...

08/26/2026

Join the PJI team!

We are hiring a Program Manager to lead the MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program. In this role, you'll manage daily program operations for this intensive certificate program, which partners with the Mayor's Office on Returning Citizen Affairs and the DC Department of Employment Services.

If you are passionate about supporting returning citizens and helping build pathways to successful careers, apply now:

08/12/2026

Applications for the Georgetown Pivot Program's 2026-2027 cohort close this Saturday, Aug. 15!

This program is built for returning citizens who want to grow their career and build real professional skills.

Don't wait. Apply today, or share with someone who may be interested: https://airtable.com/appkW1j3FWUgAJ68c/pagQqI8tlq2YhEj00/form

08/11/2026

Before interning with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender this summer, Elizabeth Esteves (C'27) supported PJI's MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program. Through her internship at PJI, she helped returning citizens prepare for meaningful careers in law. This fall, she's headed to Georgetown Law's Investigative Internship Program to keep building on that foundation.

Read more about Esteves' impact and determination to help justice-impacted individuals navigate the legal system and reentry process:

Through her internship with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, a senior has figured out little ways to impact people’s lives.

07/28/2026

📢 We’re hiring!

PJI is seeking a Finance Manager to join our team. The Finance Manager will oversee PJI’s financial operations, including budgeting, financial reporting, forecasting, grant management, and compliance. This role will serve as a key partner to PJI leadership, helping strengthen financial processes and support the continued growth of our programs.

If you’re a detail-oriented finance professional interested in using your expertise to support meaningful work, we encourage you to apply.

Georgetown University comprises two unique campuses in the nation’s capital. With the Hilltop Campus located in the heart of the historic Georgetown neighborhood, and the Capitol Campus, just minutes from the U.S. Capitol and U.S. Supreme Court, Georgetown University offers rigorous academic progr...

07/20/2026

Pivot Program alum Joe Houston Jr. founded WeFitDC during the pandemic, then joined Pivot's fourth cohort to rebuild and grow his business. Today, WeFitDC partners with the Pivot Program as an internship host, and Houston returns to the classroom to teach Pivot Program Fellows about entrepreneurship and wellness.

His journey reflects what Pivot is all about: turning a second chance into a thriving business and a platform to give back.

Read more about his story:

For CEO and wellness professional Joe Houston Jr., also known as Mr. WeFit, joining the Pivot Program was all about refining his skillset.  “I can’t be a coach if I’m not being coachable,” said Houston.  Houston, who began his business WeFitDC in the height of the pandemic, joined the Pivo...

07/18/2026

Are you interested in applying to the next cohort of the Georgetown Pivot Program? We're hosting sessions for prospective applicants. Each session will provide computer access and hands-on help navigating the application process.

🗓️ Date: Wednesday, July 22
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Georgetown Prisons & Justice Initiative
509 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

More information about upcoming sessions can be found here:

Interested in applying to the next cohort of the Georgetown Pivot Program? Join us for these opportunities designed for prospective applicants. Each session offers computer access and assistance navigating the application. Sessions: Each session will be held at the Georgetown Prisons & Justice Initi...

07/14/2026

Three MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program alumni are making an impact at the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. Alex Galarza, Kendra Young, and Mark Davis have worked on more than 1,000 cases combined, helping consumers recover more than $20,000 through reimbursements and resolved claims. "The intensity of the program [MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program] prepared me for sure," said Davis.

Read more about their impact and time in the program:

The MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program partners with organizations throughout the community to expand second-chance hiring opportunities.  The program’s partnership with the D.C. Office of Attorney General (OAG), which began in 2019, provides returning citizens with professional opportunities to ...

07/09/2026

Williamz Diaz-Salamanca was incarcerated at 19, when the idea of a college education felt completely out of reach. That changed when he was accepted into the third cohort of Georgetown's Bachelor of Liberal Arts Program at Patuxent Institution, an opportunity so competitive that many in his unit who applied weren't admitted.

The acceptance letter meant everything, especially to his mother. "Nothing can beat making my mom proud," he said.

The program has also reshaped his future plans: once focused on auto care, Diaz-Salamanca now hopes to pursue something in the liberal arts. "It gives people hope that they are beyond their mistakes," he says. "We are not the same people we once were." Read more about his story:

“Life-changing.” With one word, Williamz Diaz-Salamanca summed up his experience in Georgetown University’s Bachelor of Liberal Arts (BLA) program. In 2023, Diaz-Salamanca joined the third cohort of the BLA program after completing a rigorous application process that also included interviews w...

06/29/2026

London Teeter still remembers walking into the Prison Scholars Program for the first time and being greeted by name by a staff member she'd met only once before. That moment set the tone for everything that followed.

"There is no other program like this one," she says. Read her story:

Attentive in the classroom, eager to learn and help her classmates, and an active participant in discussions, one would never imagine the many obstacles London Teeter overcame just to be a student. Teeter joined the Prison Scholars Program in fall 2024, after learning about it through a friend and c...