
(Photo Courtesy of Nurudeen Alabi)
Nurudeen Alabi strode across the stage in Alumni Stadium in May to receive a college diploma more than a decade in the making.
“I took the long way there, but that was my proudest moment,” said Alabi, BC ’25.
In addition to receiving the St. Ignatius Award for Personal Development, Alabi—after serving 15 years in prison—became the first graduate of the Boston College Prison Education Program (BCPEP) to graduate on campus. He received his bachelor’s degree in business through BC’s Woods College of Advancing Studies, beginning classes on campus in 2022.
Since its founding in 2019, BCPEP has allowed incarcerated students to work toward a bachelor’s degree in the applied liberal arts. The program now offers 28 courses comparable to the caliber of classes offered on campus.
Among those who gathered to celebrate Alabi’s accomplishments was Supreme Hassan, who had been incarcerated with Alabi at MCI-Shirely, a medium-security men’s prison in Shirley, Mass. He was also one of the 16 members of BCPEP’s inaugural class in 2019.
“His graduation was very symbolic, saying, ‘Hey—we’ve arrived,” Hassan said. “We’ve done it. He was carrying the baton for all of us.”
The two met through the Restorative Justice Initiative, a self-improvement group through which they formed a strong friendship.
Hassan said he watched Alabi’s academic life soar since he began his degree. His curiosity, work ethic, and courage allowed Alabi to quickly become an example for others in BCPEP, according to Hassan.
“I’ll never forget the seriousness with which he showed up,” Hassan said. “Every class was consistent, and that’s one of the reasons why he became someone I looked to as a role model. No one was outworking this guy.”
Alabi’s persistence isn’t limited to the classroom.
The new BC alum recently wrapped filming for Roadtrip Nation, a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) documentary series. The show follows formerly incarcerated individuals across the country as they meet with leaders who have been impacted by the prison system, including college professors and heads of nonprofit organizations.
Out of hundreds of other applicants from across the country, Alabi and two other individuals were chosen to share their stories.
Filming locations included New Orleans, Denver, Los Angeles, and Alabi’s hometown of Roxbury, Mass. For Alabi, the most memorable moments from filming were the lessons he learned from people he met on the road.
“Meeting these different individuals showed me education can take you further than what you expected,” Alabi said. “It’s not just a piece of paper. It’s also life skills. It’s also a community of people that stick together and give you a better sense of self-worth.”
Alabi remains grateful for all aspects of his BCPEP education. While studying at MCI-Shirley, Alabi developed a love for philosophy that he has taken beyond the prison classroom’s walls.
“I try to use those philosophy techniques and thought processes to educate others,” Alabi said. “To make people think, ‘Why not hire somebody that’s been formerly incarcerated?’”
Alabi switched to a business major in the Woods College after arriving on campus in 2023. He hoped a better understanding of business management would help him find work after being incarcerated.
“I thought, ‘It’s going to be difficult for somebody with a felony to get employment,’” Alabi said. “I proved to be right.”
Despite these challenges, Alabi continued to work toward his educational and professional goals.
He ended up applying for and receiving the Fair Chance to Advance Fellowship through the nonprofit Jobs for the Future. The organization aims to help individuals facing obstacles in employment, housing, and education get back on their feet.
The fellowship recognizes those with criminal records who can share their personal experiences with other programs. According to the program’s website, its goal is to inform people in the programs about the struggles of reentering society after being incarcerated.
Alabi was part of a group of ten chosen from more than 200 applicants He also had the opportunity to speak to an audience of 2,000 at Jobs for the Future’s annual Horizons Summit.
Lauren Miller, senior manager at Jobs for the Future, shares Alabi’s frustration with the limitations the job market presents for formerly incarcerated individuals.
“How are you expecting people to get jobs and an education, set themselves up for success, if they don’t have a place to stay every night?” Miller said.
Those who worked with Alabi at Jobs for the Future find the passion he brings to his work contagious.
“Everything he does—it feels like he’s trying to represent the people inside well,” Miller said. “He’s doing things for his people, and you can see that. You can see that love when he moves through the world.”
Alabi’s time in prison has encouraged him to fight even harder for people who have recently been released. He remembers how difficult it was to transition back into society after 15 years, especially while balancing his coursework.
Even the most enthusiastic students can lose sight of their educational goals while struggling to reacclimate, according to Alabi.
Alabi has drawn on his perspective to identify and address the struggles that his community continues to face. According to Alabi, providing housing and employment opportunities for individuals helps ease reentry and reduces recidivism rates.
“That’s my passion now—to create housing opportunities for other individuals,” Alabi said.
Alabi also works toward his goal by mentoring formerly incarcerated students at Tufts University and his alma mater, BC.
Expanding his efforts, Alabi is working to create a new student organization called Bridging the Gap. The program aims to form bonds between traditional students and BCPE students. Alabi hopes this program will encourage dialogue because he said the two groups have much to learn from each other.
“The [traditional] students—they’re good with most of the things that we struggle with,” Alabi said.
Sending an email, working with Canvas, and even checking out books from the library can be intimidating for those arriving on a college campus for the first time after so many years spent incarcerated.
“It was, in a sense, easier inside, because everything was handed to you,” Alabi said. “Being incarcerated, it shielded you from outside responsibility.”
Although Alabi was the first member of BCPEP to graduate on campus, he won’t be the last. BCPEP is now the largest prison education program of its kind in Massachusetts. There are currently 90 students, 14 of whom are studying on campus.
For Alabi, his academic and professional accomplishments—including his new goal of earning a master’s degree—as well as his support of programs like Bridging the Gap are all part of his effort to be a voice for formerly incarcerated individuals as they rejoin society.
“It’s understanding that they’re not just numbers on a case file—they’re individuals who have a story,” Alabi said.