UWS Students & Prisoners Partner In Two-Phased Program
By Tom Hansen
Students hear of crimes from prisoners during presentation in Swenson Hall on March 4.
UW-Superior featured some unique guests recently. Unique in that they went back to prison after their appearance on campus. The transforming experience the students witnessed that day was a thought provoking one.
Faculty members and UW-Superior alumni Brent Opall and Edie Wasyliszyn have structured an experiential learning exercise during spring semester.
Here is a brief synopsis of their cooperative project:
Phase one: Inmates from the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) in Duluth visited the UW-Superior campus. These four men have been convicted of white collar crimes with one fraud reaching over 8 million. The speakers discussed all aspects of their crimes;how they were committed, the pressures involved, and how these crimes were discovered and what it was like to be arrested. They also described the impact of these crimes on themselves, their families, and the organizations from which they embezzled. That event was held on March 4 in the Erlenbach Lecture Hall in Swenson Hall in front of a standing room only audience. The speakers presented for approximately 45 minutes with the remaining time allowed for questions from the audience.
Phase two: Students will visit the FPC in Duluth on April 8th. After listening to the speakers in March, the students will research the cases and compare the information presented with the data on record. During the visit, they will be able to ask additional questions to clarify discrepancies.
Some of the reasons this project was developed and the experiences conducted include:
- Emphasizing a strong ethics centered foundation
- Identifying potential pressures students may encounter in their professional lives
- Developing strategies which enable students to react appropriately in difficult situations
- Encouraging the use of professional skepticism
Staff from the Federal Prison Camp were on hand for the event and provided for the safe travel of the prisoners. UW-Superior Campus Safety staff was also on hand for this thought-provoking experience.
For more information on this project contact assistant professor Business & Economics Brent Opall at bopall@uwsuper.edu; or assistant professor Accounting, Business &Economics Edie Wasyliszyn ewasyli2@uwsuper.edu and look for more in the future on Jacket Journal as this educational experience unfolds. Both of these faculty members are also graduates from UW-Superior.
News Contact: Tom Hansen | 715-394-8260 | 
thansen7@uwsuper.edu
