Lewis & Clark College to Offer Two Spring 2027 Courses
The institution is bringing its Inside-Out program to sites in Portland for the upcoming spring term.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Adult Education
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Lewis & Clark College will launch two interactive courses in Spring 2027 that bring together external students and internal participants. Applications for the poetry course are open through October 30.
Why it matters
The program aims to break down societal boundaries and foster human connection by having students and participants interpret literature and history together in small-group settings.
The courses utilize a model with 15 external students and 15 internal participants per session. Classes are structured for small-group work in a circle, with the poetry course scheduled for Fridays and the history course held on Thursdays.
The players
Lewis & Clark College
This private liberal arts college based in Portland coordinates the local iteration of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program.
Reiko Hillyer
A professor at Lewis & Clark College who introduced the Inside-Out model to the institution and manages humanities course training.
Jerry Harp
A professor at Lewis & Clark College who serves as an instructor for the institution's poetry curriculum.
Albina Vision Trust
An organization focused on community development and historical land use that is partnering with the college for the history course.
Temple University
The institution where the original Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program was founded in 1997.
The details
Professor Jerry Harp will teach poetry at the Columbia River Correctional Institution, while Professor Reiko Hillyer leads a history course at the Red Cross facility in North Portland. The history curriculum focuses on historical processes regarding land use and displacement in partnership with the Albina Vision Trust.
Timeline
1997: The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program was founded at Temple University.
2012: Reiko Hillyer introduced the Inside-Out program to Lewis & Clark College.
October 30, 2026: Application deadline for the poetry course.
Spring 2027: The two interactive courses will take place.
Culture Shift
The expansion of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program reflects a broader move toward integrating higher education within correctional and community settings. By shifting the classroom to unconventional sites, the college challenges traditional academic barriers and promotes social equity.
Prospective students interested in these interactive courses must apply by October 30 to participate in the spring semester. Participants should expect a commitment to small-group discussions facilitated in non-traditional learning environments.
The takeaway
These humanities courses provide a unique opportunity for participants to engage in collaborative learning across social and institutional divides. Interested individuals are encouraged to prepare for a rigorous, discussion-based curriculum centered on shared document and poetry analysis.
Further reading
Learn more about local academic initiatives in the Adult Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Mossy Log.
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