Scholarships for Children of Incarcerated Parents: Rewriting a Family Legacy

When Isaiah Rosenberg laced up his shoes for his first track practice at Pittsburg State University, college finally felt real. He had dreamed of this moment for years. Yet the path toward his business degree and a place on the university’s track team had been anything but certain.

Hundreds of miles away, his mother, Michelle Voorhees, celebrated this achievement from the Topeka Correctional correctional facility in Kansas. Incarcerated since Isaiah’s childhood, Michelle had pursued her own education through The Last Mile, discovering opportunities she once thought were impossible. Her determination has inspired her son. 

Now, through the Turn2U Scholarship Program, her educational journey has opened doors for her son’s education. Together, they offer a powerful example of how scholarships for children of incarcerated parents can help families break generational cycles of incarceration.

A Journey Defined By Endurance and Discipline

At Pittsburg State University, Isaiah runs the 400 meters, a race that demands speed, endurance, and intense discipline. He developed that discipline long before arriving on campus. 

Throughout high school, Isaiah balanced athletics, demanding coursework, and a job that helped pay his family’s bills. He completed dual-credit classes while making up coursework he hadn’t been prepared for earlier. At one point, he took 11 courses, balancing schoolwork with training, evening shifts, and family responsibilities. Through it all, Isaiah remained determined to become the first in his family to attend college.

Now, he studies business at Pittsburg State, competes in track and field, and works in home care. He hopes to build a business, perhaps an assisted-living facility focused on compassionate care.

In a recent interview, Isaiah recalled the first practice that made everything sink in. “I dreamed of being here,” he said. “Everybody didn’t think I would make it here.” He takes pride in his work and the future ahead.

“I’m super proud of myself right now,” he said. “But I’m not done yet.”

Growing Up with Parental Incarceration

Isaiah describes childhood experiences with foster care, family separation, and financial pressure. He lived with his grandparents while his mother remained incarcerated. He maintained his bond with his mother through daily phone calls and her continued involvement in his education.

“The hardest thing about having a parent incarcerated,” he explained, “was knowing how much she had to offer.” From her facility, Michelle pursued education through The Last Mile, mentored other students, and advocated for families. Isaiah admired her accomplishments, but their separation remained painful. “I don’t get to experience this great person who’s doing all these great things,” he said.

While Michelle was accomplishing great things from prison, Isaiah faced a very different set of expectations at school. He recalls being placed in classes that wouldn’t qualify him for college. “They already expected me to fail,” he said. Determined to prove them wrong, Isaiah pushed himself academically and eventually earned a 4.0 while managing a demanding course load.

His mother’s example helped fuel that determination. “Everything that she’s done in there, I can do out here,” he explained. Her achievements inspired Isaiah to imagine a future beyond the circumstances that shaped his childhood. Even before college, he thought about the legacy he wanted to leave for the next generation.

“I don’t want my kid growing up thinking prison is an inheritance,” Isaiah told us. “I want them to know what love and what a rewritten legacy feels like.”

A Mother’s Education Becomes a Source of Strength

Michelle entered prison with roughly a ninth-grade education. Before discovering The Last Mile, she struggled to imagine herself succeeding in higher education. “Even the thought of entering college was so intimidating,” she recalled. “I just didn’t have that self-belief that I was smart and capable.”

The Last Mile’s coursework challenged her immediately. At first, she spent hours looking up unfamiliar words. Finishing difficult assignments changed how she saw herself. “It was the first opportunity that I had to understand that I was smart,” Michelle recalled.

After completing TLM’s software development curriculum, Michelle became a tutor, helping other students navigate the same challenges she had overcome. She credits the program with giving her “a sense of agency, a sense of community, and way more self-efficacy” than she had previously experienced.

Today, Michelle is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in integrated studies, which she expects to complete in May.

That transformation continues to shape her relationship with Isaiah. “The tools I learned in The Last Mile are the same that Isaiah needs for college,” she explained. Both mother and son are now pursuing higher education, drawing strength from each other’s determination and the belief that they can still shape their futures.

Offering a First Chance Through Scholarships for Children of Incarcerated Parents

Michelle first learned about the Turn2U Scholarship Program while working as a TLM tutor. Her academic advisor brought the opportunity to her attention. When Isaiah prepared for college, she helped him apply.

For Michelle, it meant something profound. “Parenting from prison, it often feels like you don’t have a lot to offer outside of emotional support,” she explained. Sharing an opportunity connected to her own accomplishments gave her another way to support her son.

Turn2U supports eligible children and dependents of TLM students and alumni. Scholarships offer up to $5,000 annually, often totaling $20,000 in support over 4 years. Eligible pathways include college, vocational education, and career training. The program also encourages deep collaboration and mentorship between scholarship recipients. 

“For the first time, we are giving children a first chance,” said Beverly Parenti, co-founder of The Last Mile. “We’re giving children a chance by giving them scholarships for education to develop real career pathways.” For children growing up with an incarcerated parent, financial hardship and family separation can place educational opportunities further out of reach. Investing in their futures is among the most meaningful ways to break generational cycles of incarceration.

“Whether pursuing a university degree, vocational training, or professional certification, these young people deserve the freedom to imagine their futures and pursue their ambitions,” Beverly explained. “Through Turn2U, The Last Mile is helping make those dreams attainable.”

What the Scholarship Changes for Justcie-Impacted Families

When Isaiah learned he had received the Turn2U Scholarship, the first person he told was Michelle over the phone. Together, they spent months comparing colleges, weighing tuition costs, and considering what their family could realistically afford; now those conversations became real considerations.  

For Michelle, the news carried particular significance. “Being able to share an opportunity made possible through my own education was such a gift,” she told us. 

The scholarship also brought Isaiah a new sense of security as he began college. “It’s a big relief off both our shoulders,” he said, describing how the scholarship had eased their concerns about his future. He hopes to build a successful career, start his own business, and help young people facing similar challenges. The scholarship has eased his financial burden and brought those ambitions closer to reality.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Michelle wrote a letter from her facility to The Last Mile and the donors who made Isaiah’s scholarship possible. “I wrote it because I wanted them to understand what their support meant to our family,” she reflected. Read Michelle’s handwritten letter below:

A Letter from Michelle ×

Building Belonging, Mentorship, and Economic Mobility

In 2026, Turn2U has already awarded scholarships to 11 students. By mid-October, the team reported approximately $65,000 in funding commitments. The team hopes to expand the program significantly, aiming to support dozens of scholars as they continue through school and begin professional life.

“What we’re able to do now is give some power to the parents for the first time,” Jerry Killedjian explained. “Now they’re in that parenting mode, which is awesome to see.”

Having experienced incarceration himself, Jerry understands the helplessness parents can feel while separated from their children. Now as Senior Case Manager for The Last Mile, Jerry speaks to TLM students across the country about the scholarship opportunity for their own children and dependents.  

Mark Velasquez, who also experienced incarceration as a parent, understands how deeply this opportunity can affect an entire family. Project Manager Lead at The Last Mile, Mark describes “building the bridge between the parent and the child getting this assistance.” For Mark, the program’s potential extends far beyond the scholarships themselves.

“If we can solve the problem of funding, then that will open us up to focus on things like expanding our program and providing even more resources to our students,” he explained. He envisions a program that connects students with professional networks, internships, and career opportunities long after they enter college.

The Last Mile is actively seeking philanthropic partners who share that vision. With additional funding, Turn2U could reach more children of incarcerated parents while expanding the guidance and career support available to each recipient. As Mark emphasized, “We can focus on mentorships and bridging other gaps that we know they’re going to need in the future.”

Turn2U Scholarship Program

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I think that that’s something that I would want any investor to know or any donor to know, that if they can help us solve the funding problem, then we can focus on mentorships and bridging other gaps that we know that they’re going to need in the future.

Help Write the Next Chapter

Your support can help children and dependents of The Last Mile students and alumni pursue college and career training, while helping Turn2U expand mentorship and support for what comes next.

Learn How to Support →

A Future They Are Writing Together

Isaiah looks ahead to collegiate races, his business degree, and a future in entrepreneurship. Michelle continues pursuing her own degree, encouraging him from prison as they work toward their goals together. Through education, both have found opportunities that once seemed beyond their reach.

“Hopelessness is a progression of powerlessness,” Michelle explained. “The Last Mile offers a better path, one towards intentional and sustainable success by empowering individuals with hope for the future.” For Michelle, that hope now extends to her son, whose achievements bring new possibilities to their family.

Isaiah already dreams of sharing those opportunities with others. “I want more kids to feel like me,” he said, reflecting on his desire to give back. His ambitions now reach beyond college graduation toward building a career, supporting his family, and helping future generations succeed.

Their story represents the extraordinary potential of scholarships for children of incarcerated parents. With additional philanthropic partners, Turn2U hopes to bring that same opportunity to more students and families nationwide.

When asked what he would tell the people who made his scholarship possible, Isaiah’s answer captured that promise:

“You guys are changing lives and rewriting legacies.”

For Isaiah and Michelle, that legacy is already taking shape. With support from new partners, countless more families could begin writing their own.

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By Robert Roche, VP of Marketing at The Last Mile.

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