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In 1952, John Irwin (1929-2010) robbed a gas station and served a five-year sentence for armed robbery in Soledad Prison. During his time in prison, he earned 24 college credits through a university extension program, eventually earning his B.A. from UCLA and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley post-release. As a Professor of Sociology and Criminology at San Francisco State University, where he taught for 27 years, Dr. Irwin became known internationally as an expert on the U.S. prison system and a staunch advocate for the rights of the currently and formerly incarcerated. 

Understanding the vital role that education played in his own life, Dr. Irwin created Project Rebound to provide a pathway to matriculation and support system for formerly incarcerated students at San Francisco State. His vision was revolutionary, as there was no other program across the country that provided such support on a college campus. SF State’s program enjoyed great success but remained the only Project Rebound campus in the CSU system for nearly 40 years. This all changed in the late 2010s as students, including the formerly incarcerated, and other community advocates began to demand increased educational access and opportunity for both currently and formerly incarcerated individuals.