About HP3

Husky Post Prison Pathways is a student support service at the University of Washington Tacoma. We support prospective and current students who have been directly impacted by incarceration or the criminal legal system and help them navigate pathways into, through, and beyond higher education.

Our work is centered on education. We connect with people while they are incarcerated, help prospective students explore college as a possibility, support students as they transition to UW Tacoma, and provide continued support as they work toward graduation and prepare for careers, graduate school, leadership, and other opportunities.

What We Do

HP3 provides support that is connected to a student’s educational journey, including:

  • College access and transition support for prospective students
  • Individualized support for current UW Tacoma students
  • Peer connection, mentorship, and community building
  • Academic, career, and professional development
  • Leadership development and opportunities to build on lived experience
  • Connections to campus resources and other university services
  • Programming, workshops, events, and cohort-based experiences
  • Support with navigating barriers that may affect a student’s ability to enroll, persist, graduate, or pursue their next opportunity
  • Engagement with currently incarcerated people who are exploring higher education and preparing for life after release

What We Are Not

HP3 is not a general reentry program and does not provide comprehensive community-based reentry services.

Our primary role is to support people whose goals intersect with higher education. While we may help students identify resources and connect with community partners, HP3 is not a direct provider of services such as:

  • Housing or emergency shelter
  • Substance use disorder treatment
  • Mental health treatment or clinical services
  • Legal representation
  • Probation, parole, or other supervision services
  • Comprehensive case management
  • Employment placement for people who are not connected to an educational pathway
  • Financial assistance for general reentry needs

When needs fall outside of HP3’s scope, we work to connect students and prospective students with campus or community organizations better positioned to provide those services.

Who We Serve

Although prison is part of our name and remains an important focus of our work, HP3 is not limited to people who have served time in prison. We serve UW Tacoma students and prospective students who have been directly impacted by incarceration or the criminal legal system.

At its core, HP3 exists to make sure that system involvement does not have to end someone’s educational journey. We help people see higher education as a possibility, navigate the path to and through college, and build toward what comes next.