Today we’d like to introduce you to Daycy Gomez
Hi Daycy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In 2021 during my undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University, I saw a job advertisement from the history department to be a Teaching Assistant inside the Utah State Prison in Draper, Utah for the Utah Prison Education Project. I would accompany a BYU professor who taught inside the prison and help facilitate the class. I got the position and stayed in it for the last year and a half of my undergraduate studies. After I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, I applied to be the Education Coordinator for the Utah Prison Education Project. I felt confident applying for this job since I had volunteered with the program during my undergrad. I started the coordinator position in July of 2023 and was promoted to the manager position for the program in January of 2024. Right now I am planning on staying in this position until I start graduate school in Fall 2025
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Being a Teaching Assistant inside the prison is very different from managing the program. As a Teaching Assistant, you don’t see all the behind-the-scenes work that is needed to run a prison education program. There are a lot of moving parts to running a program like this because the prison is a tricky place. Rules and policies change, our students don’t have access to the same resources as traditional college students, and we operate the program on a tight budget that does not allow us to hire all the staff we would like given our ambitious programming. We depend on the generosity of our supporters to help cover the costs of programming, including student books and school supplies.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My role as the Education Manager for the Utah Prison Education Project involves many things. To name a few things, I help train instructors and volunteers on how to teach inside the prison context, process security clearances for our classroom items, plan and develop educational programming such as mentorship programs, maintain relationships with our partners such as Brigham Young University, etc.
I am very proud of the work we’ve done over the past year to launch a bachelor’s degree program in the women’s designated unit of the Utah State Correctional Facility. For the first time in its history, the University of Utah accepted incarcerated learners as undergraduate students. This summer 15 incarcerated students will be enrolled in the first credit-bearing course toward the degree. It took the work and advocacy of many people on campus to make this opportunity possible, as well as – of course – the hard work and dedication of students themselves who now have a chance to improve their lives through higher education.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Community. My community of friends, family, mentors and supporters have helped me become who I am today. I think we are nothing without each other. I believe our communities and relationships give meaning to our lives and what we pursue.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://prisoneducationproject.utah.edu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/utahpep
