By Dave DeFusco
On a recent visit to a Texas prison, Linda Driver watched as a group of incarcerated men stood to deliver carefully practiced business pitches. Each idea reflected months of preparationmarket research, cost analysis and repeated rehearsals. For Driver, executive director of graduate programs at the Sy Syms School of Business, the moment represented something deeper than a classroom exercise. It was a glimpse into how business education can open doors in places where opportunity is often scarce.
Driver volunteers with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, known as PEP, which is dedicated to helping incarcerated individuals successfully re-enter society while building second-chance communities through entrepreneurship. The program has evolved into a four-part, 50-week curriculum that spans both incarceration and release, pairing participants with business executives who teach, mentor and collaborate with them. The result, said Driver, is transformative for everyone involved.
I first got involved when I was teaching a leadership course, she said. We wanted to introduce a servant leadership aspect into that course and eventually we realized, if were educating business students, lets connect it to that more specifically.
Driver began bringing MBA students into prisons for volunteer experiences, a practice that stayed with her even after she joined 91做厙 in 2021. Its an organization where the mission and its success rate are pretty impressive, she said. Its a great experience to contribute to something thats making a difference.
Inside PEP, participants nearing release work through an intensive entrepreneurship curriculum. They learn to define their markets, build financial projections and understand startup and operating costs. The process is highly practical, designed to prepare participants for real-world challenges.
They have to pitch their business idea, put financials around it and determine who their market is, said Driver. Its pretty extensive. Its not a theoretical course as you would expect. Its very practical.
That practicality is essential given the backgrounds of many participants. Some have spent decades incarcerated with limited exposure to technology or formal education. Some of them have been in there their whole adult lives, said Driver. Theyve never seen a smartphone and some of them have never used the internet.
To bridge that gap, the program emphasizes repetition and hands-on learning. Participants often practice their pitches dozens, even hundreds, of times before presenting. At the heart of PEP is a set of 10 driving values that shape the culture as much as the curriculum. These principles emphasize respect, accountability, service and integrity, which form what Driver describes as a powerful sense of community. Participants take on roles within the group, supporting one another and reinforcing a culture of servant leadership.
There is very much a brotherhood, she said. Its one of the most hospitable places Ive been. Theres a servant heart there.
Accountability, however, is equally central. Participants must apply to join the program and demonstrate a commitment to change. She is careful not to ask why someone is incarcerated, but she has noticed a consistent pattern. I have never had anyone suggest they werent wholly responsible, she said. At the end of the day, were just people.
That balance of compassion and accountability helps explain PEPs outcomes. The program reports high employment rates and low recidivism compared to national averages. Driver points to several factors, including the strength of the curriculum and the continuity of support after release. Graduates earn a certificate in entrepreneurship from Baylor University and can access housing and community resources designed to help them transition successfully.
Theyve got a great support system, she said. Theyre not going back to the same environment without resources.
Entrepreneurship plays a critical role in that transition. Traditional employment can be difficult for formerly incarcerated individuals, but starting a business offers an alternative path. While most ventures are small and practical, they provide a foundation for stability and growth.
Its a very narrow path in traditional employment, said Driver. This gives them a way to put a business plan around a skill they already have and start earning income right away.
For Driver, the experience has been deeply personal. Its been a very humbling experience, she said. You go for an afternoon, and the appreciation is overwhelming.
Her work with PEP also reinforces the values-based approach she brings to her role at Sy Syms. Theres a lot of parallel in terms of the ethics and values component, she said. I hope to one day connect our students more directly with the program, creating opportunities for mutual learning. I think theres a lot of affinity there beyond what appears on the surface.
