Cal State Fullerton’s Project Rebound will receive $500,000 from the county, intended to support the creation of a housing community for formerly incarcerated women reintegrating into society and pursuing higher education.

Project Rebound is a CSU-wide initiative with programs at various campuses helping people enroll and succeed in college after being incarcerated. Fullerton’s transformative housing expansion project will be modeled after the John Irwin Memorial House, which has been serving male students for several years.

“These funds will have life-changing implications, empowering women to focus on their academic pursuits while accessing critical opportunities and resources,” James “JC” Cavitt, executive director of CSUF Project Rebound, said in a statement.

The funding approved recently by the OC Board of Supervisors will help secure a home close to the Cal State Fullerton campus, large enough to accommodate five to seven female students.

Ingrid Garcia, CSUF Project Rebound’s juvenile justice coordinator, said formerly incarcerated women face unique challenges that are often overlooked; many are also single mothers and survivors of trauma.

“Coming from being impacted myself by the justice system, I did struggle a lot with having secure housing,” Garcia said. “This is not just providing shelter, but it’s actually a launch pad to rebuild their lives, be part of a community and find economic independence.”

The funding is coming from Supervisor Doug Chaffee’s Fourth District discretionary funds. At the supervisors’ Dec. 3 meeting, Chaffee shared his support for Project Rebound, adding that two interns who worked in his district office went through the program.

“Cal State Fullerton’s Project Rebound has transformed many lives of formerly incarcerated people in obtaining a higher education and decreasing recidivism in Orange County,” Chaffee said in a statement. “The funds will help Project Rebound expand its housing services to women and eliminate housing insecurity as a barrier to success.”

The CSUF Project Rebound program is an asset to the county, Second District Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said. “When folks come out of the system of incarceration, they can provide incredible insight in public policy than somebody who hasn’t spent that time.”

According to a 2023 CSU annual report on Project Rebound, the latest year available, 247 members of the graduating class went through the program – 50 were receiving master’s degrees – and more than 830 students were enrolled with a nearly 0% recidivism rate among them. Leading the consortium of campus programs that year was Cal State Fullerton’s then-president Framrose Virjee; and CSUF reported having more than 100 students in the program.

Ronald S. Rochon, president of CSUF, said the funds will help empower women on their path toward higher education.

“We are committed to addressing the needs of all students,” Rochon said in a statement. “By addressing housing insecurity, this initiative creates a foundation for success, allowing these Titans to achieve their educational and personal goals in a supportive and empowering environment.”

Related Articles