Whittaker's Drive to Success
The road Jessica Whittaker traveled to earn a Certificate in Professional Truck Driver Training was not an easy one to navigate. In fact, the St. Louis native had a couple of detours enroute to becoming the first graduate in Southeast Community College’s Prison Education Program in December 2024.
“I was an ammo technician in the Marine Corps so I was loading bullets for everybody every day,” Whittaker said. “I came to Nebraska with my son trying to start over and do something different. Instead, I ended up getting in a little bit of trouble.”
Some of Whittaker’s choices led to a five year stay in the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in Seward. While in prison, she met Amy Doty, SCC dean of correctional education, which altered her path again. She found a person in Doty who believed in her and challenged her to change the way she lives the rest of her life.
“Amy Doty is the most amazing person,” said Whittaker. “She told me at the very beginning she was going to help me get through this. I told her all she had to do was believe in me and I would get it done.”
Under Doty’s guidance, Whittaker narrowed her career options and ultimately landed on an over-the-road truck driver. She was drawn to the open road because of the variety of jobs she could choose from.
“This opportunity kind of fell into my lap,” Whittaker said. “I have the chance to do something awesome which could actually change the way I live the rest of my life. Right now I am just weighing all my options and taking space for myself so I don’t rush into a decision. I am excited to provide for my son and do something great.”
In the 2024 spring semester, SCC partnered with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services to expand higher education access to individuals incarcerated in five southeast Nebraska facilities/locations to help decrease the state’s recidivism rate. A 2018 U.S. Department of Justice study found 68% of inmates released from state prisons in 2005 were arrested again within three years. In 2018 the Journal of Experimental Criminology published aggregated data between 1980-2017 which found that incarcerated individuals enrolled in postsecondary education programs are 48% less like to be reincarcerated than their peers.
Doty knows first-hand the power of education while incarcerated. Providing education opportunities to those incarcerated benefits the person, the community as a whole and expands the workforce. She couldn’t be more proud of Whittaker and the many success stories yet to be written.
“When a person goes to prison, it really does feel like a door is closed and all things have ended for you,” Doty said. “The thing we hear the most consistently from students is they have hope for the first time in a long time.”
As for Whittaker, she likes where the road is leading her.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me to start over and have a new trajectory for my future,” Whittaker explained. “I’m proud of myself, and at 35 I’m ready for my new journey. It’s amazing and I can’t wait to see where the road literally takes me.”
Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu