Annie's Story

Annie O’Connell

“I didn’t expect people to be so willing to meet with me, but I’ve gotten all of the help that I asked for. It is so important to me that I would have been willing to pay for tutoring. I am grateful to have this program. Someday I would like to be a tutor myself.”

Annie O’Connell, a 29-year old, third-semester undergraduate at Columbia University, says that she’s lived both sides of the expression “the haves and the have-nots.” Unlike her peers who felt secure in their abilities and their aspirations, she was acutely aware that her felony convictions would interfere with “having” the life she dreamed of. 

An Ivy League education seemed completely out of the question until she learned about the Justice and Education Initiative at Columbia University. “It was a blessing to attend Columbia University. It gave me a sense of pride that I have not felt in any other area of my life. It was the first thing that I felt my parents could brag about.” Her first class, a literature course focused on justice and homecoming, awakened an     intense passion for learning and a desire to obtain an undergraduate degree, and perhaps even a doctorate in law. 

Against the advice of her counselor, Annie decided to challenge herself by enrolling in a calculus class. The course proved to be much more challenging than she expected. Part way through the semester, Annie was sure that she would fail and sought the support of a tutor. The Justice and Education Initiative staff recommended the Petey Greene Program (PGP), even though at the time PGP only provided tutoring for currently incarcerated students. 

Breaking with the precedent, PGP responded to Annie’s call for help by pairing her with Glenn, a tutor who met Annie’s commitment to education. While only scheduled to meet once a week, Glenn offered additional sessions, meeting with her several days a week to ensure Annie passed the course.