Mount Tamalpais College Honored as AD12 Nonprofit of the Year

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Assemblymember Connolly (D-San Rafael) recognized Mount Tamalpais College as the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District (AD) 12. Mount Tamalpais College provides a high quality and inclusive Associate of Arts degree program and College Preparatory program to individuals incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. The program, which is free of charge, aims to expand access to quality higher education for incarcerated people and foster the values of equity, civic engagement, and freedom of expression.

“I am proud to recognize Mount Tamalpais College as our Nonprofit of the Year and honor their work promoting justice, equity, and transformation in our community,” said Assemblymember Connolly. “By expanding access to higher education among incarcerated people in California, we can work to break the cycle of recidivism and provide inmates with the tools they need to success upon their release.”

According to the Department of Justice, inmates who participate in correctional education programs have approximately 43 percent lower odds of returning to prison than those who do not, and every dollar spent on prison education saves four to five dollars on the costs of re-incarceration.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized by Assemblymember Damon Connolly as the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District 12,” said Jody Lewen, President of Mount Tamalpais College. “This recognition is a testament to the transformative power of higher education in prison and to the enduring partnerships that support our mission. For nearly 30 years, we’ve been proud to provide rigorous higher education and college preparatory programs at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, fostering equity, dignity, and opportunity. We are especially grateful to Assemblymember Connolly for his steadfast commitment to criminal justice reform and his advocacy for meaningful, community-based solutions.”

Mount Tamalpais College has been a beacon of opportunity and transformation for nearly three decades. Since its founding in 1996 as the Prison University Project, the institution has provided tuition-free Associate of Arts degrees and college preparatory programs to incarcerated students, fostering academic excellence, personal growth, and the tools for meaningful reintegration. In 2022, Mount Tamalpais College achieved a historic milestone by receiving full accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, becoming the first fully accredited, independent college based inside a U.S. prison. 

As the voice for California’s nonprofit community, the California Association of Nonprofits has partnered with the California Legislature in celebrating the tenth year of California Nonprofits of the Year. Assemblymember Connolly was proud to honor Mount Tamalpais College as Assembly District 12’s Nonprofit of the Year at the California State Capitol today, recognizing their unwavering dedication to expanding access to quality higher education and its role in fostering a more just and equitable society. 

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Assemblymember Connolly represents the entirety of Marin County and Southern Sonoma County