For nearly 40 years, Maryland Correctional Enterprises (previously State Use Industries) has been tirelessly working on fulfilling its mission and consequently changing lives for the better.
We are a self-sufficient agency that, at no cost to taxpayers, developed ways to provide structured training in order to help inmate participants obtain gainful employment upon release.
We have many success stories under our belt and we are proud to share one of them below.
Meet Dale
Pastor Dale is a former Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE) program participant that, following his release, earned two Master's Degrees in Divinity and Christian and Biblical Studies. Dale is currently working for a nonprofit organization.
VIDEO: Watch Dale’s Interview
Let’s begin with a few questions. What is success? We’re always talking about it, but what does it really mean? Is it wealth? Is it happiness? Is it fame? Many of us chase career titles, money, or social status — and yet we don’t feel successful when we achieve those things.
It’s because there is no universal recipe for success. We all have to write our own definitions. Take a moment and close your eyes. Imagine your life the way you would like it to turn out. This way you’ll be able to define what truly drives you and identify a road map to success that falls in line with your core values.
In Dale's words, he “had made some very foolish decisions” in his youth. As a consequence, he served a 30-year sentence in the state prison system. You might assume that after such a deep fall, success would no longer be attainable. The sole definition of success starts with the phrase “the opposite of failure”!
Luckily, it’s never too late to start over. During his time behind bars, Dale worked for MCE and attended C.A.R.E.S. classes. He believes that our Critical Thinking class changed his life. He started to take time to think critically about what matters to him and how his decisions shape his future.
Post Release
Upon his release, Dale was not only able to hold on to meaningful and fulfilling employment, but also earned two Master's degrees.
According to Dale, every individual from MCE that he stayed in contact with has been successful. MCE’s job is to provide tools that help offenders succeed following their release. We believe that every case study we post on this blog is a testimonial of our successes.
Dale is one of many MCE participants that, promptly after release, was able to obtain stability thanks to saved earnings and soft and trade skills acquired throughout his time with MCE.
To meet more former MCE participants that are a living testimony of MCE’s mission and vision statements simply click the links below:
Written By: Natalia F.