Dr. Carolyn Eggleston, Faculty Emeriti at California State University, San Bernardino, dedicated her career to transforming correctional education and creating pathways to success for formerly incarcerated individuals. With over four decades of experience in correctional education, she has been a pioneering force in developing comprehensive reentry programs in the Inland Empire. During her tenure at CSUSB, Dr. Eggleston served as the Founding Program Coordinator for the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation & Counseling.
In 2010, she was pivotal in establishing the Cal State Reentry Initiative (CSRI), a groundbreaking partnership between CSUSB and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Under her leadership as CSRI's program administrator, the initiative expanded to four locations across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, serving thousands of parolees with essential services, including education, employment assistance, and support programming.
Building on her commitment to educational access and reentry support, Dr. Eggleston co-founded CSUSB's Project Rebound in 2016 alongside Dr. Annika Anderson. This initiative originated at San Francisco State University in 1967 and has since grown into a successful program supporting formerly incarcerated students pursuing higher education. Her vision of creating safe, welcoming spaces for returning citizens and her belief in education as a transformative force has left an indelible mark on CSUSB and the broader community.
Throughout her career, Dr. Eggleston has championed the importance of comprehensive reentry support, emphasizing that successful reintegration requires educational opportunities and community assistance. Her work has demonstrated that investing in reentry programs transforms individual lives, strengthens communities, and provides a cost-effective alternative to incarceration. Her legacy continues to influence correctional education and reentry programs at CSUSB and beyond.