Velocity - Magazine - Page 10
FINCH FINDS FUTURE
IN FABRICATION
By Damon Bennett
Chad Finch goes to work, goes to church, and is planning
his next degree. He is also serving year 15 of a 20-year
sentence—a fact he no longer expects to define him.
With nearly 25 years’ experience
“I’m grateful for the teachers that
in fabrication, Finch currently works
were involved, and I can’t praise them
at Cornhusker State Industries while
enough,” Finch said. “They come into
serving his sentence in the Community
our environment, and
Corrections Center in Lincoln, a facility
they treat us like human
for people on work or educational
beings, like anybody
release from the Nebraska Department
else. We thrive in that
of Correctional Services. He’s mapping
kind of condition, we
out his next semester at Southeast
appreciated that.”
Community College, his transfer to
Doane University, and the bachelor’s
degree he will pursue.
When Finch earned his
degree, he wasn’t able to
celebrate graduation with the rest of
“I am super excited about my
his class. When he transferred to the
future,” Finch said. “I know because
Center for People on work release,
of my past, I will have drawbacks. But
SCC staff threw him a graduation
with the skills, the degrees, and the
ceremony there.
knowledge that I’ve gained from the
college, it has given me a confidence
that I would not have if I was just
getting out on my own.”
Finch enrolled in SCC’s UPWARD
“That was amazing,” Finch said.
“I kind of saw it coming, but all
me a chocolate cake, and it made
Nebraska State Penitentiary. He had
appreciate that.”
was offering classes inside, he was
one of the first to sign up. Because
more than a decade had passed
since his earlier coursework in
machine tool and technology, not all
of his credits transferred. He took
what he needed and finished with
That kind of accommodation is what
the work looks like up close—a small
gesture beyond a program description
or a recruitment pitch. Now he spends
his off-hours at the Center working on
his resume with staff, including his
navigator, Paula Creps.
“Paula has just been phenomenal
an Associate of Applied Science in
with her ability to work with the
Integrated Technology.
Center and the school,” Finch said.
“She makes it as seamless as possible
8
”
with my robe on. But they brought
me feel really important, and I
began, and when SCC announced it
They come into our
environment, and they
treat us like human beings,
like anybody else.
I expected was maybe a picture
program when it started at the
started a degree before his sentence
“
to transfer over and get the things I need.
I’m impressed with her a lot.”
Finch will be on SCC’s campus for
summer classes, then on to Doane and
whatever comes next. He wants the
same path for everyone behind him.
“I have a passion for education and
success out of prison,” Finch said. “I
would like to see everybody that’s in
prison have a good job, succeed, and do
better. You take this, and you give it to
them, and they’re a better person
for it.”
SCC Velocity
