Velocity - Magazine - Page 16
MOORE OPPORTUNITIES
By Damon Bennett
Tommy Moore came out of prison in 2009 chasing a bachelor’s degree without a car and 12 miles
of road between him and Lake Sumter Community College. He pedaled. Every. Single. Day. Now
he has a Ph.D. and teaches incarcerated students in the UPWARD program what got him there.
“My mission and my vision in life is
An entrepreneur for almost
giving hope to the hopeless by letting
20 years, Moore started and sold
to 60 hours a week with students.
people know their past doesn’t have
three businesses and currently owns
He believes the regularity of classes
to define their future,” Moore said.
one in Florida. His companies have
helps them build a foundation
ranged from a real estate company
that can help them stay on a better
with his father to a counseling service
path once they are released. His
to a bakery. Now he teaches what
experience being incarcerated helps
and spent nine years in a Florida
he learned as an entrepreneur to
him relate to the UPWARD students.
prison after he was convicted of a
incarcerated students to show them
felony. Once he was released, he had
what is possible.
Those words come from experience.
Moore grew up in Orlando, Florida,
to figure out how he was going to stay
out of prison.
Moore estimates he spends close
“What I try to tell them is this is a
season. How you use this season will
“I teach from a standpoint of
determine how long the season can
theory as a Ph.D. doctor, but also
last,” said Moore. “I’ve had residents
“One of the things I found in my
from a standpoint of practice,” Moore
come up to me and say ‘You’ve
research was that education had a
said. “What really takes it from the
changed my life.’”
statistical, significant effect on staying
drawing board to the street.”
out,” said Moore. “The research also
showed that every degree you went
up, the statistical probability of going
back went down.”
In 2022, Moore relocated his family
The UPWARD program was
designed to help incarcerated
to Nebraska while his wife pursued
people get an education to help
her graduate degree. He began
them rejoin society and be
teaching with RISE, an organization
successful. When people like Moore
Moore rode his bike to earn his
that teaches inside prisons and helps
spend time with these students and
associate’s degree in business at
people with re-entry. Before long he
help them find opportunities, it
Lake Sumter. He then rode city
noticed Southeast Community College
strengthens our communities.
busses over five hours to attend
was also present inside and began
the University of Central Florida
teaching for UPWARD as well.
to earn his bachelor’s degree.
they show it,” Moore said. “There are
Moore found a passion for business
in business administration in 2020.
“One of the things I teach my
students is I’ve sat where they’ve
sat,” he explained. “I’ve also
found success on the outside, and
where I found that success was
about SCC is it’s a school that doesn’t
just say they give second chances, but
Somewhere in the faded upholstery,
education. He went on to earn a Ph.D.
“I think one of the great things
a lot of people out there that say
“
they’re second chance friendly, but
nobody on their payroll has been
incarcerated. SCC is not that. There
This is a season. How
you use this season will
determine how long the
season can last.
are many faculty, administrators, and
staff that are just as impacted. I think
SCC walks the walk.”
through entrepreneurship.”
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