Benard McKinley’s journey from incarceration to acceptance at Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law is a testament to resilience and determination.
Convicted at 19 and sentenced to 100 years behind bars, McKinley turned his prison cell into a university, earning his GED and paralegal diplomas while advocating for fellow inmates.
Reflecting on his time in prison, McKinley remarked:
“My prison cell became my university.”
His relentless pursuit of justice led to the reduction of his sentence and, ultimately, to his admission to Northwestern.
McKinley’s goal now is to establish a legal clinic to provide assistance to underserved communities, a vision he shares with his former tutor Haley Greep.
McKinley’s story underscores the transformative power of education and the unwavering commitment to positive change.
As McKinley himself puts it:
“This is a start to allow me to show that I’m committed to the positive transformation of my community.”
