Project Rebound Outreach Coordinator Michael Love’s guidance for formerly incarcerated students makes second chances a possibility.

Love helps them apply, enroll and graduate with a college degree from Sacramento State.

Love is a communications studies major at Sac State working towards his master’s degree after earning several associate degrees while in custody at Solano State Prison. Upon his release, Love was asked to return to the prison to deliver a valedictorian speech.

In 1987, at the age of 19, he began to serve a life sentence in California’s prison system. While in prison, Love found a greater purpose for his life.

“I really started becoming engulfed in education,” Love said. “I started believing in myself.”

Love said that after serving 35 years behind bars, Project Rebound was an answer to his prayers. Love said he realized the power of education when he was given the opportunity to teach classes to inmates in the master’s program while still incarcerated himself.

His work caught the attention of then-Outreach Coordinator Gunner Johnson and program director Aaron Greene for Sac State’s Project Rebound. Gunner recruited Love, and the rest is history.

“Gunner welcomed me with a bear hug,” Love said. “I never felt that kind of love before.”

Eventually, Greene secretly initiated onboarding for Love to become Project Rebound’s next Outreach Coordinator. When Love was hired upon his release in January 2023, he hit the ground running.

Love frequently recruits inmates from all over California. To date, Love said there are 191 active students in the program.

He said that many potential recruits have low self-esteem because of the stigma that comes with being incarcerated, something Love said he has also faced.

“When they come through those doors, we want to lift that stigma. We do not want to remind them of that,” Love said. “We want to remind them of the God-given potential that they have within them.”

Project Rebound is responsible for teaching and releasing previously incarcerated individuals deserving of another opportunity. Love said his efforts teach that when his students start to believe in humanity, humanity will start to believe in them.

“We change the narrative,” Love said. “One individual, one spirit and one soul at a time.”

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One of Project Rebound’s assistive programs, the Step-Down program, has recruiters from the campus go into juvenile detention centers to inspire youth to become scholars.

Khaliah Duplechan, recently released from Juvenile Detention, is one student who received an advance release from a two-year sentence to enroll in Sac State through the Step-Down program.

“I’ve always wanted to have a successful career,” Duplechan said, but she faced additional legal troubles. “My attorney actually told me I could not get my record expunged.”

A third-year public relations major, Duplechan has been hired as a student assistant for Project Rebound.

Nedric Miller, a graduate student with a bachelor’s in Kinesiology, returned to work in Project Rebound’s student center. He said he recently petitioned for a master’s degree in biology and will be attending Sac State in the spring, with the aim of becoming a neurophysiologist.

A high school dropout, Miller served an 18-year stint in prison for his heavy involvement in gang activity before receiving an advance release. Miller said he looks up to Love as a mentor.

“I go to him when I need direction,” Miller said. “If I need to talk to him, I know he’s there. Mike is legit because he is just himself.”

Xavior Majstoric, a sophomore sociology major, served seven years in juvenile detention from the age of 13. He said he discovered Project Rebound through his tutor while serving his sentence.

“It was an opportunity to do something better for myself,” Majstoric said. “I was interested; I wanted to know more.”

Following his release on Aug. 21, he joined Sac State for the fall semester. Project Rebound ensured he was able to enroll.

“They’ve helped me so much in this transformation,” Majstoric said. “They’ve been there no matter what. Mr. Love literally answered the phone at 2 o’clock in the morning for me.”

Since its inception in 1967, Project Rebound is now offered on 15 campuses across California. The late Professor John Irwin, also formerly incarcerated, created this program to give former prisoners a second chance.

Love said that all of Project Rebound students earn a degree and are successful after graduation.

“When you just think of the possibilities of the human being and compassion,” Love said. “You won’t find better people that believe in the cause.”