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From Prison Cells to PhD: It is Never Too Late to Do Good
A captivating story detailing how resilience and inner strength can be combined to overcome mountainous barriers to reach one’s full potential.
Growing up in Ferguson, Missouri, Stanley Andrisse began making poor decisions at a very young age. He started selling dope and was arrested for the first time at fourteen years old. By his early twenties, dope dealing had exponentially multiplied, and he found himself sitting in front of a judge facing twenty years to life on drug trafficking charges. The judge sentenced him to ten years in a maximum-security prison.
Prison was an experience like none other he’d ever encountered. While challenged with a strong desire for self-renewal, he faced an environment that was not conducive for transformative change. From poor institutional structure and policies to individual institutionalized thinking and behaviors, he battled on a daily basis to retain and maintain his humanity.
Upon release, and after several rejections, Stanley was accepted into a PhD program. He completed his PhD/MBA simultaneously and became an endocrinologist and impactful leader at Johns Hopkins Medicine, specializing in diabetes research.
Growing up in Ferguson, Missouri, Stanley Andrisse began making poor decisions at a very young age. He started selling dope and was arrested for the first time at fourteen years old. By his early twenties, dope dealing had exponentially multiplied, and he found himself sitting in front of a judge facing twenty years to life on drug trafficking charges. The judge sentenced him to ten years in a maximum-security prison.
Prison was an experience like none other he’d ever encountered. While challenged with a strong desire for self-renewal, he faced an environment that was not conducive for transformative change. From poor institutional structure and policies to individual institutionalized thinking and behaviors, he battled on a daily basis to retain and maintain his humanity.
Upon release, and after several rejections, Stanley was accepted into a PhD program. He completed his PhD/MBA simultaneously and became an endocrinologist and impactful leader at Johns Hopkins Medicine, specializing in diabetes research.
- GenresMemoir
1 pages, Audio CD
Published August 17, 2021
14 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 28, 2021
I literally could not put this book down. Stan tells his story in such a captivating, genuine way. I feel more informed and better educated regarding the system. I feel more compassionate to those who are in the system, how they ended up there, AND what their future could and should look like. Highly recommend!
July 29, 2025
A quick but impactful read! Stan is a personal friend and mentor. I had no idea how far Stan (now Dr. Andrisse!) had already come by the time I was working for him at SLU as a bio tech and TA. It is so cool to come full circle on more of his story and to see him leading others into a life of education and furthering the scientific community!
October 18, 2024
listened to this one on audio before going to Andrisse’s book talk. so many things to say, but such a brave, vulnerable and honest telling of his life, mistakes, triumphs, and advocacy. Andrisse weaves and addresses themes of police brutality, the criminalization of black people, the utter ostracizing of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, community, family love, and support into his book.
this quote really stuck with me: “as a person with criminal convictions, it is almost required to have an inside person vouching for you to pull strings.” prison is literally built to isolate people, disenfranchise them, and limit or altogether bar them from possibilities and opportunities, and basic elements of society. he writes about how one of the only reasons he was able to apply to PhD programs from prison was because he had a robust and supportive community that helped give advice, provide feedback, and also process the actual mechanics of applications back and forth. now, Andrisse runs an organization that helps formerly incarcerated people achieve higher education (P2P). highly recommend giving this a read (or listen!), and check out his work.
this quote really stuck with me: “as a person with criminal convictions, it is almost required to have an inside person vouching for you to pull strings.” prison is literally built to isolate people, disenfranchise them, and limit or altogether bar them from possibilities and opportunities, and basic elements of society. he writes about how one of the only reasons he was able to apply to PhD programs from prison was because he had a robust and supportive community that helped give advice, provide feedback, and also process the actual mechanics of applications back and forth. now, Andrisse runs an organization that helps formerly incarcerated people achieve higher education (P2P). highly recommend giving this a read (or listen!), and check out his work.
June 26, 2025
120 years ago: What are we to do with freed men that have been released from slavery?
W.E.B DuBois challenged Booker T Washington, when addressing the question. He promoted education for the previously enslaved person to work towards equality with white people.
Mass incarceration has been proclaimed the "new age slavery."
Now: What are we to do with all the formally incarcerated folks, "slaves of state."
Stanley Andrisse, MBA, PHD, shares his story and gives some answers to this question.
Imagine a world where Blackness was tied to excellence instead of criminology.
W.E.B DuBois challenged Booker T Washington, when addressing the question. He promoted education for the previously enslaved person to work towards equality with white people.
Mass incarceration has been proclaimed the "new age slavery."
Now: What are we to do with all the formally incarcerated folks, "slaves of state."
Stanley Andrisse, MBA, PHD, shares his story and gives some answers to this question.
Imagine a world where Blackness was tied to excellence instead of criminology.
November 29, 2021
Must read!
May 3, 2022
I didn't finish it. :/
January 1, 2023
This book is stunning & the beginning of a movement. Prison to PhD. Thank you, Dr. Andrisse.
November 9, 2022
an essential read
This is one of the most inspiring and life-changing books I have ever read. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and colleagues and hope to be able to help support Stanley Andrisse’s P2P program as much as possible.
This is one of the most inspiring and life-changing books I have ever read. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and colleagues and hope to be able to help support Stanley Andrisse’s P2P program as much as possible.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews