This summer, Mary McCrary, a mother of three from Nashville, Tenn., is spending her time interning at Princeton University. But her path to success came with a string of life choices and then lessons, that not so many go through. Even fewer become successful. But this time, this time was different.
McCrary’s opportunity comes after spending more than three years in prison. She credits her turnaround to a coding class she took during her incarceration, which she says transformed her life. “The class alone made you feel like you’re a human being, that I was working towards something, that there is a goal in sight, I am going to accomplish something, and I did,” McCrary said.
That does give you confidence and hope.”
Her journey began at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville, where she served time for a parole violation following a conviction for aggravated burglary. It was there that she enrolled in a coding class as part of the Persevere program, which offers inmates the chance to earn certifications in front-end or full-stack web development.
“When you get to a point where you’re tired and don’t even want to live and you’re hopeless and you feel useless and worthless, you have a decision to make,” McCrary explained. “I made the decision to use this time to do something different, to change my life.”
Mary McCrary, second from the right, stands with her children. Photo courtesy of the McCrary family
Despite dropping out of high school in the 10th grade, McCrary went on to earn her GED but never thought about college until she landed in prison. Within six months of studying coding, she became certified in front-end development and went on to continue her education at Nashville State Community College, which offered inmate programs.
By the time she was granted parole and had completed her supervision, McCrary had accumulated multiple credits towards her associate’s degree. Then she earned an internship at Princeton. At the university, she lives on campus and works alongside fellow students in a data analysis role within a computational biology and psychology research program.
Bridgett vonHoldt, Ph.D., an associate professor at Princeton and the head of the internship program, praised McCrary as a “role model” student. “Her dedication to building her future is evident in how she does not shy away from challenges and the unknown,” vonHoldt said.
She is a role model, demonstrating for anyone who thinks such change is impossible that nothing is impossible.”
McCrary is making the most of her time at Princeton, appreciating both the learning opportunities and the chance to see more of the world beyond Tennessee. “This has been life-changing in more ways than one,” she said. “This is an unbelievable, sometimes overwhelming experience.”
Mary McCrary takes a selfie of her wearing a Princeton University shirt.
Frank Strada, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction, emphasized the importance of rehabilitation programs in helping inmates turn their lives around. “Mary represents what we’re doing in the state of Tennessee. We are very strongly behind rehabilitation and reentry of our offenders back into the community,” he stated. “We’re all about second chances and trying to build success.”
After her internship is finished, McCrary plans to return to Nashville to complete her associate’s degree. She hopes her story will inspire others to believe in the possibility of change. “If you look at my past, it’s a crazy shamble mess, but look now, look what can happen,” McCrary said. “Nothing is ever impossible.”
McCrary also expressed a desire to help other formerly incarcerated individuals in the future. “Just because their past is messed up doesn’t mean they’re not a person, and it’s not necessarily that we need a handout. We just need a hand up in the right direction.”
