From Restricted Access to Digital Confidence: Centering Lived Experience in Technology Support For Students Who are Formerly Incarcerated

Donaciano Botello Torres, Project Rebound Program Director, Michael DaSilva, Project Rebound Student and Danika Hubbard, Project Rebound Administrative Analyst, Sonoma State University

Designing Technology Support with Lived Experience at the Center

Technology access and digital literacy are often treated as a baseline expectation in higher education, yet for students who are formerly incarcerated, it represents a significant and frequently invisible barrier. Years of restricted or outdated access to technology while incarcerated create gaps that affect academic engagement, confidence and persistence. At Sonoma State University, Project Rebound has learned through our students that effective technology support must be intentionally designed, relationally delivered and informed directly by their experience. This article explores how centering lived experience has shaped our approach to technology support and why this work matters for student success.

Student Experience: Navigating Higher Education Without the Digital Map

Entering college after incarceration can feel overwhelming, especially when so much of coll ege work happens online. Tasks such as making an appointment with an advisor, submitting assignments, or communicating with faculty by email are unfamiliar and intimidating. These challenges are not about my motivation or intelligence but about limited experience, access and exposure. Although I have learned foundational skills like sending emails, I still experience anxiety and uncertainty about formatting, tone and digital communication expectations, even six months after my release. Support that acknowledges these realities without judgment makes a critical difference in building my confidence and persistence.

Operational Support: Translating Access into Daily Practice

Supporting students with technology is foundational to the work we do here at Project Rebound. This includes one-on-one support with patience, understanding and non-judgment as I help students navigate complex campus systems, connect them with IT resources and provide troubleshooting that meets students where they are. As the Administrative Specialist, I am often the first-person students turn to for assistance in navigating institutional systems that frequently assume a baseline level of digital access and fluency that not all students possess. The hands-on support we provide is pivotal to the student experience, helping reduce frustration and allowing students to focus more fully on learning and succeeding.

From Survival to Digital Confidence

From a program leadership perspective, addressing technology access and digital literacy requires anticipation, advocacy and flexibility. Project Rebound works closely with campus partners to identify barriers, expand access and push for practices that recognize nontraditional student pathways. By listening to student experiences and integrating that feedback into program design, technology support becomes proactive rather than reactive and contributes meaningfully to retention and academic momentum.

With coursework moving into a digital space and more classes using tools like Canvas as a source to make collaboration easier to access, there is still a significant barrier to students who are not comfortable using those tools. Project Rebound supports students to engage more confidently in coursework, communication and career preparation. This shift from survival to confidence reflects the power of intentional support structures rooted in trust, understanding and lived experience.

Why Centering Lived Experience Strengthens Innovation

Technology innovation in a university setting must be grounded in the realities of those most affected by access inequities. Project Rebound’s approach shows that when lived experience informs program design, the university can create support systems that are both effective and humane. For students who are formerly incarcerated, technology access is not merely functional; it is foundational to our belonging, dignity and opportunity. By centering the voices of those who have historically been excluded, Project Rebound moves beyond one-size-fits-all solutions toward innovations that respond to real barriers and real lives. In doing so, we not only improve outcomes for marginalized students but also model a more just and inclusive vision of technological progress.