Avery is a Ph.D. student in Chemical and Biological Engineering and a University Administrative Fellow in the Prison Teaching Initiative. 

"My UAF is with the Prison Teaching Initiative. My mentor is Jill Stockwell, and I’m working on expanding the dialogue on prison education in and around campus. Under Jill’s tremendous support, I organized the most recent Prison and the Academy Symposium, whereby formerly incarcerated artists, scholars, and activists shared their experiences pursuing higher education while incarcerated. The mentorship and relationships that developed as a result of this fellowship allowed me to find institutional support for an issue I deeply care about. My experience has totally transformed my idea of academia into a place where meaningful change and empowerment can happen."