By Segun Adeyanju

Dr. Stanley Andrisse, once confined in a maximum-security prison, has become a tenured professor at Howard University College of Medicine, a journey he describes as proof that “redemption is real.”

Now the first formerly incarcerated Black man in U.S. history to earn tenure at a medical school, Andrisse’s transformation from “career criminal” to scientist began after losing his father to diabetes while in prison.

That tragedy sparked his passion for studying disease and fueled his resolve to change his life through education.

After serving his sentence, Andrisse was rejected by five graduate schools before being accepted by Saint Louis University, where he earned a Ph.D. in physiology and an MBA in finance.

He now leads diabetes research at Howard while mentoring students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Through his nonprofit, From Prison Cells to Ph.D., Andrisse helps justice-impacted individuals pursue higher education, stressing that “people are more than their worst mistake.”

“Second chances aren’t charity,” he said. “They’re smart investments in human potential.”