From Potential to Possibility:
Dismantling Barriers and Reimagining Who Belongs in Higher Education

Mainstage: Wednesday, July 29
2:45PM-4:00PM ET

Stanley Andrisse, MBA, Ph.D.’s journey from incarceration in a maximum-security prison to becoming an endocrinologist scientist and tenured professor at a U.S. medical school challenges deeply held assumptions about merit, potential, and who is deemed “college-ready.” In this powerful mainstage address, Andrisse invites college admission counseling professionals to examine how systems of higher education either restrict or unlock opportunity for students with nontraditional, marginalized, or justice-impacted backgrounds. Grounded in both lived experience and evidence, this session explores how deficit-based thinking, structural gatekeeping, and risk-averse policies continue to limit access, often unintentionally, for students who could thrive if given equitable support. Andrisse will challenge attendees to move beyond transactional access toward transformational belonging, offering concrete perspectives on how professionals can serve as advocates, disrupt harmful narratives, and build pathways that honor students’ full humanity.

Attendees will leave re-centered on their role as gate-openers, not gatekeepers, and reminded that expanding access is about widening our understanding of talent, resilience, and possibility.

Stanley Andrisse, MBA, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Physiology
Howard University College of Medicine

Stanley Andrisse, MBA, Ph.D., is an endocrinologist scientist and assistant professor at Howard University College of Medicine, specializing in type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance research. He also serves as a visiting faculty member at Georgetown University Medical Center and has held academic positions at Imperial College London and Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Beyond his scientific expertise, Andrisse is a nationally recognized advocate for criminal justice reform and educational access. He is the executive director and founder of From Prison Cells to PhD (P2P), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering formerly incarcerated individuals through education and mentorship.

His personal journey — from being sentenced to a maximum-security prison to earning a Ph.D. and MBA — has inspired thousands, making him a sought-after keynote speaker at universities, government institutions, and corporate events.