MBA students empower incarcerated women

Through the PATHS program with the Televerde Foundation, W. P. Carey evening MBA students taught negotiation skills that help women prepare for life beyond prison.

At the start of the fall 2025 semester, Assistant Teaching Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Kostas Voutsas gave the evening MBA students enrolled in his MGT 530: Influence and Negotiations course a choice: Complete a typical negotiation-based class project, or participate in a live webinar teaching negotiation skills to incarcerated women enrolled in the PATHS program, a partnership between ASU and the Televerde Foundation at Perryville Prison.

An acronym for Prepare, Achieve, and Transform for Health Success, PATHS teaches skills in mentorship, employment strategies, financial literacy, workplace readiness, personal wellness, and lifelong learning. Over half the class chose to participate in the live webinars, and Voutsas says he's both proud of the women who participated in the program and grateful to the students who opted to design, implement, and evaluate the activity.

"Huge shoutout to our evening MBA students who demonstrate social responsibility and continue to make a difference in our community," says Voutsas. "Their creativity, hard work, and attention to detail truly shone through in these projects. It's inspiring to see such passion and innovation."

PATHS co-founder and Clinical Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Julia LaRosa says that education has the power to transform lives for both the women at Perryville and for the MBA students.

"W. P. Carey's collaboration with the Televerde Foundation exemplifies the profound impact of learning and social responsibility," says LaRosa.

Working in three teams, Voutsas' students planned and facilitated lessons on negotiation tactics and strategies, negotiating salaries, and a hands-on role-play activity. The webinars took place on campus and were live-streamed to the participants at Perryville. The women who participated in the webinars also completed two ASU classes taught by Voutsas and Clinical Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Julia LaRosa through the PATHS program.

"Presenting for the PATHs program was such a meaningful experience," says Frankie O'Neil (BA Business Global Politics '22, MBA '26). "It was an incredible reminder that knowledge is power — being able to empower these women with negotiation tools they can take and apply to tangibly improve their lives in the future was an absolute honor."

Laura Lerma, a member of PATHS's 18th cohort, says the webinars provided tactics and strategies she will use in all areas of her life.

"This was the most informative and entertaining teaching we have had this semester," Lerma says. "It was encouraging to see where I might be in a couple of years if I put my mind to it and stay in school! I hope Career Paths continues to have this as part of their course every semester."

Another participant noted the activities encouraged students to rethink power, purpose, and value.

"I walked away not just informed, but inspired to lead with clarity and heart," says Kyaisha Blackmon, a member of PATHS's 19th cohort.

Notably, PATHS program participants have a recidivism rate of less than 1% compared to participants who do not participate in the program, who have a 60% recidivism rate.

"It was incredibly rewarding to witness the participants' involvement and engagement," says Bruno Streck Rodrigues (MBA '26). "Knowing that recidivism rates are lower among women who participate in this program underscored the value of education and the resilience of the women themselves. Their determination to move forward is inspiring, and I am grateful to have played even a small role in their journey."

Streck Rodrigues and his teammates, Alyssa Kiraly (MBA '26), Kamiya Khurana (BA Business Law '16, MBA '26), and Rachel Writz (MBA '26), delivered a "Negotiations 101" workshop with tactics that the PATHS students could immediately apply to everyday situations, from negotiating a job offer to buying a car. The group included a real-life example and short movie clips illustrating the concepts in action, creating an engaging presentation.

"This was not something I ever expected to gain from my MBA program, yet it became one of the most meaningful highlights of my education and something I proudly added to my curriculum vitae," says Streck Rodrigues.

Read more about how W. P. Carey is partnering with the Televerde Foundation to expand opportunities for lifelong learning.