I was inspired to pursue African American History as a field of study because it enables me to think critically within a historical context, as I utilize a solution oriented approach to social inequities that curtail progress in urban communities. I am now entering my senior year at UCLA and have enjoyed serving as President of the Black Business Student Association, hosting my own show with UCLA Radio, and attending basketball games in Pauley Pavilion. As a transfer student, I have made every effort to make the most out of my time as a student at the world’s best public university. My research focuses on the disciple culture at private voucher schools and how that relates to the school-to-prison pipeline. More specifically, I will examine three particular Milwaukee Parental Choice Schools that serve predominantly low-income, African-American students. I anticipate my results will give to light to how many students have been incarcerated, as a result of school expulsion and other discipline tactics. My interest in this project directly stems from my K-12 experience, as I’m originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I happened to be apart of the inaugural cohort of voucher students at St. Marcus Lutheran School, back in 1998. However the majority of my classmates did not have the privilege or opportunity to pursue higher education. This project is very personal to me, as I have former peers that are currently incarcerated. This topic is significant because the majority of discourse surrounding the school-to-prison pipeline excludes the narrative of students that attended private schools on a subsidized voucher. I’m extremely excited and prepared for this project, as I’m fortunate to be under the guidance of Dr. Pedro Noguera, who is a leading researcher and distinguished Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA.