A college in Brooklyn is changing the lives of people who were once behind bars.

St. Francis College's post-prison program gives New Yorkers hoping to turn their lives around the tools and support they need to succeed.

Members of the program say they have learned from their past, which will always be a reminder of how far they've come.

"At the age of 19, being misdirected, shortsighted, I made some very, very poor choices in my life and as a result I was sentenced to a 15 years to life term for an altercation that I had with another young man and as a result he lost his life,” says formerly incarcerated student Lazaro Lugo. 

The students are all now hoping to do good in the world, and St. Francis College is helping them do exactly that with its post-prison education program. 

Started in 2014, it's designed to help those leaving prisons re-enter society and pursue higher education. 

"They fit in and they become fully integrated into the college. The faculty and students love our program because our students are among the most enthusiastic and dedicated students at the college,” says program founder Emily Horowitz.