With graduation tassels and encouragement, Utahns celebrate earning degrees inside prison

Utahns who earned degrees from Salt Lake Community College while in prison celebrated the milestone with caps, gowns and tassels.

By: Annie Knox

Outlets: Utah News Dispatch

Published: May 12, 2026

Words: 641

Last Updated: 2 months, 2 weeks ago

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About three dozen men and women donned caps and gowns in Salt Lake City Monday, beaming as their names were called, shaking administrators’ hands and cheering on their classmates.

The graduates of Salt Lake Community College posed for pictures with family members in a scene typical of this time of year, except for the tall fences and barbed wire outside. The 34 students earned their associate degrees from inside the Utah State Correctional Facility, …

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