On October 3, 2024, 22 incarcerated women at California Institution for Women in Corona made history by earning their Bachelor of Arts degrees in Liberal Studies through California State University, Los Angeles. They are the first women to graduate from the groundbreaking partnership between the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and Cal State LA.
Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted the significance of higher education in transforming lives and fostering positive societal contributions. CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber emphasized that expanding access to higher education inside correctional facilities not only supports personal growth but also promotes safer, healthier communities across California.
The Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI), launched in 2016, has been instrumental in providing college degrees to incarcerated individuals. To date, 73 students have earned bachelor’s degrees while incarcerated, with many continuing their education post-release. This spring, Cal State LA and CDCR opened the state’s first “college campus” inside a prison at California Institution for Men in Chino, serving 59 students.
Research shows that inmates who participate in educational programs are 48% less likely to return to prison within three years. The CDCR currently partners with California’s community colleges, CSU, and UC systems to offer associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, with over 13.5% of the incarcerated population enrolled in college courses.
As the PGI expands to serve 180 students across three prisons in the 2025-26 academic year, this initiative marks a significant step toward rehabilitative justice and safer communities statewide. Billie Jean King, keynote speaker and Cal State LA alumna, encouraged graduates to embrace lifelong learning, innovation, and the transformative power of education.
