After over 30 years of attending my students' graduations, I recently had the profound honor of witnessing a commencement ceremony like no other. As my term as FACCC President was coming to an end, I was thrilled when the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office extended an invitation to attend the Rising Scholars graduation at the California Rehabilitation Center, celebrating the achievements of incarcerated students from Norco College and other community colleges across the state.

On the day of the ceremony, we arrived hours early, leaving our phones behind in our cars. As I waited to enter the enclosed yard where the outdoor event would be held, I met dedicated faculty who had made the long drive from colleges like Palo Verde to support their Rising Scholar students. 

The community college system truly showed up in force - Chancellor Sonya Christian attended, along with several Board of Governors members, the President and Vice President of the Academic Senate, and many leaders from the Riverside Community College District.

But the real stars of the day were the students themselves. One graduate in particular stood out to me. His face decorated with tattoos, he seemed to embody a tough exterior. Yet when the traditional Pomp and Circumstance march began to play, tears streamed down his face. It was clear that this accomplishment meant everything to him.

As the ceremony proceeded, each speech proved more inspiring than the last. Graduate after graduate admitted they had never envisioned themselves as college students. The opportunity to earn their degrees was life-changing. They spoke movingly about renewed hope, purpose, and faith in their futures. Their enormous gratitude to their faculty, the Rising Scholars program, and their colleges was palpable.

Witnessing the impact of bringing higher education into prisons firsthand confirmed what research has long shown - education is absolutely key to rehabilitation. Providing incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to expand their minds and skills benefits all of society.

Of the hundreds of graduations I've attended, this will forever stand out as one of the most meaningful. The transformation I saw in those scholars renewed my conviction in the importance of educational equity and access. No matter someone's past or present circumstances, they deserve the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a better future. I left with my passion for this work reinvigorated, determined to advocate for the continued expansion of programs like Rising Scholars. The hope and joy I witnessed demonstrated the incredible impact of education on changing lives.