Nine students at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras became the first-ever graduates of Central Oregon Community College's associate degree program behind prison walls, marking a milestone in the effort to bring higher education to Jefferson County's incarcerated population.

The ceremony took place June 9 inside Deer Ridge, where students who began the program in spring 2024 received their Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degrees — a credential that can be applied toward further education at any community college in Oregon.

"It has been an absolute delight and an honor to get to work with these students over the past couple of years," said Emma Chaput, professor of biology and the program's faculty lead. "Witnessing their academic growth has been really fun."

A Program Born From Partnership

COCC President Greg Pereira called the program an "incredible partnership" with the correctional institution. Roughly 1,000 people are incarcerated at Deer Ridge, and the program currently serves 30 students at a time. Demand far exceeds capacity.

"Whenever we do enrollment, we receive many more applications than we are able to accept," Chaput said.

The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects — biology, psychology, sociology, geology, astronomy, drawing, and creative nonfiction — all designed to be accessible without internet or computer access, resources unavailable to incarcerated students.

Awards and Standout Students

Two special awards were presented at the ceremony:

  • 2026 Distinguished Student Service Award: Samuel Hannah, who mentored new students, served as a writing tutor, and led a fundraising effort for low-income youth in Warm Springs and Madras schools.
  • Avon F. Mayfield Award: Christopher Gonzales, who co-founded the ASCOCC Shrine Club and serves as editor-in-chief of Fresh Start, the correctional facility's transition newsletter. Gonzales earned a place on the Dean's List.

The Case for Education Behind Bars

Frank Patka — a Deer Ridge alum who completed COCC's welding program before his release in 2015 — attended the ceremony and spoke about the value of the moment. Patka now works with Changing Patterns, an organization supporting people returning from prison.

"They're going to be in your neighborhood; they're going to be working at your stores," Patka said. "These guys are swimming upstream. They're making a pro-social effort swimming opposite of this anti-social current."

Graduate Brian Rafferty echoed that sentiment: "Being able to come into a classroom and succeed, and reap the rewards of hard work is beneficial not only in here... but also when you get out, and being able to have the opportunity to find a job as a felon."

COCC is one of four Oregon community colleges offering degree programs within the state's 12 correctional facilities. Eighteen students are currently enrolled in the summer session at Deer Ridge, and program coordinators say they hope to expand both enrollment and course offerings in future terms.