Nine students at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution walked across a graduation stage on June 9 to receive something that had never been awarded there before: associate degrees from Central Oregon Community College.
The ceremony, held at the prison facility on E. Ashwood Road in Madras from 1 to 3 p.m., marked the inaugural graduating class of COCC's Prison Education Program — a milestone that faculty, administrators, and the students themselves described as years in the making.
"A Pathway Forward"
Gemini Tippett, who earned his associate degree with highest honors, delivered the commencement address. He called the accomplishment a reflection of the work that both students and instructors had put into building the program from the ground up.
"Education provides a pathway forward," Tippett said. He added that he plans to continue his college studies after his release.
The graduating class included seven current and formerly incarcerated students, all of whom completed coursework in subjects including biology, history, communication, and human development. The associate degrees earned are transfer awards — meaning graduates can continue their education at four-year institutions after their release.
Welding Certificates Also Awarded
In addition to the associate degrees, the June 9 ceremony also honored students completing welding certificate programs, expanding the scope of vocational and academic training available behind Deer Ridge's walls.
A Community College with a Broader Reach
The Deer Ridge program is part of COCC's broader expansion in Jefferson County, which has included the opening of a transformed Madras campus in January 2026 featuring new facilities and expanded health science programs. The prison education program extends that reach to one of the county's most underserved populations.
COCC officials have said the program aligns with a national push — reinvigorated by the restoration of federal Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students in 2023 — to bring college-level education inside prison walls. Research consistently shows that post-secondary education dramatically reduces recidivism rates.
Deer Ridge Correctional Institution, operated by the Oregon Department of Corrections, houses medium-custody male adults. It is one of the larger employers in Jefferson County.
More information about COCC's Madras campus and its programs is available at cocc.edu.