The 24 individuals who received Associate Degrees and Certificates from Snow College during a graduation ceremony Tuesday, May 26, made a little history.

The students were the first ever first graduating class for Snow since it began participating in the Utah Department of Corrections’ Prison Education program. And the ceremony marked the first such event for the school at the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison.

The all-male class of 2026 was awarded diplomas for programs including an Associate of Science degree, and certificates in Construction Technology, Carpentry Fundamentals, and Culinary Arts. The accomplishments of the graduates are a significant step forward as they strive to successfully reintegrate into society upon their release.

“This is the class of ’26, the CUCF inaugural class. We did it!” said student and class speaker Mohamed Kabor. “Take pride in being the first class, take pride in standing present, gentlemen, this is a major moment. Take pride in accomplishing something very few have accomplished, whether in prison or elsewhere.”

The majority of individuals in Utah’s correctional facilities will eventually be eligible for parole and release. UDC’s Prison Education Program is a comprehensive effort aimed at rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through basic education, college-level degrees, and vocational training.

“This to me is what Corrections looks like,” said Utah State Sen. Derrin Owens, who gave the keynote address. “If we don’t have the programming, then we should just call it warehousing, not corrections.”

The now-Snow alumni join other incarcerated individuals who have graduated from post-secondary institutions in Utah, including Salt Lake Community College, Davis Technical College, Ensign College, and Uintah Basin Technical College. Other schools, such as the University of Utah, offer courses and have plans to offer degrees in the future. In addition, the UDC offers high school education through partnerships with the Salt Lake City and South Sanpete school districts.