Nearly two dozen incarcerated women received bachelor’s degrees through Cal State LA last Friday, marking the first all-female graduating class as part of a collaborative effort between the university and the California Department of Corrections.

The 22 women are incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in Corona, corrections officials said in a media release. All of them received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.

California Department of Corrections (CDCR) officials say that their agency “leads the nation in higher education,” as thousands of inmates enroll in some sort of program that meets their educational needs each year.

According to CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber, that education is key to discouraging repeat offenses.

“Today’s milestone reflects the power of educatio

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