Patrick Wollett graduated from 吃瓜头条 on Thursday, May 18. He heard his name called, heard the cheers from his family and instructors, received congratulatory handshakes from dignitaries, and celebrated afterward with his classmates and loved ones.
Wollett received special recognition at Thursday鈥檚 ceremony, having earned the lofty Superintendent鈥檚 Honors by maintaining a 4.0 GPA with at least 60 units completed. He was also chosen by the English faculty of 吃瓜头条 as the program鈥檚 Outstanding Student.
It sounds like the typical story of an all-star student and a distinguished 吃瓜头条 graduate, with one exception: Wollett is an inmate at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla.
Wollett was one of more than 140 students who graduated Thursday in a robust and festive ceremony to honor inmates who had earned associate degrees, high school diplomas, GEDs, and Career Technical Education certificates through Valley State Adult School, including dozens who received associate degrees from 吃瓜头条 by way of the Rising Scholars program.
The inmates dressed in traditional graduation regalia, marched to Pomp & Circumstance, and were feted by administrators, instructors, fellow inmates, and family members.
鈥淓ducation is about progress, not perfection,鈥� 吃瓜头条 President Chris Vitelli told the graduates. 鈥淚 encourage you to think about what鈥檚 next. What will you work on after this degree? What will you do tomorrow to take advantage of this opportunity?
鈥淵ou are a 吃瓜头条 graduate. We expect big things from you, beyond just today.鈥�
Wollett certainly has big things in mind.
Building on the associate degree in English that he just earned from 吃瓜头条, he鈥檚 also working toward a business degree and hopes to eventually continue his education at Cal Poly or Fresno State.
Wollett has been incarcerated since 2007 and has been at Valley State Prison since 2016, after serving nearly a decade at California State Prison, Corcoran.
鈥淚n grade school, my teachers all said I was smart, but didn鈥檛 have a lot of drive,鈥� Wollett said. 鈥淭hen I got in trouble in high school. I learned the hard way that I was wasting my life.鈥�
Although Wollett is currently serving a life sentence, he said a change in the law could allow him to be released early. If he is able to get his sentenced reduced, which he hopes will happen in the coming months, Wollett could find himself back in the free world, benefiting from the educational opportunities he admittedly squandered as a teenager.
However his story turns out, Wollett is a different person today because of education.
鈥淚 have a new frame of mind, a growth mindset, with positive intentions,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y life is not stagnant anymore. I want to be a blessing to those around me.鈥�
For Valley State Adult School, which offers academic programs to inmates by way of 吃瓜头条 and other educational institutions, Thursday was a special day. Multiple graduation ceremonies had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so graduates from several years were being honored. The result was the largest class Principal Wayne Tilley had seen in his 15 years with Valley State.
鈥淧eople don鈥檛 realize we have a fully accredited school here,鈥� Tilley said. 鈥淲e hold students to a very high standard. You can and should be very proud of these students.鈥�
Several 吃瓜头条 instructors were in attendance at Thursday鈥檚 graduation. The college鈥檚 Rising Scholars program began in 2016, and expanded to include the Central California Women鈥檚 Facility in 2017. The women鈥檚 prison will celebrate its first graduation ceremony on May 25.
Led by Professor Jennifer McBride鈥攚ho Wollett credited with pushing him to become an English major鈥攖he Rising Scholars program offers more than 25 courses to over 500 students, and also provides services and resources on campus to students who were formerly incarcerated or justice-impacted.
At Thursday鈥檚 ceremony, many students graduated with multiple associate degrees and with high honors, including recognition by the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society.
鈥淭his is the culmination of your educational journey,鈥� Vitelli told the graduates. 鈥淚t has been challenging, and you鈥檝e had obstacles to overcome, but you鈥檝e proven you can achieve whatever goals you have.
鈥淚 routinely hear from faculty that you are some of the most serious, dedicated students we have, and that鈥檚 because you understand the value of what you鈥檙e doing.鈥�