A group of women convicted of murder proved that change can be possible as they all received a college degree while still in prison.
Seven women got their associate’s degree from Lipscomb University at the Tennessee Prison for Women on Friday.
These women had a lot to be proud of, and they got to celebrate their accomplishments with family and friends.
It looked and felt just like any graduation ceremony at any University, but it happened behind the walls of the maximum security facility.
Lipscomb University did an amazing job at making these women feel proud and accomplished. Even the official December Commencement program had their names are inside.
Their journey to this day didn't come easy, since it took them seven years to get here.
Only some of them will be lucky enough to use their degree on the outside world because they're all serving murder convictions.
Michelle Martin, age 35, has eleven years left of her sentence, but she said that didn't deter her from wanting to better herself.
When she walked across the stage she became the first person in her family to ever graduate from college.
The staff a Lipscomb University knew these women had a lot of potential, and that's why they started offering this program back in 2007
Professors and students met once a week, and Friday they saw the fruits of their labor pay off.
This was only the second class to graduate, but they already have other women aspiring to do the same.
Lipscomb University has now been offering a bachelor's degree, and many women have already been looking forward to getting that diploma.
The program has been set up to be just as hard as any other college program, and all the women who graduated Friday had a 3.75 GPA or higher.
