Tennessee – Seventeen inmates at the Northeast Correctional Complex were conferred associate degrees in general studies during a commencement ceremony held on Thursday evening, marking the second—and largest—graduating class in the facility’s ongoing partnership with Northeast State Community College.
The graduation event was attended by NECX administrative leadership, educational personnel, and representatives from Northeast State, who collectively recognized the academic accomplishments of the incarcerated students. Eleven of the graduates achieved academic distinction by gaining induction into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, which requires a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, while nine individuals graduated with a GPA of 3.9 or above.
NECX Warden Brian Eller emphasized the rehabilitative impact of post-secondary educational access within the correctional environment, stating, “By providing offenders with educational opportunities like this, we’re giving them the tools they need to build successful lives once they are released.”
Northeast State Community College President Jeff McCord echoed this sentiment, underscoring the institution’s role in advancing educational equity: “We are incredibly proud of our students’ accomplishments and honored to confer their well-earned degrees.”
This initiative is part of a broader strategy implemented by the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), which collaborates with nine institutions of higher education statewide to deliver a range of post-secondary programs.
These offerings include vocational certifications as well as associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree pathways, all intended to support inmate rehabilitation and reduce recidivism through structured academic development.