Chaffey College Celebrates California Institution for Men Commencement

Photo courtesy of the California Department of Corrections

Curtis Hill did not consider himself college material as an inmate at the California Institution for Men. Throughout his life, he said he considered himself to be a failure, and receiving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole did not change that.

But somehow he worked up the courage to give Chaffey College a try.

“I took that leap of faith and found out that I’m actually pretty good at this,” he said.

So good, that he earned an associate’s degree, two certificates and graduated with honors.

Hill joined 34 other graduates on May 9 for the class of 2025 graduation ceremony, an event that drew a crowd of family, friends, as well as Chaffey College faculty, staff, administrators and members of the Governing Board.

CIM Acting Warden Eric Mejia praised the graduates, and thanked family members for helping them reach their academic goals.

“Earning a college degree is a major accomplishment anywhere, but doing it here under these circumstances is remarkable and a testament to your strength,” he said.

For David Carpio, who earned an associate’s degree and two certificates, some of those circumstances included limited access to WiFi, intermittent lockdowns and more.

“We inched and clawed our way forward to reach out goals,” he said. “We earned something that someone said we couldn’t have because of where we are.”

Chaffey College Superintendent/President Henry D. Shannon wished graduates success in the next chapter of their lives.

“Life is about choices,” he said. “You made the choice to join Chaffey and now you are a Panther. Congratulations!”

The Rising Scholars program, which serves CIM and the California Institution for Women, was launched in 2004 at Chaffey. More than 1,000 students have been served through the program, with students having a 94 percent pass rate for all their courses.