Lewis-Clark State College held its first graduation ceremony last week at the Idaho State Correctional Center south of Boise.

Two graduates, Dwayne King and Erin Anthony Murphy, received associate degrees in liberal arts. They were honored at a Wednesday ceremony attended by about 80 people, including family members, college administrators, faculty and staff and other students in LC State’s prison education program.

“This is an exciting day for the graduates as well as LC State and Idaho as we work to expand education access and increase Idaho’s workforce,” LC State President Cynthia Pemberton said in a news release. “We’re proud of these graduates, and I thank the faculty, staff, and administrators at LC State and (the Idaho Department of Correction) who together worked to make this outcome possible.”

The ceremony represents a milestone for LC State’s prison education program. LC State is the first college in Idaho to be approved to offer education programs in prison, and serves about 165 students in facilities in Orofino, Boise, and Pocatello. Four students are continuing their education at LC State after their release from prison.

Wednesday’s ceremony was the second of the week. On May 12, 15 students graduated at the Idaho Correctional Institution at Orofino.