Matthew Holman was still locked up at the Utah State Prison when he finished his associate degree. He received his certificate at a small outdoor ceremony, where he got to share a beautiful summer day with his family.
It was a treat, but he didn’t think much of the accomplishment. He had bigger plans that started with finishing his bachelor’s degree within the next year. But then, the funding for the Utah State University program was cut.
This was more than a decade ago, a move that put his education on hold until he was released from prison in 2017 after being incarcerated for 15 years.