On May 28, Social Justice Clinical Pastoral Education (SJ CPE) proudly celebrated the graduation of five passionate and dedicated students during a moving ceremony held at the Minnesota Correctional Facility – Faribault. The number of students who have completed CPE while incarcerated has grown to 29. This was the second unit completed inside the walls of Faribault and with the total number of units being completed in both Stillwater and Faribault to 11.
Attending a graduation inside the Faribault correctional facility is an experience that lingers long after it ends—a powerful reminder that growth and purpose can take root anywhere. As each graduate shares their journey, the room fills with pride, hope, and quiet determination.
In those moments, you see the true impact of education: restoring dignity, rebuilding confidence, and opening new paths forward. This is more than a graduation—it’s a testament to perseverance and the belief that every person deserves the chance to grow beyond their past.
During the ceremony, students took turns reading the poem below, a reminder of the profound honor in witnessing these milestones.
This Place
- by Joe Davis, from his book of collected poems, We Rise Higher
Here is where we give you the permission
you haven't yet given yourself
to show up and be
your most authentic self.
You can cry here,
you can take your time here,
to be you is not a crime here.
We are all divine here,
we shine brighter when we all shine here,
we rise higher when we all rise here,
we practice being kind here,
we celebrate the fact that we are still alive here.
You can make mistakes here,
no guilt, blame, or shame here,
there's only grace here,
we know you by name here,
we've been waiting for you,
so glad you came here,
we hope that you stay here,
all that you are can be reclaimed and embraced here.