Dozens of inmates at Sing Sing Prison received their diplomas Wednesday.

Officials say that 44 inmates made up Sing Sing's graduating class of 2018. They earned their associate’s and bachelor's degrees through a program run by Mercy College and Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison.

Bill Whitaker, an Emmy Award-winning CBS journalist and “60 Minutes” correspondent, addressed the inmates. He applauded them for their dedication to start turning around their lives.

"They're bodies might be locked up here, but their minds are free once they get an education, so I find that moving," he said.

Most of the graduates say they plan to take their education even further and get more advanced degrees.

Officials told News 12 this year’s graduating class is the largest in the prison's history.