Bridge to Success Wins National Award

Salt Lake Community College’s (SLCC) Bridge to Success program received the Most Innovative Program Award at Utah’s National Association for Student Affairs Professionals (NASPA) conference last month. The program was initially funded by an ImPACT subgrant in 2014 (known as the StepUp Ready grant), which is funded by the Utah System of Higher Education. The program has since grown and is part of the First-Year Experience program SLCC offers to new students–with preference given to first-generation college students and underrepresented students.

The program is a six-week non-credit hybrid course where students learn about:

Academic and institutional tools for college success
Finances
How to succeed in the classroom
Tips and tricks for math success
Understanding placement tests
Developing a college completion and career exploration plan
Writing a personal statement

Incentives to participate in the program include tuition waivers, priority class registration, on-campus jobs, and ongoing support through a students’ first year at SLCC.

Last academic year, the program expanded to include a math component and an in-depth math review taught by faculty. Outcomes already show 71% of students improved their math scores enough to skip one level of math remediation, saving them time and money. Retention rates among program participants were also higher than the college’s average, as much as 13% higher.

Student program participant comments:
“This program has helped me stay positive and on track as I’m closely approaching the first day of school, and I couldn’t be more eager to start.”

“The fact that I feel confident in going to college is enough to say that the Bridge to Success program has helped make me successful in college.”

Comments

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...

Recognizing SLCC's 2025 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering

The Distinguished Faculty Lecturer is a recognition of quality work by one of Salt Lake Community College’s full-time faculty and a charge to develop that work over an academic year into a public presentation. A committee chosen by the Associate Provost for Learning Advancement selects the faculty lecturer each year. The lecture takes place in the spring. Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering Dr. Andrew Vogt’s teaching philosophy is guided by two principles, curiosity and efficiency. “Curiosity leads us to study a topic and allows us to really understand the ins and outs of research, while efficiency is all about sustainability,” he says. Andrew describes curiosity as a pure, open-minded impulse to explore, such as the ease with which children learn new concepts with virtually no instruction. Efficiency adds maturity to that childlike impulse, creating structures and pathways for accomplishment. Andrew’s work has alwa...

SLCC Alumnus and U.S. Diplomat to Speak at 2025 Commencement

Salt Lake Community College’s 2025 Commencement speaker Branigan Knowlton will share his perspectives drawn from a 12-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. In serving his country, Knowlton has honed his foreign relations and diplomacy skills in Hong Kong, Mexico, Colombia and Italy. Knowlton is also a proud Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) alumnus (2002). Knowlton currently serves at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. Before reporting to the embassy, he was detailed to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport as part of the Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship program. In Bogotá, Knowlton worked for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and in Hermosillo, Mexico, he worked for the Bureau of Consular Affairs. His first assignment abroad was in Hong Kong, where he worked for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. "I've actively sought opportunities that push me into the unfamiliar, even when ...

Official SLCC Blog

Search This Blog