Official SLCC Blog

As an institution, one of SLCC’s top goals is to help all of our students complete their degrees or certificates. We understand our responsibility is to train and educate students so they are prepared and well-positioned to find meaningful work or transfer to another institution.  We know that many students have difficulty finishing their programs. Our students face unique challenges: more than 80 percent work while attending college, and many of our older students have pressing family obligations, such as raising children or caring for elderly relatives. As a result, our students require flexibility. One way we can cater to this need is by increasing our offerings in online education.  SLCC has given students the option to take classes online for many years, but recently we have begun expanding our online offerings in more strategic ways. We currently offer 13 programs and certificates that can be completed entirely online, and we’ve recently started promoting ou...

SLCC has the most diverse student body of any higher education institution in Utah. As such, the makeup of our faculty and staff should reflect that of our student population. Students are more likely to thrive when they recognize themselves in their instructors and the college staff who provide additional support. What’s more, all of our students benefit from the opportunity to learn from instructors with different backgrounds and cultures.  One strategy that aligns with our goal to achieve equity in student participation and completion is the new SLCC Search Advocate program. It is an important way in which we are working to encourage diversity in our hiring practices. Search Advocates are SLCC staff and faculty who have elected to undergo additional training so they can serve hiring committees throughout the college in improving equity, diversity and inclusivity. Specifically, Search Advocates assist hiring managers by developing job descriptions and interview questions...

With a strong economy and plentiful job opportunities, it can be difficult for today’s young people to see the value in attending college. Upon graduation, many high schoolers these days are directly entering the workforce, and some are turning to online classes on sites such as Udemy and Skillshare in lieu of attending college. While our enrollment during the last 20 years has generally followed economic trends, the college-going population has been steadily declining in Salt Lake County. If this continues, Utah’s challenges in filling high-demand jobs will only worsen and lead to slower economic growth and reduced prosperity.  In the SLCC Strategic Plan, one of our goals is to secure institutional sustainability and capacity, and the primary way we will achieve this goal is to continually grow enrollment. To support our enrollment efforts, SLCC formed a collaborative work team (CWT) last year to develop a framework to strengthen what’s known as the “P-20 pipeline.” P-2...

The   2020 Sundance Film Festival   will screen 19 films at   Salt Lake Community College’s   Grand Theatre, Jan. 24-Feb. 2, during the event’s opening and closing weekends. This is the sixth year the Grand will host film enthusiasts from around the world during the annual festival. The schedule of movies at the Grand features 11 premiere category films including “Tesla,” with Ethan Hawke and Kyle MacLachlan, “Downhill,” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell, “Four Good Days,” starring Glen Close and Mila Kunis, and the Salt Lake City premiere of the Taylor Swift documentary “Miss Americana.” “Sundance has become more than a film festival, it’s a Utah tradition and The Grand is proud to be a part of that tradition,” said Seth Miller, artistic and executive director of The Grand Theatre. “The community and our students have access to what has truly become an international arts and cultural phenomenon.” The $300 ...

Zac Curtis began acting in high school and instantly found a home within a community of like-minded individuals who allowed him to be himself. He says acting has given him freedom to work toward his best self. For the past five years, Curtis has taught theatre at Salt Lake Community College full time, which only hints at how much devotion, time and passion he puts into the job before, during and after work. For his efforts, the Utah Theatre Association is honoring him, not only for his work in theatre in Utah but also for his service to the Association. “He’s an amazing individual and such a great teacher,” says Association President Adam Wilkins. “He’s a great resource for high school teachers. He does incredible outreach for program after program throughout the state. He’s an advocate and ally for his program and for theatre in general.” Curtis, who was nominated by peers, will be presented the Outstanding Contribution to Collegiate Education award in Utah at th...