Grace and Gratitude Despite Challenging Times

Grace and Gratitude Despite Challenging Times - Part 4

There is light, positivity to be found during this pandemic. Everyone has been impacted in some way – and some much more than others. There are moments when time seems to run achingly slow. And there are days that seem like things are spinning out of control.

If we’re able, it might be good to stop, take a deep breath and ask ourselves two simple questions. What have we learned through all of this so far? And for what are we most grateful right now? That’s just what we did with students, staff and faculty at Salt Lake Community College. In a series of eight posts this month, we give you some of their answers. We hope it brings a little light and positivity into your day.

Part 4

Rocio Nicacio-Ramirez, student

Rocio is grateful for the “great support system that I have with my family.” Her advice to fellow SLCC students is “find your support system because that’s the key to getting through anything.”

Bryan Griggs, Associate Dean Visual Art and Design

Bryan has found that people are more resilient than he thought they were. This year he’s been impressed with people’s ability to adapt and innovate. Bryan says he likes some of the changes to our overall lifestyle that have come about because of the pandemic. He says, “I’m grateful for the positive things that I’ve seen with that.”

Keyla Alvarez, student

Keyla is grateful that SLCC has offered so much counseling and support to her during this year. She says she is “grateful for having great friends and that we can still communicate with each other through social media and through Zoom and stuff like that.” Keyla says that the pandemic has brought her family closer together and “has really made us more of a family that is really united.”

Kylie Hrubes, student

Kylie is finishing up her last semester as a welding student at SLCC. She knows first-hand about getting through difficulties and gratitude. In a head-on car crash in 2014 Kylie couldn’t walk for five months while she recovered from a broken back, hip and pelvis. Kylie says, “I love when people ask me what I’m grateful for because I can honestly tell you, everything.” Kylie loves kindness and says she has experienced a lot of that this year as the first female welder at Dominion Energy. She says that the company and SLCC have “been so accommodating and so kind with helping me finish my last semester of school.”

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