College Congratulates Grads, Announces August Commencement Ceremony

Salt Lake Community College proudly announces it is conferring degrees and certificates on Friday, May 7, to more than 3,600 graduates for the 2020-21 academic year. While the college is officially awarding degrees this week, SLCC graduates will be celebrated for their achievements during an in-person commencement ceremony scheduled for Aug. 6 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City.

This year, SLCC is graduating 3,634 students, including 143 veterans and more than 850 students who are receiving honors or high honors. More than 1,600 graduates are first in their families to complete a college education. SLCC’s youngest graduate is 15, and the oldest is 68. Graduates come from 46 different countries and 34 states. The most popular degrees conferred after General Studies or General Education are Business and Nursing, followed by Psychology, Computer Science and Criminal Justice.

SLCC’s traditional commencement ceremony takes place in the spring but has been moved to August as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the college also had to make adjustments to its commencement ceremony and honored its class of 2020 in an online presentation. This year, SLCC will invite graduates from both 2020 and 2021 to walk across the commencement stage and be recognized for their accomplishments.

“We are in absolute awe of what our students have achieved,” said Dr. Deneece G. Huftalin, president of SLCC. “Both classes of graduates deserve to be congratulated in person and honored in front of their family members and friends. We are excited to see everyone this summer and can’t wait to pay tribute to our students’ academic successes as well as the mettle they showed when the pandemic suddenly upended their entire college experience.”

During the August ceremony, graduates will hear from Tim Huval, chief administrative officer of Humana, in a keynote address. Huval is a 1989 graduate of SLCC and a former employee of the college. In 2018, Huval suffered a debilitating health crisis that confounded doctors and required months of recovery. “Having Tim speak at this year’s commencement is so timely,” said Huftalin. “While the past 15 months have tested our students, it has also certainly shown them they have what it takes to triumph over any challenge. Tim’s personal story is a demonstration of perseverance and is sure to inspire our graduates as they move into the next chapter of their lives.”

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