Commencement 2022: Dad Keeps His Word, Graduates from SLCC

Derek Benson waits outside the Maverik Center before receiving his diploma.

When the oldest of Derek Benson’s three children was 13, he struck a deal – if all of them went to college, he’d go back and finish his higher education degree. Well, all three kids did go to college, and Benson, true to his word and 13 years later, recently earned his associate’s degree in general education from Salt Lake Community College.

“They’re trying to talk me into keeping on going,” Benson said while waiting to walk across the stage during SLCC Commencement Day at the Maverik Center in West Valley City on May 6. “We’ll see,” he added.

Benson, 51, lives in Sandy, works for Yellow Freight Trucking and has been married to the same woman, Kayla, for 27 years. Sports is big enough in their house that they named their children after famous sports heroes. But academics is kind of overshadowing athletics these days.

Ryzen, 26, graduated from Westminster College and is pursuing a PhD in bioinformatics at the University of Utah – and his wife, Nicole, a 2021 U of U grad, even got in the game and helped her father-in-law with homework on occasion. Hunter, 24, also graduated from Westminster, and now she’s studying public health while on scholarship at Columbia University. Trajan, 21, followed his father’s playbook and started at SLCC, then ended up in San Diego and is currently taking a break from school.

Benson wore two blue graduation stoles (Trajan couldn’t make it to see Dad walk) that he gave to his two oldest, who he credits with his success at SLCC. “I would have never got it done without them,” he said. Referring to himself as “computer stupid,” Benson noted, “They helped me with a lot of stuff.” He even gets a little choked up talking about it all, but notes the emotion is about his kids. “I’m more proud of what they’ve done,” he said. “They’re doing big things.”

With Hunter moving out, the Bensons are becoming empty nesters, and now Kayla is thinking about finishing her college degree. “She tells me every day about how proud she is of me,” he said. “She’s kind of the rock – she keeps everything going.” SLCC may not have seen the last of the Bensons.

Derek Benson has a little fun before Commencement.

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...

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 ...

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...

Official SLCC Blog

Search This Blog