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Salt Lake Community College Awarded $100,000 for Student Scholarships in Surgical Technology

SLCC accepts high school seniors into its Surgical Technology program and also provides an accelerated program in which students graduate one to two semesters faster than other AAS programs in Utah.

SLCC is one of only 10 community colleges across the country awarded a $100,000 grant for workforce education from the All Within My Hands (AWMH) Foundation as part of its Metallica Scholars Initiative. Among the 10 recipients, SLCC was one of only two community colleges in the West to receive this grant.

The grant will primarily be used to support students pursuing an associate of applied science degree in SLCC’s Surgical Technology program through scholarships and micro-awards for students facing financial challenges. The grant will also provide valuable professional development for program instructors and will be used to promote this career path to the local population.

“We are extremely honored to receive this award and are excited to reach out to the many prospective students who may otherwise not have access to this career path. This is a win-win opportunity for those students, Salt Lake Community College, and our local healthcare providers,” said Robert Pettitt, Dean of SLCC’s Health Sciences.

The AWMH Foundation selected SLCC’s Surgical Technology because of its return on educational investment, the option for students to enroll during high school, as well as for those students who attend after high school, and for the high demand for graduates in this industry.

Two of the state’s largest hospital systems have a significant need for surgical technologists.

“It is common for surgical technologists to work for a few years, and then return to school to pursue additional degrees such as nursing,” explained Angela Belnap, interim associate dean of SLCC’s Health Sciences’ Allied Health division. “This scholarship will allow students coming from a financial disadvantage to obtain their certification as a surgical technologist, and then if they choose, allow them to branch out into other careers in healthcare that may not have originally been an option.”

The Metallica Scholars Initiative Shines a Light on Workforce Education

Since the Metallica Scholars initiative was established in 2019, AWMH has worked with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to provide direct support for career and technical education programs across the United States.

The Metallica Scholars Initiative has generated a proven and measurable impact and has grown from a concept to a thriving educational strategy that focuses on enhancing skills while providing services to students looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program. AWMH replicated the program further by adding 10 more schools to the roster, investing $1.8 million to expand with the current round of funding.

"Our goal for the Metallica Scholars Initiative is to shine a light on workforce education and support the next generation of tradespeople. With the addition of the 2022-2023 Metallica Scholars program, our grants will reach over 2,000 men and women in 32 community colleges across 27 states,” said Pete Delgrosso, AWMH executive director. “We are honored to support these students of all ages and backgrounds and look forward to growing the program even farther in the future.”

Direct impact on job and wage growth drives the Metallica Scholars Initiative. On average, students who complete the program see new job opportunities and increased salary potential up to three times higher than pre-program.

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