PRESS RELEASE
Tyler Jeppsen has been selected as the winner of Salt Lake Community College's (SLCC) 2023 Rising Star Award. The award recognizes SLCC alumni who have made a profound and positive impact in their communities and beyond, and who have graduated from the college within the last seven years.
The Jeppsen name may sound familiar. He was recognized as the 2021 Best College Student in Utah for his service in the community and academic excellence, and has earned more than 30 state and international business titles through his involvement in the business organization DECA.
Jeppsen’s commitment to learning is what made him stand out. “Not just his own learning but that of others too,” said Kate Rubalcava, a member of the SLCC’s Alumni Leadership Council and chair of the College’s Scholarship and Awards Committee. “It was so inspiring to see that he has been so heavily involved in mentoring others, being an advocate and advancing his own learning. Tyler really embodies what it means to be a Rising Star because it is clear that he will bring folks along with him as he grows and advances through life.”
Jeppsen found his passion for business while involved in DECA at Woods Cross High School in Davis County. He continued to be involved with the collegiate organization at SLCC, where several business school professors helped run the SLCC chapter. “I didn’t have just one mentor, I had a team of mentors while I was at SLCC,” said Jeppsen, who helped the University of Utah (U of U) start their own Collegiate DECA chapter once he transferred there.
He has held multiple leadership positions, received numerous awards and mentored students while involved with DECA. Most recently, he served as the international vice president for collegiate DECA and then as the international vice president where he served over 200,000 students internationally.
While at SLCC, Jeppsen earned an associate’s degree in Business with honors and transferred to the U of U, where he will graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Jeppsen is currently applying to MBA programs and working at Zions Bank, as he has throughout his college years, first as a teller and now as a branch service manager. “I think the mentorship and leadership experience I gained at SLCC really helped me professionally,” said Jeppsen.
Why SLCC?
Jeppsen grew up with three sisters and his mom often described him as “the calm between the three hurricanes.” In high school he participated in theater, choir, band and DECA. He also started the school’s first Green club to improve recycling efforts. “When I saw I could make good things happen, something clicked and it really motivated me to do well in classes,” recalled Jeppsen.
Jeppsen’s parents also attended SLCC. “I knew from them that there would be smaller classes, more attention from professors and that it was a school that really cares for its students. Plus, they have a strong business program,” said Jeppsen. His high school counselor told him “SLCC is the hidden gem of Utah.”
Jeppsen started off his higher education journey at SLCC in 2019, and he hopes one day to return to campus as an adjunct faculty to teach. “It would be a lot of fun and a chance to give back to the school that gave so much to me,” said Jeppsen, adding that he loved learning from professors who were actively working in the field. “I learned so much from them beyond the textbooks.”
“Tyler a lifelong learner, has a deep commitment to helping others and believes that higher education is something that should be accessible to everyone,” said Carly Anderson, who came to know Jeppsen through DECA and served as the Utah Collegiate DECA association president. “He is one of the most giving individuals I have come across and one of the kindest and most intelligent people you will meet.”
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