Skip to main content

Salt Lake Community College’s Prison Education Graduates Earn Associate’s Degrees



Twenty-three students proudly graduated from Salt Lake Community College’s (SLCC) Prison Education Program at the Utah State Correctional Facility on Monday, July 10, 2023. Sixteen received an associate’s degree, all but one in General Studies, and seven received a certificate of completion for General Education. 

 

“As these individuals are released from prison and become our neighbors, they often face a tough transition. SLCC is happy to be helping them gain the skills and education they need to find meaningful employment,” said SLCC President Deneece G. Huftalin. “This allows them to support their families, possibly end cycles of poverty and incarceration, and become productive members in their communities.” 

 

In the past year, more than 220 students, men and women, have participated in SLCC classes offered at the Utah State Correctional Facility. The community college anticipates around 300 students to register next fall for classes.  

 

The SLCC prison education program (PEP) is one of the few in-person options available for students to take classes that can lead to a college degree. Currently, SLCC is the only school in the Utah Correctional Facility to offer an associate’s degree. Davis Tech has been offering technical education there since 2010.

 

“Providing education in the prison makes so much sense on both a practical level and a human level. It transforms individuals, strengthens families and ultimately benefits society,” said David Bokovoy, director of SLCC’s Prison Education Program. He pointed out that access to education significantly reduces recidivism. “Our students leave prison with hope, a belief in their potential, and a plan to find a job and sometimes pursue more education.” 

 

SLCC’s prison program started as a pilot in 2017 with funding from the Utah State legislature. It began with 40 students (men and women) in seven classes. Now, SLCC offers 20 classes that can lead to six associate’s degrees: Anthropology, Business, Criminal Justice, General Studies, History and Paralegal Studies. More than two dozen SLCC faculty members teach in the Prison Education Program.

 

The program’s class completion rates are high, with a 92% rate for women and 66% men. (Men are more often moved to other facilities interrupting class attendance and completion). 




 “The opportunity SLCC provides for the students is really immeasurable. For most of our students, it is the first time they have been exposed to post-secondary education, and the first time they realize that they can succeed at this,” said Brian Fauver, Department of Corrections, education coordinator. “Education is valuable to any human. It’s not only about opening up economic opportunities, but it is also about expanding our identity and reaching our fullest potential as human beings.”

 

Ferosa Bluff, who earned her associate’s degree in General Education was one of a handful of students who spoke at the graduation ceremony. She spoke about how education had lifted up students’ self-esteem, self-confidence, and began to help them find purpose. “Education has allowed us to learn, grow and change as human beings.”

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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...