Skip to main content

New Interim Provost Wants to Grow SL Tech and Health Sciences

 



This summer, Jason Pickavance, PhD, stepped into the role of interim provost for Academic Affairs at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). Jason has been with SLCC for 20 years, having served as an associate professor in English, faculty senate president, director of Educational Initiatives, director of Faculty Development, and most recently as the associate provost for Academic Operations.

 

Throughout his career here, Jason has been engaged in key initiatives including SLCC Pathways, Open Education Resources, the Herriman campus partnership, and the alignment of Salt Lake Technical College with other technical colleges throughout the state. 

 

Jason is looking forward to growing and increasing awareness around Salt Lake Technical College and SLCC’s School of Health Sciences—both of which feed into high-demand fields integral to Utah’s economic development. “These are two areas I’m excited to expand and make more visible,” says Jason. “These areas provide affordable pathways to many underserved, nontraditional adult learners.” 

 

Jason’s experience at SLCC has prepared him with the depth and breadth of skills and knowledge necessary in his new role. His role as tenured faculty roots him to the core of what SLCC is about—teaching students. His leadership roles on the faculty side as well as the administrative side provide him with perspectives that are helping inform and guide him in his new role as interim provost. 

 

“Trying to manage and lead academic programs, and articulating a vision for higher education is more challenging than ever before,” says Jason, referencing the questioning around the value of college and the cultural conflicts in our society. “I think it is important for us to communicate and show how a post-secondary education is linked not just to improved economic outcomes but also to things like democracy and justice.”

 

Jason received his master’s degree in English Language and Literature from Western Washington University and his doctorate in American Studies from the University of Utah. 


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...