Meet Our Staff: Idolina Quijada

Idolina Quijada

Name:
Idolina Quijada

Years at SLCC:
8 years

Current title:
West Valley Center Site Manager

Previous titles at SLCC:
I started as a Student Services Specialist, then moved to a Coordinator, and now I am a manager. My title has evolved thanks to my passion for what I do and for helping students and the community.

What is a typical day or week like for you?
No day looks the same for me. But the basics are navigating classroom issues, setting up events, helping students, looking for funding, and helping the community. It depends on the needs of the day, week, or month.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is needing more support from others and hoping they will see and believe in the potential of West Valley Center and our community. I wholeheartedly believe in our Center and serving our community.

What rewards come with your job?
Helping people. Helping the community and believing in what I do will eventually make a difference in others.

Who or what inspires you at work or in life and why?
I don’t think I do anything special. When we are in a position where we are, we must share the knowledge with our community and provide a helping hand. I think about others who have helped my parents and family. I want to pay it forward. I want people to know that they belong here at SLCC. If I can provide resources and support to the community to help them succeed, I will do so.

Tell us something about yourself from outside of your SLCC life.
I am a mother, daughter, sister, and grandmother. My granddaughter is my ray of sunshine; she is my life.

Family:
My family is everything to me. My family consumes me, and I mean it in the most positive way possible.

Hobbies/interests:
Cooking. I love to cook. People come together around food, and I enjoy cooking and surrounding myself with people in food. I also enjoy crafting, which is a creative outlet I enjoy losing myself in.

Awards/accomplishments:
My children are my biggest accomplishment. Nothing is perfect, but it makes a difference when someone tells me how kind my children are to others. It makes me proud because it shows that I’ve done an excellent job.

Favorite/unique thing about West Valley Center
We are a family here. We all work together, regardless of which department we may work for. Our primary focus is supporting students; we all are glad to help students. They are our number one priority.

The dream center is my safe place here. It’s a space that was built for people like us. I can sit there and relax. It is a comfortable space, and I think of all the work that has gone into building it. That is going to be my most significant achievement, and I take pride in knowing that I work hard to have that place built.

What does the West Valley Center represent to you?
This place represents the community. Anything is possible here. I keep dreaming, keep fighting, keep going, breaking down barriers. I encourage people to keep trying. You all can do it.

Any advice about college you can share?
It is never too late; don’t hesitate to ask for help. I am not your traditional student; it is possible, and we are here to make a difference. I will ask you to believe in yourself first and come to the West Valley Center, and we will walk you through every step.

I encourage people to visit us at the West Valley Center. We are moving forward to become an Hispanic Serving Institution, but we have been doing that work and keep moving forward to ensure we are available to the communities. I have faith that we will be successful.

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...

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