Official SLCC Blog

  Brightly vibrant video games, touchscreen vending machines, EMG readout devices, and self-driving robots – December’s Computer Science and Engineering Jamboree demonstrated a small selection of the wide range of interests, expertise, and backgrounds of students from various tech-related courses across Salt Lake Community College. The event, which showcased software and hardware projects for current, future, and past students, is a platform for celebrating successes, sharing expertise, inspiring future enrollees, and – most importantly – helping students develop academic and professional networks. Each of these priorities were highlighted in a survey that prompts attendees to engage in three ways: Describing and analyzing software and hardware projects, Gleaning details about tech or future coursework from other students, and Connecting with representatives from four-year schools and trade organizations about transfer and professional opportunities. For Hau Moy Kwan, assistant pro...

As the winter season approaches, ensuring the safety and well-being of the SLCC community becomes increasingly important. With colder temperatures and unpredictable weather conditions, it is essential to take a proactive approach. Our Facilities Department wants to remind us of two simple yet critical tips to help the SLCC community navigate the winter months safely. 1. Watch Your Step One of the most common hazards during winter is slipping on icy or snowy surfaces. A simple way to minimize the risk of falls is by wearing appropriate footwear. It is recommended to wear for shoes or boots with non-slip soles to provide better traction on slick surfaces. Additionally, when walking on campus or outside, take smaller steps. This technique offers greater control and balance, reducing the chances of slipping. Remember to watch out for icy patches or snow drifts that may not be immediately obvious. 2. Take Your Time Rushing can lead to accidents, especially in winter conditions. Allow plen...

  During a recent visit to Salt Lake Community College’s South City Campus, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona laid out four “buckets” for successful education: career guidance, work-based learning, dual enrollment, and industry credentials. For Cardona, those buckets represent an approach to higher ed that produces tangible, economically impactful results, connecting K-12 education to higher ed and, ultimately, careers with pathways that feel accessible, tangible, and compelling. For SLCC and the Center for Arts and New Media, which hosted the secretary’s visit, those buckets represent daily operations. The hands-on experience afforded by SLCC’s cutting-edge recording and film studios prove the point. “You learn by doing with people who have experience in a place that’s as real as out there” Cardona said, lauding the excellent work by South City Campus faculty by sweeping his arm toward the window to emphasize the connection between work-based learning and professional opportun...

  SLCC 2025 Rising Star Alumni Award recipient, Mason Mehr, reflects on his path, thus far.     “It was like “whiplash, in a good way,” said Mason Mehr when he received Salt Lake Community College’s (SLCC) 2025 Rising Star Alumni Award on December 4. It made him stop, step back and really reflect on all he had accomplished and the results of all his hard work and grit. Next fall, Mehr will start law school, a critical step in his career plans to work in social justice spaces and advocate for marginalized voices.     Each year, the SLCC Alumni Leadership Council recognizes an alumni who has made a profound and positive impact in their communities and beyond, and who have graduated from the College within the last seven years.     “I’ve always believed education is a source of power and the more you understand the more you can do,” says Mehr. “Understanding the law and our legal structure will provide me with the tools to make a difference, particularly ...

  Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is excited to announce an exclusive partnership with Cyprus Credit Union to offer a comprehensive Financial Wellbeing Program aimed at helping students make informed financial decisions both during their time at the College and in their future endeavors. The Financial Wellbeing Program will equip students with essential knowledge on personal finance, budgeting, saving, credit management, and debt management. This initiative, finalized this fall, marks a significant step in providing financial education to a diverse student body. Cyprus Credit Union has generously agreed to support the program financially over the next five years. The initial launch will introduce financial principles to incoming freshmen participating in SLCC’s Summer Bridge Program . Additionally, workshops, events, and services will be offered through various departments including Financial Aid, the Office of the Bursar, Student Clubs, and the West Valley Center. The program ...

For William "Billy" Day, the sky is the limit when it comes to pursuing his dreams. His academic journey began over two decades ago at SLCC as an aspiring zoologist. As an animal lover, he wanted to make a difference with exotic furry friends, and he achieved his dream by becoming a zookeeper at the Hogle Zoo. However, after seven years, he realized that, at times, passion does not pay the bills, and he decided to embark on another journey. Billy's limitless courage to pursue his dreams led him to pivot from zookeeping to the travel and tourism industry, where he eventually obtained his private pilot license. Billy then became an airline steward, allowing him to serve passengers in the sky and ensure their comfortable and safe flight. After exploring and working in the travel industry for some time, Billy faced a health scare that motivated him to rethink his path. That's when he rekindled his passion for cooking and enrolled in culinary school. Balancing classes with...

On November 8th, Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) hosted the Fifth Annual First-Generation College Celebration —a day dedicated to honoring first-generation college students' unique experiences and achievements. This special event brought together students, staff, and faculty to share stories, build community, and celebrate the journey of education. First-generation college students are those whose parents have not acquired a post-high school degree. They often face distinct challenges when navigating the educational system, from understanding the college environment to seeking resources and support. The celebration at SLCC allowed participants to acknowledge these hurdles while highlighting their strength and resilience as first-gen students on their paths to success. The day began with breakfast, which kicked off conversations among attendees about their varied experiences. Following the meal, attendees went out into the community to give back by volunteering with various non-p...

   The  Salt Lake Community College’s Cross-Country program has risen to become one of the best in the nation, sweeping both the men’s and women’s races this past Saturday (Nov. 9) at the  National Junior College Cross Country Championships in Richmond, Virginia. In addition on Tuesday (Nov. 12) the women's team won the half-marathon national championship and the men's team took second place. “The athletes that returned from last year's teams really helped us maintain our team culture and high standard. Our team motto of NYTJ (Not Your Typical Junior College) is really something we live by every day. We try very hard to have a level and standard that is no different than if our athletes were attending and running at a Division 1 level program,” said coach Isaac Wood, who has led the cross-country program now into its third year.    “Our mindset keeps us believing every day that we are getting better by putting in the work and trusting the process and coming...

   SLCC President Greg Peterson, SLCC Dean of the Business School Trish Gorman, Gail Miller and her husband, Kim Wilson. Salt Lake City Community College (SLCC) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on November 8, celebrating the start of construction for the Larry H. and Gail Miller Business Building at its Taylorsville Redwood Campus.  The groundbreaking marks a transformative step toward modernizing the existing structure into a state-of-the-art facility that will empower future leaders for generations to come. The new building will house the Gail Miller Business School, the first business school in Utah and one of only a few nationwide to be named exclusively after a woman. The school will provide an innovative space designed to inspire and prepare the next generation of Utah’s business leaders.   “Supporting every student who walks through the doors of Salt Lake Community College’s Business School is an investment in their potential and their future. The vision ...

In 2021,  Frances Haugen  hit a breaking point in her job as a lead product manager on Facebook’s Civic Misinformation team. Haugen, an engineer and a data scientist, went public with what she had learned while working at Facebook (a.k.a. Meta, Inc.).   She blew the whistle loud, telling her story in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times Daily Podcast , on 60 minutes , and before Congress. She provided testimony and proof—with tens of thousands of internal documents—that showed Facebook knew its algorithms were contributing to the spread of ethnic violence and hatred as well as deepening harm to the self-esteem of its youngest users, especially girls.   On Thursday, November 7, Haugen will be in Salt Lake City to speak about what she knew then and what parents and users of social media should know now.     She is the keynote speaker at Salt Lake Community College’s Community Conversation event, which is part of the College’s Speaker Series. This event...

What is it like to win an Emmy? SLCC student Valene Peratrovich has an idea. She is a co-producer of the film "Diverted," which recently won a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) award, considered an equivalent to an Emmy for film students. Along with Valene, seven other SLCC students, co-producer McCaulee Blackburn and crew members Kolby Butts, Chris Kirkham, Cristian Martinez, Tristin McCarthy, Preston Buttars, and Chris McAllister—were thrilled to learn that their film took first place, beating competitors from schools like BYU. The film highlights the collective approach of Indigenous people to land stewardship and addressing environmental issues. This approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of all natural things. For Valene, honoring the Lake and advocating for its spirit were her primary motivations for working on the project. She hopes the film will help to gather enough support to have the Lake officially recognized as an entity with rights, a ...

  A Conversation with Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen, who is the keynote at SLCC’s Speaker Series on Nov. 7.   Frances Haugen hit a breaking point where she could no longer abide the “madness.” In 2021, she left her job as a lead product manager on Facebook’s Civic Misinformation team, disillusioned by the company’s practices. Then Haugen, as product manager and a data scientist, went public with what she had learned while working at Facebook.    She blew the whistle loud, telling her story in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times Daily Podcast , on 60 minutes , and before Congress. Haugen provided testimony and proof—with tens of thousands of pages of internal documents—that showed Facebook knew its algorithms were contributing to political polarization, ethnic violence, and societal hatred. These same algorithms damaged self-esteem and confidence in young users, particularly girls.   Facebook, now known as “Meta”, following its concerted attempt t...