Official SLCC Blog

  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...

Alexia Cabanillas Esquer is a business student redefining what it means to pursue higher education while juggling the responsibilities of a full-time job and building a new life in a new place. Alexia's journey from Tijuana, Mexico, to Utah is a testament to resilience, determination, and unwavering dedication.  Alexia's academic journey began during her high school years in Mexico at a dual high school, which allowed her to obtain her high school diploma from two different countries, Mexico and the US. After graduation, Alexia embarked on a quest to pursue her college degree in the United States. She chose SLCC due to its vibrant and welcoming community, where students genuinely enjoyed their time.  The transition from high school to college was challenging as she did not have a community in SLCC and Utah to rely on. Her first two semesters were particularly daunting as she tried to integrate into a new environment and school. Despite the challenges, Alexia remained optimisti...

  On Monday, Salt Lake Community College students gained a better understanding of some of the key issues among Utah legislators when Senator Luz Escamilla visited their Public Service POLS 2700 class. Senator Escamilla’s knowledge and passion came through as she spoke about topics ranging from education and the environment to water and the state’s growing and changing population. Herself a “budget wonk”, she explained the size and some of the complexities of the legislative budget, saying: “If you can understand the budget, it will help you understand policy.”   Addressing childcare was a top priority for the senator. “This is not just a woman’s issue, or a family’s issue, but an economic issue. It will affect everyone, one way or another, if we don’t start addressing the lack of access to quality childcare in Utah,” said Escamilla, who is a mother, a business owner, and holds the Utah Senate Minority Leader position. Escamilla also recalled a disheartening and hurtful memor...

Utah Higher Education’s First Virtual Production Stage Allows for Real-Time Filmmaking Cameras rolled across a vast stretch of barren desert. The next day, the scene had shifted to a dew-dripping rain forest, and just hours later, a scene played out in the far reaches of outer space. This was all filmed without the filmmakers and actors ever having to leave the new Taylor Virtual Production Stage at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC)—the first one in Utah’s higher education landscape. Students studying film at SLCC’s School of Arts, Communication & Media (SACM) now have access to the same state-of-the-art technology used in movies and television series, such as the new Marvel releases and The Mandalorian. This same technology is also used in creating video games, allowing for photorealistic, real-time renderings of fully fictional characters and environments.     “We are incredibly proud to offer this state-of-the-art technology to our film students—and to be the only fil...

  This year, the joint Salt Lake Community College and University of Utah campus in Herriman is celebrating not only its first anniversary but a 34% increase in students as well. “The U and SLCC have a history of strong transfer bridges between our two institutions,” said Taunya Dressler, director of campus & site services and assistant dean of students at SLCC. “The Herriman campus is special because our faculty, staff and students have an opportunity to build relationships with one another in the same space. We provide one-stop resource hubs for our students to support their success in exciting ways.” Of the 1,000 students enrolled in the class at the Herriman campus, 50 of them are taking upper-division classes through the U. Currently the U offers three majors that can be completed entirely at the Herriman campus —economics, human development and family studies, and financial planning and counseling. As the student body grows, the U will expand its course offerings into ...