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Recognizing SLCC's 2025 Legislative Champion Michael K. McKell Utah State Senator, District 25

Photo of Senator Michael K. McKell


The Salt Lake Community College Legislative Champion Award honors state legislators who demonstrate through their legislative activities a commitment to advancing and improving higher education for the state. The Legislative Champion is selected at the conclusion of every legislative session.

Legislative Champion 
Michael K. McKell
Utah State Senator, District 25

In 2013, Senator Mike McKell began his service in the Utah Legislature. Since taking office, he has been a dedicated champion for Salt Lake Community College and for all of Utah’s higher education institutions. Senator McKell has continually emphasized the importance of community colleges and has advocated for programs and scholarships that benefit SLCC students, and he regularly makes time to meet with  College representatives to understand the institution’s priorities and perspectives on critical issues. 

Senator McKell is also an ardent supporter of incarcerated students and works to provide them with every opportunity to receive postsecondary education that will allow them to successfully transition into society upon their release. He currently chairs the Utah Higher Education and Corrections Council, which is responsible for overseeing the development and delivery of accredited higher education curriculums in the state’s correction system. Senator McKell recently attended the graduation ceremony for students in SLCC’s highly successful Prison Education Program, and his efforts have resulted in meaningful assistance and support to those pursuing their education through this initiative. 

Since joining the Utah Legislature, Senator McKell has served on several key committees. From 2019 to 2021, he chaired the Higher Education Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for recommending funding for Utah’s public universities and colleges. Today, he continues to serve as a member of that committee as well as the Senate Education Committee, which is tasked with setting policy for public education institutions.  

In 2024, Senator McKell was elected by his colleagues as a member of the Senate Leadership Team, serving as the Majority Assistant Whip. In that role, he serves on the Executive Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for reviewing and approving the entire state budget.

Senator McKell earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Utah University and a juris doctor degree from the University of Idaho. In addition to his work in the legislature, he leads the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Coordination Committee and is a practicing attorney primarily focused on insurance law. He and his wife, Brandi, are parents to four children. 

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