Success Stories

Madyson Lyn Schenk
Marketing Management AAS, May 2021

Current role and/or plans: I've been blessed to be a part of VUNI Gear's Team from their opening date to now as their Social Media Manager. It's been amazing to be on their team and watch them grow significantly in the hunting industry. I also launched my own jewelry business, Coin & Co in February giving me awesome experiences. Each month I take a percentage and donate to an Orphanage in Saint-Marc, Haiti with kids I once taught English to. I am so grateful for where I am at and look forward to see what else is in store.

Influential Faculty: I am so grateful for every professor I had within the Business and Marketing classes. However, I owe an extra lot to Penny Bivens, Jen Klenk, and Ahmad Kareh. Each of them are a big reason I am where I'm at today. Penny became my friend and someone I knew would push me in the right direction. She had an unspoken faith in me that I knew I wanted to live up to, so it pushed me to go that extra mile. Jen put a smile on my face and shoved me out of my comfort zone. Period. One example, she made me create posters/flyers for an event when I had zero experience on how. She told me she trusted me and so I did. I now create and design graphics with confidence for my own business and VUNI, as well as logos for a few others. 

Ahmad knew I opened my own business and I was determined to grow it big. In our digital marketing class he let the team work on my business and help me learn exactly what to do. He pushed me in learning and didn't let me settle for anything less of great. I am so grateful for all of them!

Their Message: Make friends! Your professors and classmates will be your saving grace. The Gail Miller School of Business has the best professors. If you become friends with them, you won't fall short in anything. As for your classmates, you're going through the same thing. Help each other, one of you will have a strength where some else holds a weakness. 

It's easier to color outside the lines than it is to stay within them! 

Tyler Jeppsen
Associates of Science in Business with Honors

Current role and/or plans: Tyler has transferred to the University of Utah and will earn a bachelor's degree in marketing and is a Business Scholar. He currently serves as Collegiate DECA's Vice President where he serves business students internationally. This year, Tyler was awarded Best College Student in the state of Utah from the Best of State Committee. Additionally, Tyler works at Zions Bank and loves serving the small businesses in the community.

Influential Faculty: The most influential faculty at SLCC for Tyler are Jen Klenk, Phil Nelsen, Barbie Willett, Michael Purles, and Ed Engh. These faculty have had a tremendous impact on countless students including Tyler. They gave him the opportunities to succeed in business.

Their Message: Be open to new experiences. Joining Collegiate DECA at SLCC is the best decision I could have made for my college experience. This furthered my education within the Gail Miller School of Business by giving me the opportunity to apply what I had learned in class. I have met some of my greatest friends here and had opportunities that took my college experience to the next level. To those of you who are in college or thinking about starting, get involved on campus. SLCC has so many organizations that cater to a wide variety of interests and promote community on campus. The experiences you will have here at SLCC will set you up for success in your future career.

Henry J. Becker IV
National DECA Champion – Social Media Challenge

Current role and/or plans: After obtaining my Airframe and Powerplant certifications back in 2012, I have spent my career working as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician. For the past 6 years I have loved working for Delta Air Lines. In the winter of 2019, I decided to return to SLCC to pursue a secondary career in Mortuary Science. My current plans are to continue to work for Delta for at least the next ten years while training to become a Funeral Director in my "spare" time. I have thought about entering the funeral industry for many years and am glad to have finally been able to start working towards those goals. At some point I will be covering both sides of human life. On the one hand, helping to keep everyone safe in the air, and on the other hand, helping those who have passed on. Because I also have a love for cars, my wife thinks I am doing this just so that we can have a hearse in our driveway, which is not completely far off.

Influential Faculty: There are many to mention as far as the faculty goes. While I was in the Aviation Maintenance Program, one great instructor that stood out was Todd Baird. He was there for whatever you needed and while he did make us earn it, he helped us to learn what was needed to become a certified aircraft mechanic. Since I have been in the Mortuary Science Program, by far the greatest help has been Dave Hess, our professor. He is very patient and makes sure you know the information and understand what is being taught. He has a great sense of humor, and his knowledge level of the industry is not only impressive but extensive. He knows a wide variety of people in the industry and is willing to help everyone succeed. I am so grateful for all of the professors at SLCC that have helped and continue to help me achieve my career goals.

Their Message: SLCC is a great place to learn and grow in your educational pursuits. Not only do they have great staff but also have a curriculum that prepares you for the real world. It isn't going to be easy, but it will be worth it! That is why there was not a bit of hesitation on where to go back to school to further my educational goals. Whether you are planning on working for a company or starting your own business, they will have the tools you need to learn and grow in any of your endeavors.

Since coming back to school, I became involved in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and that has been a very fun experience participating in different competitions around the country on-line. If you get the chance and want to advance your career potential be sure to join that group on campus. SLCC gained recognition recently from members like myself, and others, by placing 4^th in the nation in the Social Media Challenge; beating out many other schools, including several ivy league schools.

Aaron Metcalf
Business Management AA, May 2006

Current role and/or plans: I've just accepted a position as a Sr. Consultant at Turner & Townsend. I'll be handling project controls for data center construction projects. I've been in the civil engineering industry as a finance manager for over 13 years.

Influential Faculty:
Barbie Willett: my experiences with Collegiate DECA (DEX) were invaluable. They were really fun too.
Dr Roger Lee: I took as many courses from him as I could. He was a fantastic educator. He could really make courses like stats and calculus fun.

Their Message: Embrace your time at SLCC! Since SLCC, I've earned degrees at the University of Utah, a law degree through Purdue University, and an MBA from UVU. Among all these schools, the quality of education and instruction I received at SLCC was the best.

Brian Wells
Business Management AS

Current role and/or plans: Director of Finance at Adobe

Influential Faculty: Barbie Willett and Curtis Youngman. The best way to summarize their influence on me is to say they both taught me to think about business 3 dimensionally. There are a lot of business principles that are right on the surface, or 2D. Barbie and Curtis helped me think beyond the basic principles to find what was beneath the surface to be a difference-maker. Simple skills like effective ways to be inquisitive and continue asking why to get to the root of a problem or looking to add just a few extra details to stand apart from the rest. These skills have served me immensely over the years as I finished my undergrad and graduate degrees at the U and throughout my 12+ year career at Adobe.

Their Message: It's really easy to be focused on the here and now, the short term. Getting papers done and prepping for finals which are all very important. But take a moment to look at the big picture of where you want your life to go after college. There are some fantastic programs on campus that can help you gain skills that will help you be better and more experienced once your degree is complete. Don't settle for good enough. Take every opportunity to use the resources around you to be great because it's in you and SLCC can help you unlock it.