Distinguished Alumni
Salt Lake Community College’s prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award honors SLCC graduates and former students for professional or academic excellence and exemplary service in their communities. It’s the highest award the college bestows upon alumni. Traditionally, one female alumna and one male alumnus are selected as honorees each year.
Mary Anne Douglas, RN, MS, CNOR
Nurse Executive Director, Surgical Operations at Intermountain Health, Canyons Region
Mary Anne Douglas describes herself as the problem-solving type—she has an innate drive to jump in and start fixing things. This drive, and her skills, have propelled her long career from surgical technician to executive leadership. She is currently the executive nurse director for Surgical Operations at Intermountain Health.
As a graduate of SLCC’s Surgical Technology program, fixing came in the form of helping people heal. “Healthcare is a demanding field. You need to go into it with the attitude of ‘What can I bring?’ It isn’t for everyone, but for me it’s been magic.”
In addition to her degree from SLCC, which she first began pursuing in 1979, Mary Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Westminster College and a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Jeremy Foster, LPTA, CI
Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant, North Sunflower Medical Center, Rulevillle, MS
Understanding people’s vulnerabilities and adaptability is why Jeremy Foster loves his work.
As a 1996 SLCC graduate, Jeremy credits his career success to the mentorship he received from exceptional instructors. Today, Jeremy is the Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Managements’ physical therapy assistant at large.
“The return on my education has been phenomenal,” says Jeremy, who encourages new graduates, especially in healthcare, to find the passion within their profession. “The reward should be seeing someone being able to walk again or get back to their life—it should not be the paycheck.”
Gary Payton II
Professional Basketball Player, Golden State Warriors
Gary Payton II always knew the path to becoming a professional athlete was a difficult one and that it was going to take grit to reach his dreams. “You just got to promise yourself that you are going to buy in and take the punches as they come and enjoy the journey,” says Gary.
He chose to play basketball at SLCC because it was part of a well-respected conference and offered a chance to get recognized. Gary played for SLCC starting in 2012 before moving on to Oregon State University. One of the highlights of his career was winning the NBA championship in 2022 with the Golden State Warriors, where he is currently a shooting guard.
During his time as a Bruin, he received multiple awards, including being named an NJCAA Second Team All-America player. He also earned an associate’s degree in Business in 2014.