Then and Now

Even though I wasn't the best student in high school, I knew I wanted to go to college. Right after graduating, I remember spending a Friday at the SLCC Taylorsville campus, going back and forth between people and offices to get set up. I didn't even know what a "credit" was or a "pre-requisite"—no one in my family had done college before.

I signed up for 4 classes my first semester—I figured I did 8 in high school, how hard could it be? I had no understanding of the workload, plus I was working full time; I ended up failing all 4 classes. From then on, I decided to do one class each semester—my entire educational journey took 10 years, including my bachelor's.

I constantly questioned if I was "college material," but knowing I was creating a path for friends and family to follow overrode my fears. Whenever I wanted to quit, I would lean into the motto: Become the role model you wished you had.

What helped me succeed at SLCC was the community I came to know through various campus jobs, including as a participant and then a mentor in the Summer Bridge Program, a math tutor, and eventually working in labs at the WestPoint Campus. These connections gave me guidance in how to do college, and ultimately it is how I discovered the Electronic Engineering Technology (EET) path.

After earning my associate's at SLCC, I commuted to Weber State and completed a bachelor's in EET. My soldering certificate helped me land my first job after college as a power electrical engineer for Torus. The certificate showed I had hands-on experience, and it helped me stand out. It's a cool job, and I'm definitely applying everything I've learned.

I didn't even think I was capable of a bachelor's, and I'm considering a master's in a few years. SLCC made me realize that education isn't as scary as you think.

"SLCC made me realize that education isn't as scary as you think."

Advice

Apply for things even if you don't think you qualify; often, you do, and you just don't give yourself enough credit. If you have a nontraditional background, then you likely already don't give yourself enough credit. Ask for help (sooner, not later), go to office hours, and remember: you are allowed to take up space.