Ulysses Tongaonevai

Director

Dr. Ulysses “Sione” Tonga’onevai was raised in westside of the Salt Lake Valley with childhood roots in Southern California. He is of Polynesian ancestry and is a first-generation American Tongan. He is an alumnus of Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) where he completed his Associates Degree and transferred to the University of Utah where he completed his undergraduate and graduate studies. His undergraduate degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminology and a Minor in Consumer and Community Studies. His graduate work let him to earn a Master’s of Education then a Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Culture & Society. His graduate studies focused on race, ethnicity, masculinity and antiracism practices in college athletics. Dr. Tonga’onevai continues to stay active with academic scholarship and practices pertaining to student success in higher education. He serves the SLCC and the Salt Lake Valley communities hand-in-hand with the rest of the SEEA staff to advocate, empower, affirm, embrace, and most importantly to elevate student success.

Campus:

Taylorsville

Building:

STC

Room:

101 K

Phone:

801-957-4415

Email:

ulysses.tongaonevai@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

He/Him/His

Alisi Mateitalo Hoa'mofaleono Niupalau

Assistant Director

Alisi Mateitalo Hoa’mofaleono Niupalau is a first-generation, Tongan American from San Mateo, California. She attended the College of San Mateo before transferring to the University of Utah, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Promotion and Education then a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership & Policy with an emphasis in student affairs. Alisi joined Salt Lake Community College in 2018 working with the TRIO Programs before accepting a position with the Student Engagement, Experience and Achievement Office. She looks forward to working alongside the SEEA team to offer support, guidance, and to connect students with resources toward their academic and career aspirations at our institution.

Campus:

Taylorsville

Building:

STC

Room:

101 J

Phone:

801-957-4559

Email:

alisi.niupalau@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

She/Her/Hers

Jamie Koger

Administrative Assistant

Jamie Koger is a Filipino American, born in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in communications. Her education, along with experiences traveling internationally including Mexico, Puerto Rico and Europe, have informed her of cultures, practices and ways of knowing. Jamie currently is the Administrative Assistant, serving as the initial point of contact and programmatic support for SEEA. She brings a student-centric attitude, commitment to promoting and supporting the environment of diversity and inclusion, and team-oriented mindset to SLCC.

Campus:

Taylorsville

Building:

STC

Room:

101

Phone:

801-957-4543

Email:

jamie.koger@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

She/Her/Hers/Ella

Glory Johnson-Stanton

Manager for Student Success Initiatives

Hello, my name is Glory. I’m a Multicultural Student Success Manager and Coordinator for African American/African student populations. I’m here to assist students with informed choices and successfully assist them to attain their educational goals holistically. I’m also the Advisor of the SLCC Black Student Union. I encourage you to take some time out to visit the Office of Student Engagement, Experience and Achievement at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus. We are dedicated to helping you formulate your plans for success. We also provide mentoring programs, internships, resources, and other opportunities. I look forward to working with you soon!

Campus:

Taylorsville

Building:

STC

Room:

101 U

Phone:

801-957-4380

Email:

glory.johnson-stanton@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

She/Her/Hers

Kimberly Querales

Student Success Coordinator

Hablo Español

Kimberly is a first-generation Venezuelan American born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from Utah Tech University in sunny St. George with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Her expertise in student leadership has actively helped her support and advise the LUChA (Latinxs United for Change and Activism) club. Kimberly is driven by her passion for advocating for inclusivity and mental health awareness in higher education. Eager to support students in achieving their academic aspirations, she is committed to equipping them with the necessary tools and resources for success throughout their journeys at SLCC.

Campus:

Taylorsville

Building:

Student Center (STC)

Room:

101F

Phone:

801-957-3713

Email:

kquerale@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

She/Her/Hers/Ella

Dr. Kamal Bawar

Student Success Coordinator

Dr. Kamal Bewar was born in Kurdistan, Iraq, and moved to the United States as a refugee. He served as an Assistant Professor with the Department of Defense for ten years, teaching Kurdish, Arabic, and Middle Eastern Culture. Dr. Bewar completed his Ed.D. in Higher Educational Leadership and began working at Salt Lake Community College in 2015. He currently serves as a Student Success Coordinator in the Department of Student Engagement, Experience, and Achievement (SEEA), where he is dedicated to ensuring the academic success of every student. Dr. Bewar is fluent in Kurdish, Arabic, and has basic proficiency in Farsi. He also serves as the advisor for the Kurdish Student Leadership and co-advisor for the Global Connections Student Leadership. Lastly, Dr. Bewar is also SEEA’s refugee student liaison.

Campus:

Taylorsville

Building:

STC

Room:

101M

Phone:

801-957-4032

Email:

Kamal.bewar@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

He/Him/His

Shari-Fa Harrigan

Student Success Initiatives Coordinator

Shari-Fa Harrigan is a Full-Time Multicultural Student Success Specialist who works at Salt Lake Community College. For the past five years, she has worked on helping students get started at the college with their admissions application process, residency questions, and informing students about the resources the college has to offer.

Shari-Fa currently works in the Office of Student Engagement, Experience and Achievement where she provides outreach to the African American, African, Black Students enrolled at SLCC. While working in SEEA, she hopes to provide individual support and cultivate a friendly environment.

Shari-Fa is passionate about helping new and returning students enroll. She ensures that perspective students are fully equipped to attend classes, she advises students to get involved in extracurricular activities, and makes sure students know their way around the campus. Her goal at the college is to make sure students of color feel comfortable and safe on campus and in classrooms.

After graduating from high school in St. Thomas U.S Virgin Islands, Shari-Fa applied to SLCC to pursue her career of becoming a Wedding and Event Planner. She has successfully completed the courses in the Fall semester of 2020 through Salt Lake Community College. She is currently working on getting a degree in Hospitality Management.

Campus:

Taylorsville

Building:

STC

Room:

101 G

Phone:

801-957-4373

Email:

sharriga@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

she/her/hers

Brenda Santoyo

Dream Center Manager

Hablo Español

Brenda Santoyo is an SLCC alumnus, and the College has been a home away from home for her for several years now. She completed her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy with an emphasis in Student Affairs at the University of Utah. As a daughter of Mexican undocumented immigrants, she has always strived to serve the individual needs of her beloved community. Brenda’s drive and passion for the field stem from her background in serving undocumented students initially enrolled in the Bridge to Success and Bruin Scholars programs through the office for Orientation & Student Success. In her time at the College, she has played a role in launching the Bruin Dreams scholarship program, maintaining the Undocumented Student Ally Training, upholding the charge of the Undocumented Student Resource Committee, and managing SLCC’s Dream Center, the second in the state of Utah, now as the inaugural coordinator.

Resources

• Dream Center

Room:

STC 101U & WVC 125

Phone:

801-957-5124

Email:

brenda.santoyo@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

she/her/hers/ella

Cristina Guerrero Perez

Dream Center Coordinator

Hablo Español

Cristina, a first-generation student, DACA recipient, and an SLCC alumnus, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Writing and Rhetoric Studies from the University of Utah. As an undergrad, Cristina has provided support to students as the Writing and Rhetoric Fellow for the SLCC Dream Center and aided with many research projects focusing on first generation students and undocumented immigrants. She started her career as an Admissions & Concurrent Enrollment Advisor at Granite, Jordan, Canyons, and Murray school districts, cultivating connections with staff, and faculty while learning about resources available to prospective college students. Cristina supports the community in a multitude of ways, and she hopes to continue uplifting students in the ways that she hoped she was supported when she was a student.

Resources

• Dream Center

Room:

STC 101U & WVC 125

Phone:

801-957-2803

Email:

Cristina.guerreroperez@slcc.edu

Pronouns:

she/her/hers/ella