“Fortunes are not made in boom times … this is merely the collection period. Fortunes are made in the depressions or lean periods when the wise man overhauls his mind, his methods, his response and gets training for the race to come.”
This George W. Bacon quote appeared in Forbes magazine in 2009 during our last economic crisis. It was wise counsel, considering that the past decade ushered in amazing economic growth for many.
Today, the world is suffering from a global pandemic that is both a health crisis and an economic disaster impacting millions of people. Unemployment numbers are extremely high, bankruptcies abound, and it may take some time to feel like we are getting back to normal. Or should it be a new normal? Can we create new models that will help us be in better shape for the race to come?
The race to improve our world means improving ourselves, our minds, our methods and our responses. But making these changes takes responsibility. It also takes someone to help because it’s not always easy. As we run this race, one form of help can come from higher education. As supportive community members and as a volunteer board, we’ve seen firsthand that some of the help available in our region comes from Salt Lake Community College.
SLCC has met the community’s educational and training needs for almost 75 years. Today, more than 60,000 students are educated by the college, including those who earn associate degrees for the purpose of transferring to a university and those who train for skills or certifications needed by regional employers. SLCC does this work at its 12 campuses and online, with an eye toward improving and assisting our community while enriching the lives of students and their families.
Why now? SLCC is one of the largest community colleges in the nation and boasts one of the only community college foundations dedicated to providing scholarships to students. Founded in 1988 by generous business and community giants, the foundation’s current board members carry forth the original founders' mission to support student scholarships.
In the 2019-20 academic year, the foundation proudly awarded a record number of recipients with an unprecedented amount of scholarships. More than half those attending SLCC are first-generation students, and the college is the most diverse higher education institution in the state.
Currently, 70% of all SLCC students plan to continue their education at a four-year school while thousands more attend the college to learn skills and trades so they can move directly to the workforce. SLCC is also a top producer in the U.S. for associate degrees. Numbers like these show how the college positively impacts thousands of lives in our own community.
The SLCC Foundation stands ready to help hopeful students, young and old, who are preparing for the opportunities of the future through education. There is no time like the present to learn and grow, especially with the numerous programs and scholarships available to meet the needs of our diverse community. SLCC is proud to support anyone who wishes to engage in a better tomorrow, as an individual and as a community member, for the benefit of us all.
John Parrish
Roger McQueen
John Parrish is the chair and Roger McQueen is the vice chair of the Salt Lake Community College Foundation Board.
