Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube
  • News
    • Campus
    • Local
    • World
  • Arts and Entertainment
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Music
    • Film
    • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
    • Campus Happenings
    • Community Happenings
    • Food
    • Business
    • Travel
    • Calendar
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Video
    • Globe News
    • What’s Bruin
    • Bruin Lens
    • Film
    • Music
    • Globe Shorts
  • Radio
Search
93.3 F
Salt Lake City
Friday, June 20, 2025
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Contests
  • About The Globe
    • Staff
    • Jobs
    • Issue PDFs
Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy Policy
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
The Globe The Globe
The Globe The Globe
  • News
    • Campus
    • Local
    • World
  • Arts and Entertainment
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Music
    • Film
    • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
    • Campus Happenings
    • Community Happenings
    • Food
    • Business
    • Travel
    • Calendar
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Video
    • Globe News
    • What’s Bruin
    • Bruin Lens
    • Film
    • Music
    • Globe Shorts
  • Radio
Home News Campus SLCC tutor realizes dream
  • News
  • Campus
  • Don't Miss

SLCC tutor realizes dream

By
Ryan McDonald
-
July 27, 2011
0

After years of helping students at Salt Lake Community College on the road to realizing their dreams, John Steiner is about to realize one of his own. A 1998 graduate of SLCC and the lead tutor at the Learning Center on the Taylorsville Redwood Campus, Steiner will soon have a published book title to add to his resume.

John Steiner, the lead tutor at the Learning Center and an SLCC graduate, will have his book "Squad Five" published in late September (Sonya J. Steiner)

“When I was a kid I was kind of disappointed in a lot of the science fiction I was seeing. In junior high in my English classes I didn’t like writing in my journal, so I started writing short stories. I would just write something that I thought was more interesting than my own journal would be,” Steiner said.

Steiner said that although he feels much of his writing ability has come to him naturally, he is a much improved author from the junior high days. Inspired by authors such as Michael Crichton and Isaac Asimov, “Squad Five,” the title of his soon to be published work, is a culmination of that improvement. The work will be published in late September.

In short, Steiner indicated that the book is about how a country like ours would handle a vampire invasion, calling it a metaphor for counter-terrorism.

“Kind of Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy territory,” he said. “I tell a true story through a science fiction context. That’s the beauty of science fiction. It allows you to say things that you otherwise could not get away with. You can’t do the immorality of the Red Scare when it deals with Soviets, but if you do the immorality of the Red Scare and it comes to Martians, you can get away with that.”

Given the premise of “Squad Five,” perhaps it is ironic that Steiner’s first day as a tutor at SLCC was September 11, 2001. In the nearly 10 years since that day, Steiner recalls having helped a variety of students on their way to success, from a future detective to a blind student who is interested in writing fiction like Steiner. He even recalled being stopped on the street by an individual who yelled, “I passed chemistry because of you, man.”

“The thing about working here is that you are affecting people’s lives for the better,” Steiner said. You’re helping them get through a hurdle that they are having, and at the same time you are inspiring them to achieve great things regardless of their start. You get them past that one speed bump and it’s an open highway for their career. It’s the butterfly effect.”

Calling Steiner “the resident expert” on many subjects that students have questions about, Avani Vyas, the Tutoring Coordinator at the Learning Center feels that Steiner’s success is an important story for SLCC students to know.

“We have every reason to be inspired by it,” Vyas said.

As much knowledge as Steiner has imparted to a countless number of students over the years, he feels as though he has learned some important things as well.

“Everyone leads by example, even if they don’t intend to,” he said. “So the best way to help other people is to set that example. That’s what I’ve learned as a tutor here. These small things do help tremendously in people’s lives.”

In talking about what has made him a successful author, Steiner points to the persistence that he has tried to show throughout his life.

“That’s one of the best properties a student can have,” he said. “If you persist you will prevail. You just have to get a hold of the problem like a dog on a bone.”

As far as last advice that Steiner would give to students, he urges an attempt at what he has given much of his life to.

“Experiment with writing,” he said. “You’ll learn things about yourself when you do so.”

To obtain a copy of “Squad Five,” visit www.melange-books.com in late September. Steiner indicated that the book will be available in eBook format, as well as print-on-demand.

  • TAGS
  • author
  • John Steiner
  • Squad five
  • tutor
Ryan McDonald

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Cover photo of Crown Prince: Book One of New Blood

SLCC professor releases new book on Amazon

Ron Spears

Math tutor proves it’s never too late to help

"Wild" movie poster

‘Wild’ author Cheryl Strayed shares her story of grief at Tanner Forum

The cover of The World's Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne

Author’s visit shines light on Tourette’s

Erica Hammon

SLCC alumna pens new book to inspire students

The Globe
ABOUT US
About The Globe
Staff
Jobs
Issue PDFs
FOLLOW US
Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube
  • About The Globe
  • Staff
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
© 2025 The Globe