Salt Lake Community College honored students who made the Deans List and Presidents List at a ceremony at the Student Event Center on Oct. 9.
A panel of speakers gave students brief encouragement and expressed their appreciation for the Deans List students at SLCC.
The Deans List recognizes Salt Lake Community College students who have achieved a GPA of 3.5 to 3.79 and take 15 credits in a semester. Students who achieve a GPA of 3.8 or higher qualify for the even higher honor of making the Presidents List.
“This is about you, not me” said Deneece Huftalin, vice-president of student services. “This is not the norm. You’re amongst a very elite group.”
Dr. David Richardson, interim dean of learning resources, was the Keynote speaker. He offered a healthy list of encouraging advice for students to carry with them for their future in education.
The reception opened with a big congratulations from Sherine Miller, academic standards advisor at SLCC. Miller was responsible for coordinating two separate sessions of the ceremony to accommodate more students and their families, one daytime and one evening reception.
Miller said that the department holds a reception for the students on the Deans List once a year. She generated and mailed 847 letters to students who achieved the Deans List for this year’s event.
“The higher you go, the harder the commitment”
Miller expressed her amazement that so many Deans List students can carry several outside responsibilities and still achieve outstanding academic success. Miller says that these days, that can be a difficult task, and these students should be recognized for their achievements.
“I pushed myself, because it was in my mind to be a good student,” said SLCC student Magdalena Dwonik.
Dwonik is a single parent studying to be a Social Worker who completed 20 credits in her first semester at SLCC.
“I brought my daughter to this event to show her, because I want to be a good example to her,” said Dwonik.
“I’m pretty excited that someone would appreciate the hard work,” said SLCC Criminal Justice major Muhammad Rana. “This award is very beneficial for me, and it has given me an incentive to try achieving the Deans List again.”
Marlin Clark, assistant vice-president for student life and dean of students, insists that students on the Deans List gain an advantage in employment opportunities, and education in their career field. He believes that any student at Salt Lake Community College can be on the Deans List, but suggests that students should make an academic commitment to excellence.
“The higher you go, the harder the commitment,” said Clark.
