Arturo Salazar looks forward to representing his peers next year as student body president of Salt Lake Community College.
The computer science major from Puebla, Mexico wants to instill a sense of pride in SLCC and raise awareness for the resources that are available to all students.
“We [as students] don’t always value what the institution has [to offer],” he says. “We’re a big college and we need to have that pride.”
Gaining a new perspective
Salazar says his own feelings about SLCC changed after finding ways to get involved.
“[At first] I didn’t know exactly where to go, what to do or how to do it,” he explains. “Once I started getting involved in different programs and clubs and things like that, I realized how much it changed the college experience for me … It made me actually love going to school.
“I became more resourceful … and I try to share that with other students.”
An advocate for students
As the voice of the student body, Salazar will talk to administrators about student issues and aims to do everything he can to make sure all students have the tools they need to be successful.
“I think that if you want to go to school and you want to succeed in life, you should be allowed to,” he says. “Educators and the school should provide the resources for you to succeed if you’re willing to do so.”
Salazar also wants to give students more opportunities to participate in campus activities.
“There are a lot of things going on but it’s not reaching all the students,” he says. “We need to make sure that all of [this] is available to everybody and more students are getting involved.”
Students welcome to share concerns
Salazar has been an inclusivity senator for the past year and enjoys the responsibilities and opportunities it gives him to serve others.
“I like to hear what [students] think, their concerns,” he says. “I want to be there for them.”
Any SLCC student with questions or concerns can contact Salazar and other student body officers through their local Student Life and Leadership office.
