Salt Lake Community College created a pledge to allow students to recognize and celebrate the diversity that shapes the identity of the campus.
“I am SLCC” encourages students, faculty and staff to make a personal commitment to include diversity in their daily routine. Dr. Roderic Land, the special assistant to President Huftalin, and other SLCC administrators came up with this pledge to ensure that the entire campus community feels welcome.
“I see a whole array of individuals, but that’s what makes up Salt Lake Community College,” he says. “I think if we can capture that in one kind of slogan or in one format it brings the richness of diversity to light. I think the real power comes from when we turn to each other and say, ‘I accept you no matter what your background is.’”
The pledge forces individuals to remind themselves of the rich culture that lives at SLCC and in their own communities.
“I love this pledge, because college is a scary thing, and to have a pledge that is inclusive and welcoming for students, faculty, and staff to sign and commit to shows that SLCC is a unique school,” says student Jenna Singh.
Singh says she is a little older than the typical college student, and SLCC has provided the right environment for her to go and pursue her dreams.
“I decided to get serious about my education at an older age and SLCC has always made me feel excited to come to school,” she says. “Although I thought my age would be a drawback somehow, I let that fear go the first day I came to SLCC because there are people from all walks of life here and we are all in the same boat, just trying to make ourselves the best people we can be, and SLCC encourages us to be that way.”
The pledge is just one way that students, faculty and staff can gain respect and appreciation for one another.
“There is no right or wrong way to celebrate diversity,” Land says. “Take five minutes to introduce yourself to someone you don’t know, you’ll be surprised at the connections you can make.”
An online form is available for anyone who wants to take the “I am SLCC” pledge.
