After Mary Flanagan unexpectedly resigned from her role as president of the Salt Lake Community College Student Association, the SLCCSA selected then-Vice President Mason Bancroft to fill the position on Sept. 10.
Bancroft assumed full responsibilities on Sept. 13, embracing everything that comes with being president of the SLCCSA. With many important obligations, Bancroft makes sure to find enough time to listen to student stories.
“It’s been such a humbling opportunity,” Bancroft says. “I’ve been able to manage my time really well and it has been such an honor.”
Majoring in psychology with an emphasis on motivation and leadership, Bancroft hopes to become a success coach for others. He hopes to share the same support that was shown to him from SLCC.
“I really love this position,” Bancroft says. “When I get to do leadership in general, it is just fascinating.”
These leadership opportunities have given Bancroft a chance to see all that SLCC offers, like going to a Board of Trustees retreat. The retreat covered many topics, but Bancroft found SLCC’s prison education program to be enthralling.
“I got to hear one of the [inmates’] stories, how SLCC really helped them out in the long run, and helped them get an education,” Bancroft says. “I’m just trying to raise awareness around it.”
Since getting the position, Bancroft has inherited the day-to-day mundane office work that comes with being SLCCSA president. However, he makes sure that emails don’t distract him from his working initiatives for SLCC.
“One of my big initiatives is to work on creating traditions around Salt Lake Community College,” Bancroft says. He would also like to continue Flanagan’s initiative of promoting mental health.
“I love so many things about this position, I get to experience so many different things,” Bancroft continues. “I like to listen to people and hear them out. So being able to transfer the voice of the students through me to the upper level of administration, I honestly think that’s my favorite part.”
Bancroft finds great value in becoming president of the student association.
“I’m not in this position for myself,” Bancroft says. “I want to make [SLCC] a meaningful place for students, where they feel their voice has been heard.”
Bancroft urges those who are interested in being a part of the SLCCSA to reach out.
“The simplest way to get involved is to come down to the offices we have on campuses,” he says.
For now, the focus for Bancroft is to bring a sense of belonging to students at SLCC and what it means to be a Bruin.
