Wearing Bruin colors and Converse sneakers, Dr. Gregory F. Peterson accepted the Utah Board of Higher Education’s appointment on Friday to act as the ninth president of Salt Lake Community College.
Peterson will step into the role on July 1, succeeding Dr. Deneece G. Huftalin, who has served as president for 10 years. The announcement comes after the 11-member SLCC Presidential Search Committee, formed in December to search for the college’s next president, forwarded three candidates to the USHE board last week. The board interviewed them on Friday and selected Peterson the same day.
“I am so excited to be here. I am so humbled by this opportunity,” Peterson said during the announcement event on Friday. “I have to admit that when I started this process, I was intrigued by Salt Lake Community College, but over the past three days, I have fallen in love with you.”
Peterson has, since 2018, served as president of Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona.
He holds a doctorate in educational administration with an emphasis on community college leadership from the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds a master’s degree in postsecondary, adult and continuing education from Portland State University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University.
Peterson has explored the advent of artificial intelligence and its intersection with higher education. He gave a presentation on the topic at the 2023 American Association of Community Colleges annual conference and implemented the nation’s first artificial intelligence degree program in 2021 at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.
“As a visionary leader with a proven track record of success in community colleges and higher education, President Peterson is poised to lead SLCC into the future,” Amanda Covington, chair of the Utah Board of Higher Education, said in an announcement post on the USHE website.
“The Board is confident that under his leadership, the college and its students will thrive and continue to strengthen our community. We are delighted to welcome him to the Utah System of Higher Education,” Covington added.
Peterson will oversee SLCC following the opening of the Herriman campus in August 2023 and as the school continues its path toward becoming the state’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution.
