Salt Lake Community College's Luz Gamarra was selected as one of USA Today's Women of the Year for her work mentoring students, and many of whom are Latinx students and international students who are striving to improve their lives through higher education.
SALT LAKE CITY, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- USA Today's Women of the Year program recently announced that Luz Gamarra was selected as one of its honorees. One woman from each state was chosen for her significant positive impact on her community, and Gamarra was selected for Utah.
"These honorees are strong and resilient women who have been champions of change across the country, leading and inspiring as they promote and fight for equity, and give others a place to seek help and find hope," USA Today stated.
Gamarra serves as Lead Academic Advisor for Humanities and ESL students at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) and has spearheaded a number of peer mentoring programs to support students in achieving their educational goals.
Through the SLCC's Amigos Mentores and ESL Legacy Mentors programs, immigrants and ESL students work together to help each other find resources to stay in school, stay motivated and realize their dreams.
"It's not just about connecting them to resources, but it is also about making them [the students] feel valued and to encourage them to believe in themselves. The mentors start seeing themselves as leaders, and eventually they do become leaders in their communities," said Gamarra, who at one time was an ESL student at SLCC when she first came to the United States in 2005 from Peru.
Gamarra earned her master's and Ph.D studies in Law and Political Science in Peru and worked as a prosecutor for seven years; she had plans to eventually become a judge. Gamarra, her husband and their three young children moved to Utah when one of her daughters needed critical medical care. People told her it would be impossible to start over with a new career in the United States, and to just get whatever job she could get.
Gamarra didn't believe them, and she sought out ESL classes and was eventually introduced to SLCC, where she discovered resources and support for students like her. She earned her associates degree from SLCC and then went on to earn a master's degree in Social Work at the University of Utah. She is currently working on her PhD in Education, Culture, and Society at the University. After earning her master's degree, Gamarra returned to SLCC to work as an advisor and has been at the college for more than a decade.
She understands how overwhelming it can be to be a non-English speaker, new to the country, with a desire to find more opportunities. She tells students that she knows there are challenges and problems that they must face every day. She also lets the students know they are not alone on their journey, and that she is there to help.
"I tell them that it is up to us to leave our comfort zone and to make changes happen. We must start little by little and if you have difficulties, you need to ask for help. No one can be successful alone, we need to be successful together," Gamarra said, adding, "And look for the angels along the way."
Gamarra dismisses that the USA Today recognition is based on her efforts alone. "This is for everyone in my department and other areas at SLCC who collaborate with us to reach minorities to provide them with educational and social-emotional support."
The annual USA Today Women of the Year program is a continuation of Women of the Century, a 2020 project that commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. The program aims to inspire women, girls and their supporters to work toward a better world.
ABOUT SLCC
Salt Lake Community College is Utah's largest two-year college, proudly educating the state's most diverse student body in 8 areas of study at 10 locations and online. The majority of SLCC graduates transfer to four-year institutions, and thousands more are trained in direct-to-workforce programs. In 2023, SLCC will celebrate 75 years of providing Utahns with education and training in fields that contribute to the state's vibrant economy and high quality of life.
Media Contact
Peta Owens-Liston, Salt Lake Community College, 801-957-5099, [email protected]
SOURCE Salt Lake Community College
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