SALT Center Honors - Recognizing Involvement and Success
Rose Audretsch
At the SALT Center, we believe it’s important to recognize students and their accomplishments, both big and small. Graduation is the end goal and it is great when students reach it, but a lot happens before those undergraduate years are over, including many ups and downs. In order to recognize those students who are going through the journey and succeeding, the SALT Center recently launched an initiative to recognize them and other key partners at a series of events taking place throughout the year called SALT Center Honors.
SALT Center Honors is a reflection of our belief that students succeed in different ways and celebrates the culmination of their hard work. Every semester we take the time to recognize different groups of students, and not all of them have a 4.0 GPA, but they are still putting forth the effort to make a meaningful connection with their Strategic Learning Specialist, a tutoring staff member or are engaging in other ways. SALT Center Honors is composed of three main pillars for which students are recognized: their academic achievement, engagement with the SALT Center, and career and professional development.
SALT Center Honors originally began as a simple Student of the Month recognition. It was our way to highlight students who didn’t necessarily have a high grade point average but were still doing what they needed to be successful. Honorees received a certificate and their names were displayed for their peers to see.
From its humble beginnings, the Student of the Month idea has grown and evolved to encompass many more of the SALT Center’s constituents. Under the leadership of our director, Dr. Gabrielle Miller, and Sarah Sampe, Senior Coordinator for Student Programs and Services, SALT Center Honors now recognizes outstanding students, graduates and others who support the program such as parents, alumni, community partners and donors.
Entrance to the SALT Center Building
The SALT Center Honors events are not simply a way to congratulate people for their successes, but also a way to inspire them to carry that momentum forward and do more. At the first Director’s Lunch in the spring of 2018, we recognized students who had earned a 4.0 GPA the previous semester. During the event, we heard an inspiring story of a student whose simple gesture of kindness changed the trajectory of another student who was ready to give up on school. Students were challenged to become everyday leaders among their peers and committed to regularly perform small acts of kindness knowing the immeasurable impact they can have on others.
Some of the events that now fall under SALT Center Honors include our graduation receptions, the recently launched Director’s Lunch, Family Weekend (including a Freshman Parent Breakfast, a Director’s Reception for donors, and our award ceremony) and our original Student of the Month event which now includes a recognition luncheon.
Furthermore, in recognition of their immense impact on the program, members of the SALT Center Director’s Circle will now be invited to attend all SALT Center Honors events throughout the year to see first-hand the good work that our students are doing and take part in the family like inter-connectedness that exists at the SALT Center. Membership in the Director’s Circle is open to all donors who have contributed $2,500 or more to the program during the preceding fiscal year.
Many students doubt their abilities to be successful in college and some have even been told that college was beyond their reach. The University of Arizona and SALT Center experience can be transformative for these students. A successful class, a helpful tutoring session or a strong relationship with a staff member can make an incremental difference which can keep them moving forward in the college environment with confidence. We realize that every student’s journey is unique and success looks different for each student. That’s why SALT Center Honors strives to celebrate the achievement, engagement and development of those within our community.
Visit our website or contact us for the latest dates and information regarding upcoming SALT Center Honors events! We look forward to seeing you.