Pedro Rico
Pedro Rico is interested in research and data, like the kind
that focuses on social disparities in education, employment and income in Utah
and throughout the U.S. Growing up poor in a family and community of Mexican
immigrants and without a father fueled that interest. The undocumented status
of people who have been close to him growing up and now has also helped clarify
his educational and career paths.
Those are a few of the reasons why this recent Salt Lake
Community College political science graduate – and the first college graduate
in his family – has his sights set on studying political justice and global
studies, a research-intensive program at Westminster College. While at SLCC,
Rico’s passions and interests manifested themselves in making real impacts and
turning the heads of administrators.
After participating in an SLCC Alternative Spring Break to
tackle a community’s food insecurity issues in Seattle, Rico applied for and
was accepted into the SLCC Student Leaders in Civic Engagement group. He was a
leader for the Bruin Pantry Open House that raised awareness of food
insecurities among SLCC students. Using research and data at that weeklong open
house, he helped people connect the dots between hunger issues and academic
performance or why people with jobs and a place to live suffer from
malnutrition and an inability to afford a balanced diet, let alone three meals
a day. Rico was instrumental in expanding the Bruin Pantry at the Taylorsville
Redwood Campus. He also represented the Thayne Center for Service & Learning on the Utah Campus
Compact Student Advisory Council and the SLCC Student Fee Board. Just before he
graduated from SLCC, Rico’s efforts were recognized with a Community Engaged
Student award during the Thayne Center Annual Celebration of Civically Engaged
Scholars.
Pedro Rico (right) accepts his Thayne Center Community Engaged Student award from Curt Larsen, SLCC Assistant Vice President for Student Life.
Alexis Bucknam, executive director of Utah Campus Compact,
said during the Thayne Center celebration, “Pedro lives and breathes the Thayne
Center values through his coursework. He has cultivated a strong sense of
values and is willing to use his voice to stand up for his local community. Pedro
is great at seeing the big picture of systemic forces that perpetuate oppression
on local and national levels. He does not shy away from tough questions and
thinks critically about where we need to move as a society to make it a more
equitable place for all.”
Rico’s stances on certain issues weren’t always popular
while at SLCC, like when he “dissented” during a project intended to help
people in his beloved hometown of West Valley City. He felt the project did
more to gentrify the city than address deeper issues like the need for better
paying jobs.
“Pedro’s commitment to elevating marginalized voices is
apparent throughout his work at SLCC,” said Sean Crossland, director of the
SLCC Thayne Center for Service & Learning. “He demonstrated this commitment
in his efforts to raise the awareness of food insecurity on campus and to promote
the Bruin Pantry. Pedro engages in critical conversations around complex social
issues and is willing to challenge and be challenged.”
Pedro Rico (right) and two of his friends at the 2018 Commencement ceremony.