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Edmonds College student Aaron Slaughter has been named a recipient of the 2026 Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award and was recognized during an April 17 ceremony at the Museum of Flight for his leadership and commitment to community building.
The Student Civic Leadership Awards, hosted by the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good, recognize student leaders from campuses in Washington and Idaho for achievements in civic engagement and social entrepreneurship. From those honorees, the Office of Bob Ferguson selects one recipient from each sector — community and technical colleges, private universities and public universities — to receive the Governor’s Award, which includes a $1,000 stipend.
Slaughter was first nominated by Edmonds College President Amit B. Singh for the President’s Student Civic Leadership Award before advancing to the statewide level.
“Aaron is a returning adult learner who has transformed a personal health crisis into a catalyst for community service,” Singh said. “His work as a mentor has directly resulted in increased persistence for at-risk students, proving that his greatest accomplishment is not just his own success, but the success of the students he carries with him.”
After a 15-year career as a chef, Slaughter shifted paths following a health crisis involving atrial fibrillation. He enrolled at Edmonds College at age 41 through worker retraining and is completing dual associate degrees in cybersecurity and forensics and network administration while carrying a 20-credit course load.
Beyond academics, Slaughter has taken on leadership roles across campus. As president of the Men of Color Scholars Club and a leader in the Takeoff for Student Success program, he mentors fellow students and supports retention efforts. He has volunteered as a tutor for TRIO and CIS students and has followed up directly with students who stopped attending classes, offering academic and emotional support.
Slaughter also co-led a faculty workshop during Teaching & Learning Day, advocating for more inclusive and less intimidating classroom environments.
“Aaron is an amazing and caring student and advocate who shows us what commitment, dedication and resilience truly look like when put into action,” said Yvonne Terrell-Powell, vice president for Student Success, Belonging and Global Engagement.
He has also used his culinary background to build community, preparing meals for club meetings and hosting an end-of-year barbecue.
Slaughter said receiving the award reflects his approach to service.
“I’m kind of a shy guy,” he said. “I don’t post about what I do on social media. I just do it for the person in front of me. I wanted to fill the void and make sure no one else felt like they were just ‘spinning their wheels’ as I did at the start.”
Slaughter is completing his final quarter at Edmonds College and plans to continue his education with a focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning, with a goal of becoming an AI security analyst and researching ways to address algorithmic bias in the workforce.
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