Having Fun with History

Southwestern Michigan College’s Amber Bader attended the 61st International Congress on Medieval Studies (ICMS) May 14-16. Bader, who teaches two sections of Western Civilization 102 this fall, participated in several panels and a workshop focused on engagement with students and the public at large.

SMC’s CJ Program Wins More Gold Medals

Southwestern Michigan College’s Criminal Justice Program won two more gold medals at this spring’s Skills USA-MI Skills and Leadership Conference in Grand Rapids. Addy Wetzel, a 2025 Michigan Lutheran High School graduate, claimed SMC’s 10th consecutive gold medal in criminal justice.

Summer Music Showcase Debuts

Southwestern Michigan College’s Brass Band bookended Dowagiac Union High School’s Chamber Choir and Jazz Ensemble June 4 at the first “Summer Music Showcase” in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building. An SMC alumnus leads each DUHS group — the singers by Hunter Schuur (’15) and the musicians by Benjamin VanRoekel (’19).

SMC Recognizes 28 Employees

Twenty-eight individuals were recognized at Southwestern Michigan College’s annual Employee Retirement and Recognition Breakfast May 1 in Mathews Conference Center East, including two retirees, Dr. Karen Reilly and Edward Derbin.

2016 Automotive Graduate Wears Many Zolman Hats

Alex Severinghaus wears a lot of hats as Regional Store Manager for Zolman’s Best One Tire and Auto Care’s three Michigan retail locations in Niles, Kalamazoo and Portage. At 30, and 10 years after completing the Southwestern Michigan College automotive program, Severinghaus, of Niles, oversees 25 people.

217 SMC Students Named to Honor Rolls

Southwestern Michigan College named 55 students to the President’s List for the Spring 2026 semester. Students honored on the President’s List must earn a perfect 4.0 grade-point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale while carrying a full study load of at least 12 credits. The 162 students making the Dean’s List achieved at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale while carrying a full study load.

SMC Hosts Second MiCareerQuest Cass County

On May 19 Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department, in conjunction with Michigan Works! and Southwestern Michigan College, held the second annual MiCareerQuest Cass County.

SMC Hosts 221 Area High School Students for Junior Day

Southwestern Michigan College hosted 221 high school 11th graders from Lawton (50), Cassopolis Ross Beatty (62), Decatur (60), Covert (22), Edwardsburg Alternative Education (12) and Niles (15) on May 15. Participants visited SMC’s Dowagiac campus for nuts-and-bolts advice on the college admissions process.

Roadrunners in Ohio, Va., Pa., D.C., to Ring in Semiquincentennial

This year’s Southwestern Michigan College extended learning experience prepared history students for the Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of America (1776-2026), by visiting Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

$670,000 Designated for SMC Student Scholarships

At its regular meeting on May 13, Southwestern Michigan College’s Board of Trustees heard that the SMC Foundation’s financial aid for student scholarships is increasing for 2026-27. Chief Financial Officer Michelle Kite reported that the foundation contributed $500,000 last year and is boosting that to $590,000, plus $80,000 in lease income from the Edward Guse farm, for a total of $670,000. “The foundation does a lot of good for us,” Chairman Tom Jerdon said.