News

SMC ‘Rakes a Difference’ for United Way

Six Southwestern Michigan College musicians found themselves back in marching band Nov. 13 volunteering for United Way of Southwest Michigan’s 15th annual Rake a Difference. The event unfolds across Cass, Berrien and Van Buren counties.

Food Drive Response Overwhelming

The overwhelming response brought Southwestern Michigan College Student Success Coach Kelley McCarthy to tears. “I cried every day this week because people just kept bringing stuff and asking what else we needed,” she said.

SMC’s Arts Program Attracted ‘Triple Threat’ from Watervliet

Watervliet’s Lauren Lovell is a triple threat for Southwestern Michigan College, playing clarinet and tenor saxophone, singing and appearing in “Shrek: The Musical” last March. When she finishes her associate degree in instrumental music in May, the Nov. 7 Founders Day speaker hopes to transfer to Western Michigan University and ultimately become a band or choir director. “I’m leaning more toward band,” she said.

Southwestern Michigan College Continues Presidential Search

In the search for the institution’s next president, the Board of Trustees of Southwestern Michigan College will interview an additional finalist, Dr. Klint Pleasant of Rochester Hills, Mich., on Dec. 9. After public on-campus interviews Oct. 21 and 22, the board decided at a special public meeting on Nov. 7 to consider additional prospects.

Ricker Writing Textbook on Serial Killers

Southwestern Michigan College Criminal Justice Professor Dr. Don Ricker is writing the book on serial killers. A textbook, no less. He signed a contract with Kendall-Hunt Publishing of Dubuque, Iowa, with a target release date in January 2027 and recently submitted his first chapter.

SMC Opens Zollar Roof Bids

Meeting at the Niles campus Nov. 12, the Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees opened bids for partially re-roofing 10,716 square feet of the Charles O. Zollar Building. Base bids, ranging from $331,700 to $412,300, were submitted by three contractors, Hoekstra Roofing of Kalamazoo, Morris and Sons Roofing of Bourbon, Ind., and Midland Engineering of South Bend.

NOLA Sound Jazzes Up SMC Fall Band Concert

A jazzy New Orleans entrance by bead-dripping horn players parting the Dale A. Lyons Building theatre shot electricity through the Nov. 7 audience like Saints Marching In. “Bayou Breakdown,” Southwestern Michigan College’s fall band concert, featuring the Jazz Ensemble and Symphonic Bands under the baton of Director of Bands Mark Hollandsworth, brought Bourbon Street in the Crescent City to the Grand Old City of Dowagiac.

President Harris, 1st Source honored at SMC's Founders Day

Bristol Community College President Dr. Sedgwick L. Harris has diplomas from Northwestern Oklahoma State University (bachelor’s), Western Michigan University (master’s) and Ferris State University (doctorate). But only one adorns his office in Fall River, Mass. — his associate degree in communications and media studies from Southwestern Michigan College, earned in 1988-90 when he played basketball for the Roadrunners. “That is the only degree I display because it was the first,” Harris said.

‘Red Days’ a Turning Point for SMC Theater

Southwestern Michigan College arts aficionados accustomed to Grace Phillips singing might be surprised by her dramatic turn in the Nov. 20-23 fall play, “Red Days.” The Edwardsburg graduate sings in Collegiate Chorale, Choral Scholars and Uccelli Canori — every SMC vocal group but Men’s Ensemble.

Breezy ‘Jazz on the Lawn’ Previews ‘Bayou Breakdown’

Southwestern Michigan College Jazz Ensemble’s “Jazz on the Lawn” New Orleans set outside the Dale A. Lyons Building Oct. 28 previewed “Bayou Breakdown.” SMC’s fall band concert takes place Friday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus.