News

The Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees at its regular meeting Feb. 14 approved an architectural contract with Carmi Design Group of Edwardsburg for the residence hall expansion project.

Carmi’s Tony Leininger previously conducted a feasibility study and trustees expect to open construction bids in May. The addition of 36 beds to the three existing halls to address growing housing demand on the Dowagiac campus begins this summer, and the new capacity should be available beginning in January 2025.

In other business, three employees received service pins.

Trustee Todd Obren presented a five-year pin to First-Year Experience Manager Courtney Hemenway of Dowagiac.

Vice President for the Student Experience Dr. Katie Hannah said Hemenway earned an associate degree in journalism from SMC and added her bachelor’s degree in English from Western Michigan University.

After being a stay-at-home mom for two years with Crosby, now 7, SMC hired her as a part-time first-year advisor.

“She leads our new-student orientations — we onboard more than 500 students every year — creating new learning communities to enhance student experiences and, most recently, helping coordinate our Roadrunner Ready summer program,” Hannah said.

Hemenway and her husband, Adam, have been married for 12 years.

Niles Campus Associate Vice President Jason Smith of Buchanan accepted a 15-year pin from Trustee Dr. Elaine Foster.

Smith holds a master’s of business administration degree from Indiana Tech, a bachelor’s degree in business from Ferris State University and an SMC associate degree.

Smith’s first SMC position in 2009 was in the admissions office, becoming admissions director in 2014 and moving to the Niles campus as executive director in 2018.

“Jason has been integral in expanding our dual-enrollment offerings with K-12 partners in Berrien County,” Hannah said, “and also creating new partnerships with industry.”

Smith met his wife, Katie, at SMC. They have four children.

“They are super active coaching their children’s teams,” Hannah said.

Testing Center Coordinator Michelle Gibson of Niles was awarded her 20-year pin from Trustee Tracy Hertsel.

Gibson joined the college as a part-time testing center technician and was promoted to her current position in 2021.

“Michelle shows her dedication to student success every day,” Hannah said, “such as staying late to accommodate a last-minute placement test online and promoting a calming presence for students taking high-stakes exams.”

She and her husband of 42 years have three adult daughters and five grandchildren, three boys and two girls.

In his President’s Report, Dr. Joe Odenwald said, “Our athletic teams are on fire. Women’s basketball won its 20^th game at Kellogg over the weekend, and the men are also peaking at the right time. Wrestling is at the Great Lakes District Tournament this weekend, with the National Championships in Iowa two weeks away. The winter band concert is next Friday evening, the 23^rd” at 7:30 in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus.”

Trustees acknowledged 29 donations totaling $111,533.70 to the SMC Foundation.

The board also accepted two gifts to the college totaling $1,900.