SMC Trails Upgrade a Tribute to Gunn

When a call went out to pay tribute to Southwestern Michigan College Hall of Fame Coach Ron Gunn, 219 individuals contributed.

17 Singers Perform at SMC Vocal Studio Recital

Seventeen vocalists sang May 7 at Southwestern Michigan College Visual and Performing Arts’ spring vocal studio recital in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus.

10 Instrumentalists Perform at SMC Spring Recital

Ten instrumental musicians performed May 6 at Southwestern Michigan College Visual and Performing Arts’ spring semester recital in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on the Dowagiac campus.

SMC Recognizes 33 Employees

Thirty-three individuals were recognized at Southwestern Michigan College’s annual Employee Retirement and Recognition Breakfast May 2 in Mathews Conference Center East, including five retirees from academics. Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Keith Howell retires May 15. Hired in August 1996 as a mathematics instructor, he served as Math/Science Chair from 2011-18, when he became dean for seven years.

Collage Concert a Sonic Three-Ring Circus

When Southwestern Michigan College’s Symphonic Band leads off the May 1 Spring Collage Concert with the clarinet and flute sections pounding on drums, anything seems possible — maybe even some Pink Floyd. And there were Thomas Morgan and Tressa Hullinger with electric guitars on Roger Waters’ “Wish You Were Here,” the title track from a 50-year-old rock album.

SMC Registrar Addresses Honor Inductees

Southwestern Michigan College Registrar Steve Carlson urged 12 Sigma Psi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society inductees and their families April 25 to have faith and to persevere as they seek their purpose. “I have sat with hundreds of college students,” Carlson said in Mathews Conference Center West, “helping them find purpose in life and that thing that really motivates them.”

SMC Criminal Justice Sweeps SkillsUSA-Michigan Again

Southwestern Michigan College’s criminal justice students returned from the 2025 Skills USA-MI Skills and Leadership Conference April 11-13 in Grand Rapids with two gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal.

SMC Student Art Show Winners Announced

Jacob Overholt and Connie Grabemeyer received top recognition April 15 at Southwestern Michigan College’s annual student art show in the Art Gallery of the Dale A. Lyons Building. Overholt won the six-category Mina Peer Award, determined by popular vote as overall Best of Show.

SMC Gets Grassroots Preview of World Cup Soccer Sod

A Michigan State University research associate attended Southwestern Michigan College’s “Ag Day” April 10 to provide a grassroots sneak preview of next year’s FIFA World Cup soccer tournament across North America. Dr. Jack Guevara, who is originally from the Philippines, outlined extensive turfgrass research done with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville to develop perfect sod playing surfaces across 16 host cities in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

SMC Inks Social Work Agreement with WMU

Southwestern Michigan College and Western Michigan University signed a social work articulation agreement April 7 formalizing a longstanding informal partnership. The agreement signed by retiring SMC Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Keith Howell and WMU Dean of the College of Health and Human Services Dr. Lillian Smith takes effect immediately.