Southwestern Michigan College leaders are feeling good about how potential students are feeling about the Dowagiac campus.
“There’s tremendous interest in the college right now,” President Dr. Joseph Odenwald reported to the Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees. “Last week we received the highest number of applications in a single week since we began keeping records.”
Trustees also received good news about student retention, which is at a 10-year high.
SMC Board Chair Thomas Jerdon praised everyone involved:
“We have led the state in enrollment credit-hour growth the last two years among all community colleges. Locally and statewide, we are witnessing the predicted decline in high school numbers across Michigan, so we are essentially carving a larger slice of a shrinking enrollment pie. This is truly nothing short of amazing and the credit goes to the SMC team making the college a destination. The word is getting out about SMC.”
Officials said Fall 2024 stepped off to a solid start, with applications up one third compared to a year ago.
With nearly 400 living in three residence halls, including 224 first-year students, the board directed the administration to explore options to incrementally add housing beds. They’ll consider plans at the December meeting.
