Southwestern Michigan College is a two-year community college located near Lake Michigan, about two hours east of Chicago. SMC has two Michigan campuses – one in Dowagiac and the other in Niles, both campuses are centrally located and serve southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana.

SMC is a two-year school that offers associate degrees and certificates. At SMC, students can pursue occupational programs designed to prepare them for the workforce or to improve their job skills. Students completing occupational degree programs are awarded the Associate in Applied Science degree.

The Associate in Arts (A.A.) and the Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities where they can complete baccalaureate (B.A.) degrees in a wide variety of studies.

In addition, SMC students can complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree from among several cooperative programs with four-year universities located right here on SMC’s campus.

Michigan

Southwestern Michigan College is located in Michigan, a Midwest state in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Mostly surrounded by water, Michigan is bound by Indiana and Ohio on the south. SMC is located in southwest Michigan.

Southwest Michigan

Our area is called the “Fruit Belt” of Michigan. The state is a leading grower of cherries, blueberries, apples, grapes and peaches. We have hundreds of inland lakes, as well many rivers and streams. Lake Michigan is a half hour’s drive from both SMC campuses. For more information Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council Web page linked under Related Links.

Weather

Southwestern Michigan has four seasons with hot, humid summers and cold winters. Beginning in late fall through the middle of February the state frequently gets heavy lake effect snow. Our area receives a number of thunderstorms from April through September.

Approximate monthly normal high and low temperatures measured in Fahrenheit: January-20/16 degrees, April-57/36 degrees, July-82/60 degrees and October-60/40 degrees.

Travel to the United States

Dowagiac does not have an international airport. The nearest international airport is O’Hare Airport in Chicago. Arriving students should book a connecting flight from O’Hare to South Bend Regional Airport in Indiana, which is the airport closest to Southwestern Michigan College.

Travel to and from Southwestern Michigan College

Because SMC is located in a rural area, there are limited public transportation services available, such as buses, trains and taxis. International students will have to provide their own transportation either by buying a car or sharing rides with other students.

Housing

Student housing will be available at the Dowagiac campus beginning with the Fall 2009 semester. Housing applications are currently being accepted. Follow the link to On-Campus Housing under Campus Life for additional information. Apartments and rooms are also available for rent in Dowagiac and Niles, Michigan, South Bend, Indiana and surrounding communities.