The SMC Story

SMC: Celebrating Sixty Years of Knowledge for All

Every big endeavor starts with the simplest notion: to fill a need. That’s how the SMC story began—with the belief that everyone should have access to a quality and affordable education. In 2024, we celebrated 60 years in the pursuit of excellence in academic quality and the student experience as we continue to help students achieve their educational goals without draining their pocketbooks. Here’s a quick overview of what has happened during our first six decades:

Summer 1963
Father William P.D. O’Leary and businessmen Dave Underwood and Matt Amersdorfer, begin discussions about the possibility of a Cass County community college. A Citizen’s Advisory Committee headed by Dr. Fred L. Mathews pursued a feasibility study which they send to Lansing along with petitions signed by citizens from every part of the county.

Fall 1964
Cass County voters approve mills to support the college, and SMC becomes Michigan’s 21st community college—electing the first Board of Trustees, purchasing a 158-acre farm on Cherry Grove Road, and hiring its first president, Dr. Nathan Ivey.

1965
The Cass County community college’s name is formally adopted as Southwestern Michigan College. After a groundbreaking ceremony, construction begins on the first three buildings—which are now known as the Fred L. Mathews Library and Conference Center, the Foster W. Daugherty Building (named after trustee Foster W. Daugherty), and the William P.D. O’Leary Building.

Fall 1966
SMC opens its doors to 505 students.

1967
SMC graduates its first class of practical nurses.

1968
Associate degrees are conferred on 93 students at SMC’s first full graduation. SMC hires Dr. Raymond Pietak as its second president.

1969
Dr. Stanley Hergenroeder is hired as SMC’s third president.

1970
The building containing the gymnasium is dedicated and named after state Senator Charles O. Zollar; it is later expanded to include the student activity center.

1971
Dr. Russell “M” Owen begins his tenure as SMC’s fourth president. The Board of Trustees approves the establishment of the SMC Foundation.

1973
SMC wins its first Cross Country National Championship.

1974
The applied science/vocational technology building is dedicated to Trustee Barbara Wood.

1975
The 80-acre Everett Claspy Woods bequest to SMC is dedicated.

1981
Dr. David C. Briegel becomes SMC’s fifth president.

1984
The aviation building is named for Trustee A.C. “Al” Kairis. Following a renovation, the building is later renamed to also honor the service of his wife Trustee Jan Kairis. It is now known as the Jan and A.C. Kairis Building.

1985
The multipurpose building with the theatre is dedicated and named for Trustee Dale A. Lyons.

1992
SMC’s Niles campus opens just in time for summer classes. It provides 25,000 square feet of operational space and accommodates 400 students.

1994
The Southwester, published by SMC journalism students, wins top recognition from The Association of College Press at the University of Minnesota and the American Scholastic Press in New York. The women’s basketball team wins the NJCAA Division II championship. Ron Gunn is named MCCAA Athletic Director of the Year. One hundred and three students graduate at the end of Fall Semester 1994.

1995
Ground is broken on a 48,000-square-foot building— the current David C. Briegel Building, named after SMC’s fifth president.

1997
The Board of Trustees votes to discontinue intercollegiate athletics, redirecting resources to keep pace with technology needs. The average student age increases from 19 to 30.

1998
Dr. Marshall Bishop is hired as SMC’s sixth president until 2001.

1999
A 22,000-square-foot addition to the Niles Campus opens.

2001
SMC adds a second instructional facility on its Niles campus, which is named after state Senator Harry Gast. Dr. David Mathews becomes the seventh and longest-serving SMC president.

2008
SMC invests in residential housing. The first building is named after Trustee Keith H. McKenzie.

2011
Community College Week magazine recognizes SMC as one of the “Top 50 Fastest- Growing” mid-size community colleges in the nation.

2012
SMC adds a third residence hall to meet demand; named after Trustee William M. White. At the same time the second hall was named after Trustee Thomas F. Jerdon.

2013
SMC begins a $3 million phased renovation of the Niles campus.

2014
SMC leads Michigan’s 28 community colleges with 6.7% enrollment growth and is in the top 8 % in the United States for transfer success.

2019
SMC completes a $9.6 million Nursing and Health Education Building renovation and expansion.

2020
Dr. Joseph L. Odenwald becomes SMC’s eighth president.

2021
SMC resumes NJCAA intercollegiate athletics and is also readmitted to the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA). The men’s and women’s cross country teams rank nationally.

2022
SMC completes renovation of the 1st Source Bank Fieldhouse.

2023
SMC Volleyball finishes third in the MCCAA Western Conference. The SMC Wrestling team wins the first MCCAA conference championship in school history. Women’s Basketball wins the MCCAA West, earns a trip to the NJCAA National Championship, and finishes #16 in the country. SMC’s bass fishing team finishes its inaugural Association of Collegiate Anglers season #29 in the nation.

2024
Moving up to NJCAA Division I, the SMC Wrestling team earns the back-to-back MCCAA conference championship and finishes the season #17 in the country. The Board of Trustees votes to add rooms to the three existing residence halls on the Dowagiac campus to address growing housing demand. Trustees vote to expand athletics, beginning Fall 2025, by adding women’s wrestling and men’s and women’s track and field. To enhance the state’s Community College Guarantee, SMC establishes the Green Light Guarantee, which also begins fall 2025 and ensures that all recent and future Michigan high school graduates living in Michigan can attend SMC tuition-free.