
News
SMC Accomplishments Reviewed
Published on September 12, 2025 - 9 a.m.
Interim President Brent Brewer detailed an “historic fall” Sept. 10 for the Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees.
From an economic impact study and three capital improvement projects to 1,100 students participating in 17 Welcome Week activities, SMC is “firing on all eight cylinders,” in 2025, as Chairman Tom Jerdon put it.
Lightcast’s independent study found SMC to be a major economic engine to Cass County valued at $58.4 million annually — enough to support 1,017 jobs.
For the full seven-county service area of Cass, Berrien, Van Buren, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties in Michigan and St. Joseph and Elkhart counties in Indiana, SMC’s annual clout swells to over $224.1 million — enough to support 2,955 jobs.
Brewer said, “The three capital projects were housing, wrestling and soon, (the Dale A.) Lyons (Building). We conducted extensive feasibility studies on several possible solutions to address the housing shortage and determined that converting common areas to suites was the most efficient approach. This added 36 beds this fall without incurring any additional operation cost or debt.
“The next project is construction of the 11,000-square-foot wrestling facility at the southeast corner of the Student Activity Center. With the addition of women’s wrestling this fall, our team will grow to over 50 wrestlers. This facility is slated for completion by February or March 2026.”
“Starting in Summer 2026,” Brewer continued, “is the first of three phases at Lyons. This involves transforming the current wrestling room into the choir room. In Summer 2027 we’ll focus on remodeling and adding a small extension to the back of Lyons to better serve the needs of the band program. Finally, in Summer 2028, we’ll renovate the lobby, repurposing the existing choir room to be a new admissions office.”
Brewer said SMC enrolled 2,282 students, compared to 2,044 a year ago — a gain of 238 students and the equivalent to an 11.6% head count increase and 11.6% in contact hours.
“Over the past four years, we have grown 27.9% in head count and 28.8% in contact hours,” Brewer reported. “With this year’s class, 21 percent of our contact hours are online” and housing is at capacity.
“The enrollment figure includes 140 athletes,” Brewer said, “or 49 over last year’s 91.”
SMC recently launched 12 new programs — athletic training, business online, cardiovascular technology, EEG, medical assisting, medication aide, MRI, psychology online, radiography technology, social work online, social sciences and surgical technology, adding 138 new students in 2023-24 and 217 by 2024-25. “We’re on track for larger growth ahead,” he said.
In other business, the board presented five pins representing 75 years of SMC service.
Professor Andrew Dohm of Edwardsburg came to SMC from Berrien Springs High School for his associate degree in science, then transferred to Michigan Technological University for his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, which led to a job at Chrysler. Trustee Skip Dyes presented his 25-year pin.
While at Chrysler, Dohm completed his master’s degree in engineering management. Taking a position at Tenneco Automotive in Elkhart brought him back to Michiana. He taught pre-calculus summers, leading to a fulltime position teaching mathematics in Fall 2000. He added a master’s degree in educational leadership from Western Michigan University and a graduate certificate in integrated science instruction.
At SMC, Dohm has taught physics, 10 different math courses and introductory chemistry twice. He promotes STEM by sponsoring seven summer camps, traveling science shows, hosting school groups on campus and field trips. Dohm, 2014 Faculty of the Year, was a dean for two years, 2003-05.
Business Department Chair Eric Clayborn of Portage received his 20-year pin from Vice Chairman Tracy Hertsel.
The information technology professor, an SMC alumnus, joined the college in 2003 as a part-time technician, becoming a fulltime PC technician in 2005. He was eventually promoted IT project manager, spearheading campus-wide network infrastructure upgrades and mentoring IT staff and student employees.
Clayborn earned master’s degrees in business administration and information security and intelligence from Ferris State University. He met his wife, Elva, at SMC.
Professor Gail Shirey of Kalamazoo was awarded her 15-year pin by Trustee Beth Cripe. The Kent City native obtained her bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College and a master’s degree in reading emphasis from Western Michigan University.
Shirey served as education director at Sylvan Learning Center for three years and staff director and elementary teacher for 20 years at Battle Creek Christian School before joining SMC. She and her husband, Ray, have two sons and two grandchildren.
Shirey, a past SMC Instructor of the Year, teaches Critical Reading and Writing and English for the Communications Department.
Trustee Skip Dyes awarded Professor Deirdre Kirk of Granger her 10-year pin. Kirk earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental science with a minor in marine science from Penn State University and a master’s degree in teaching with a biology concentration.
Kirk’s career began as an environmental chemist in an analytical laboratory. She joined SMC in 2012 as an adjunct professor, becoming a fulltime faculty member in 2015. Kirk, who is also an Honors Faculty member, collaborates with Indiana University South Bend (IUSB) on invasive species removal and river cleanup initiatives and advises the Green Club.
Walter Pabis of Kalamazoo, who accepted a five-year pin from Trustee Beth Cripe, was a Western Michigan University programmer when he joined SMC to implement its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software system. In 2024, Pabis was promoted to lead programmer. He has been married for two years and plays drums in a family band.
Trustees also acknowledged four donations to the SMC Foundation totaling $10,500 and accepted one gift to the college for $1,000.