Aerial photo of Dowagiac Campus

Points of Pride

Academics

A business class at Southwestern Michigan College

  • Seven bachelor's degree programs are offered at SMC through Ferris State University. Two agricultural certificate programs are available through Michigan State University.
  • SMC’s graduation and transfer rates are higher than state and national averages compared to other two-year colleges. 
  • SMC offers five separate honors organizations for students. The flagship Honors Program challenges high-achieving students with rigorous curriculum and encourages them to be actively engaged outside the classroom. They take part in undergraduate research and experiences typical of university students, such as presenting research on new ways to filter water at the American Chemical Society’s national conference. 

College Life

Ronnie Roadrunner enjoys SMC campus activities.

  • The “total college life experience” is one of the hallmarks of SMC. Here, students can have the experience of a small, private college at less than half the cost of a state university.
  • SMC is one of only a few two-year colleges in Michigan with on-campus housing. We serve 390 students in three apartment-style residence halls, adjacent to the state-of-the-art Student Activity Center on the Dowagiac campus. 
  • SMC students have exceptional opportunities for out-of-class engagement and leadership experience. Examples include touring Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore, visiting the international ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, attending GenCon in Indianapolis, and participating in the Midwest Psychological Association’s annual meeting in Chicago.
  • With the return of intercollegiate athletics, more than a hundred students will be competing in basketball, cross country, dance, volleyball, and wrestling. In addition, students have the opportunity to participate in co-ed intramural and club sports including basketball, bass fishing, esports, flag football, softball, and volleyball.
  • SMC is known for visual and performing arts, in which students of all majors can continue to pursue their passion for band, choir, acting, musical theatre, graphic design, painting, and photography

Facilities

  • The main campus in Dowagiac consists of 13 buildings spread across 240 beautifully landscaped acres. The Niles Campus, which provides flexible programs at an additional convenient and modern location.
  • Over the last 10 years, SMC has invested over $34 million in facilities. Most academic buildings have been completely renovated in the last five years, including the Nursing and Health Education building in 2019.
  • Construction was completed recently on the college’s new athletic facilities. The renovations included the gymnasium renamed the “1st Source Bank Fieldhouse,” new home team locker rooms, officials’ rooms, and a second-floor viewing area overlooking the court.

Cost

  • Annual tuition at SMC is half the cost of most four-year universities.
  • Ninety-four percent of first-time college students receive federal, state, or local financial aid at SMC.
  • In the 2022-23 academic year, SMC awarded approximately $1,100,000 in scholarship funds to its students.