When I speak with students, taxpayers and community organizations about Kellogg Community College, I sometimes mention that “Community” is our middle name.
The play on words, delivered with a smile, usually elicits a chuckle. But it’s not a joke. It’s symbolic. KCC, born of the community’s desire to create a viable higher education opportunity for students in the Battle Creek area, exists to this day for the benefit of the communities we serve.
In 1956, when Battle Creek Community College opened its doors, the footprint of the College didn’t extend much beyond the city. Today, long after an institutional renaming and multiple expansions driven by community support and enrollment increases, KCC operates five campuses in Barry, Branch and Calhoun counties, teaches classes in several additional locations and offers entire programs online.
While our presence has grown and technology has changed, we haven’t softened our goal of serving the needs of the communities with which we are intertwined. And although the details of those needs change as occupations evolve and new fields emerge, they are fundamentally the same as they were nearly 70 years ago. For the most part, local people are still looking for local education opportunities in order to succeed in local professions or achieve a solid start toward a bachelor’s degree.
KCC’s commitment to community – as a partner, provider, supporter and leader – is manifested in various ways.
In Battle Creek, as a form of extending invitations for community members to have meaningful, enjoyable experiences on our campuses, we host free sporting events, low-cost theatre and music performances, blood drives and food drives. We also have free-to-use pickleball courts, lush lawns for picnics, walking paths and outdoor sculptures.
In Coldwater, with funding support from the Branch County Community Foundation, we’re currently offering free conversational English classes to non-native English speakers to help them gain skills and confidence in speaking the language in community settings.
In Albion, we’re in the process of installing state-of-the-art robotic industrial equipment to train people to work in the electric vehicle industry, including at the new BlueOval Battery Park in Marshall. By the way, thanks to a major grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, KCC is the first college in the United States to use a training system with CRS-5iA Collaborative Robots, the latest model of industrial robotic arms from FANUC.
In Hastings, we worked with local organizations, including the Hastings Rotary Club, to plant a pollinator garden to help the bee and butterfly populations; we also offer a day camp for kids in science, arts and crafts using area resources, such as how to build birdhouses using wood from maple trees native to Barry County.
Across our service area, we work continuously alongside leaders to reduce or eliminate barriers posed by transportation, childcare and housing that too often prevent people from taking classes or completing degrees.
Hundreds of KCC students benefit every semester from the generosity of donors – the majority of whom are community members themselves – who provide money for scholarships and other resources that help students complete their education.
Our students give back, too. For example, our Bruins contributed nearly $350,000 worth of service to their communities in the 2023-24 academic year. That year, 598 students received KCC’s service-learning endorsement and provided some 11,000 volunteer hours, primarily to the benefit of local organizations.
As you can tell, KCC’s commitment to community is a key part of our identity. We celebrate the ongoing relationship with the communities we serve and eagerly anticipate more partnerships to come.
This article first appeared in the February 2024 Education issue of Scene Magazine.