Kellogg Community College Wednesday acknowledged the largest philanthropic gift in College history with a ceremony honoring the donors on campus.
The ceremony recognized more than $5.2 million in funding for arts and business programming provided by donors Sherman and Kimiko Petersen. In addition to remarks from several KCC officials, the event included the unveiling of a new name for the center’s art wing as the Sherman & Kimiko Petersen Art Wing.
The wing houses drawing, painting, ceramics and photography courses in the center, which is located on the College’s North Avenue campus in Battle Creek.
Speakers at the event included KCC Foundation Executive Director Michelle Williamson; KCC President Dr. Paul Watson; KCC Trustee Lisa Mueller; KCC Foundation Board Chair Drew Schweitzer; KCC Business and Information Technology Director Sheenita Davis; KCC Arts and Communication Chair Barbara Sudeikis; retired KCC Art professor Pete Williams; and KCC Art student Lauren Davis.
Kimiko Petersen, who passed away in 2024, is a former art student at KCC who established a successful artistic career and enhanced the College’s reputation through her many professional achievements. Her husband, Sherman Petersen, who passed away in 2021, was an accountant at Kellogg Company and was an Accounting instructor at KCC both before and after his professional retirement.
The Petersens over the years made substantial philanthropic contributions to the College totaling more than $5.2 million to date, with an additional distribution anticipated this year. These funds – which amount to the largest gift in the College’s 70-year history – continue to support student scholarships and provide resources for both the Art and Business departments, including funding for projects and equipment that enhance the overall student experience.
In addition to naming the existing art wing, the College is exploring additional naming opportunities within the Business areas of the College in honor of Sherman’s chosen field.
“Sherman and Kimiko Petersen’s extraordinary generosity will have a lasting impact on Kellogg Community College and the students we serve for generations to come,” Williamson said. “Their commitment to the arts and business reflects a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives, and this historic gift ensures that students will continue to have access to scholarships, innovative learning opportunities and the resources they need to succeed.”
KCC offers a robust curriculum of arts programming spanning multiple disciplines, from drawing, painting and ceramics to graphic design and photography/multimedia to music, theatre and creative writing. Among the offerings are new Associate in Fine Arts degrees in Music and Visual Arts, which launched this past fall.
For more information about the Petersens or their gift or to donate to support student initiatives at KCC, contact Williamson at 269-965-4161 or visit kellogg.edu/foundation. For more information about KCC’s new AFA degrees, visit kellogg.edu/afa.
Pictured above outside the newly named Sherman & Kimiko Petersen Art Wing at Kellogg Community College, from left to right, are retired KCC Foundation Executive Director Teresa Durham; KCC Trustee Lisa Mueller; KCC President Dr. Paul Watson; KCC Business and Information Technology Director Sheenita Davis; KCC Foundation Board Chair Drew Schweitzer; KCC Foundation Executive Director Michelle Williamson; KCC Arts and Communication Chair Barbara Sudeikis; and retired KCC Art professor Pete Williams.
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