By Eston Tolf
Guest Writer
Tucked away in the quiet corners of Kellogg Community College’s library lies a hidden treasure trove of campus history, an evolving archive of student newspapers, rare photos and more.
Curated with care by Library Faculty Coordinator Kassie Dunham, the KCC archives offer a unique glimpse into decades of campus life, historical records and other cultural materials that give us a view of the past.
The archives at KCC are a living, breathing collection that preserves the College’s legacy in meaningful and sometimes surprising ways. From vintage course catalogs to local news clippings, the materials housed in the archives reveal the evolution of KCC and the people who’ve shaped it.
Dunham has played a key role in preserving and sharing the history housed within the archives, continuing a vision that began years ago under former Library Director Marty Stilwell.
“The director of the library at the time, Marty Stilwell, received funding to hire a part-time archivist, Marianne Swierenga,” Dunham explained. “They put together a plan to seek out materials on campus that were of historic value to the college, find a dedicated space to house the archives and organize it.”
Today, Dunham builds on that foundation, not only organizing and maintaining the collection but also uncovering surprising pieces of campus history, like the custom KCC-branded dishes from the 1960s.
“I thought the only surviving pieces were in the display case on level one of the library,” she said. “I found that there are more pieces that are in the break area of the Roll Building, and people are still using them.”
It’s small discoveries like these that make the archives feel alive, connecting past and present in unexpected ways.
While many institutions preserve historical records, Dunham emphasized that KCC’s archives serve a distinct and valuable purpose.
“Each archive is unique because it preserves specific content. Our collections document KCC specifically,” she said. “The Zhang Legacy Collections Center at Western Michigan University houses WMU archives, regional history and some special collections. The University of Olivet Archives houses their history. What makes our archives unique is the history of Kellogg Community College.”
It’s that focused preservation of KCC’s legacy that makes the collection a meaningful resource for both reflection and discovery.
The archives at KCC offer a rare glimpse into the College’s journey through time. Thanks to the continued efforts of Dunham and the library team, this growing collection remains accessible and relevant, reminding the KCC community that history isn’t just something we study, but something we live, piece by piece.
Individuals interested in learning more can stop by the library or visit the College’s digital archives online at lmdigital.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/KCC.
A version of this article first appeared in the Bruin News student newspaper. This version first appeared in the March 2026 edition of BruIN magazine. To read the issue online, please visit kellogg.edu/bruinmagazine.
