The South Haven City Council has been briefed on the programs and opportunities offered to students at the Lake Michigan College South Haven campus.
Speaking to the council this week, LMC South Haven Associate Dean Jeremy Burleson said it’s been his goal at the campus to understand the needs of local industries and respond to them. For example, he said when he first started, he met with representatives of hospitals in the area and learned they were in need of certified nursing assistants and phlebotomists.
“I transformed our art room into a CNA lab and a phlebotomy lab,” Burleson said. “We offer one CNA class and one phlebotomy class per semester.”
And Burleson said those programs have been helping employers in the area fill vacancies. Another popular option has been the CDL program, which he said attracts all kinds of students.
“We have people that are trying to change professions, we have people that are just looking for something different. I’ve seen it all — males, females, every walk of life coming through, trying to do something different through our CDL program, and it’s been incredibly successful.”
Burleson also noted the campus Hoop House has been teaching agricultural students. He said the options available to those pursuing a career in ag are also growing.
“What’s taking place right now is a lot of people are getting away from the associates or bachelor’s degree. They’re going with stackable short-term certificates. So we’ve created an agriculture program where you can actually do — like let’s say you want to learn more about soil. You can come in and you can take a class about soil and that’s it. And that’s totally fine. Or you can stay and learn more about herbicide. Like what does it take to grow these crops?”
Burleson also talked about eliminating barriers to a higher education, saying dual enrollment programs with high schools now cover a third of Lake Michigan College’s students, giving them an opportunity to finish high school with college credits already under their belts. And he said state and local programs have essentially eliminated financial barriers to seeking a degree or certificate.
“Essentially what happens is if you graduate from a local high school, you have the opportunity, if you’re looking for a certificate or any skill-based program and an associate’s degree, it’s free.”
Plus, there’s the Michigan Reconnect program for those over the age of 25.
Burleson said LMC in South Haven has a daycare program and even an adult caregiver program to help students attend classes. He thanked the community for approving LMC’s millage renewal this year, noting it passed with 72% support in the South Haven area.