West Shore Community College

West Shore Community College
Motto Where students come first!
Type Public, 2-year, community college
Established 1967
President Dr. Kenneth Urban
Students 1190 (Winter semester 2016)
Location Scottville, Michigan USA Manistee, Michigan USA
44°00′32″N 86°20′14″W / 44.0089°N 86.3371°W / 44.0089; -86.3371Coordinates: 44°00′32″N 86°20′14″W / 44.0089°N 86.3371°W / 44.0089; -86.3371
Campus rural (360 acres)
Nickname Foxes
Mascot Westy the Fox
Website www.westshore.edu

West Shore Community College in Scottville, MI, offers curricula to meet the needs of students interested in occupational program, and also for students wishing to transfer to a senior institution.

Leadership

Dr. John Eaton was the college’s initial president; he served from 1967-1983. He earned his bachelor of arts from the College of Wooster, his master of arts from Michigan State College and, a Ph.D. from Michigan State University.[1]

Dr. William M. Anderson was the college’s second president, serving from 1983-1998. Afterward in 2001, Governor John Engler appointed Anderson the founding director of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries.[2] Governor Jennifer Granholm reappointed Dr. Anderson to her cabinet, where he continued to serve as the director of HAL until 2009.[3]

Dr. Charles T. Dillon served as West Shore Community College's third president from 1998 - 2014.

The college's current president is Dr. Kenneth Urban (2015 - ). Dr. Urban earned a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in North Miami Beach, FL, a Master of Business Administration from Ohio State University in Athens, OH, a Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology from the University of Toledo in Toledo, OH and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH.[4]

History

In 1967 West Shore was established on 365 acres between Ludington and Manistee in Mason County, Michigan. Along with this main campus, West Shore also has a center in Manistee County, just north of the city of Manistee.

Planning for the college began in 1962 with high school superintendents from three adjacent counties meeting to discuss the possibility of a community college in their districts. In September 1968, part-time faculty were hired to teach evening courses at local high schools.[5] The first permanent structure was the Campus Center (now the Administrative Building), which was dedicated in the spring of 1970;[6] prior to this, classes were held in six relocatable classrooms the college had purchased.[7]

Since 1967, West Shore Community college has experienced growth in student body as well as facilities. From an initial enrollment in the fall of 1968 of 118 students[8] and an initial graduating class of 62 students,[9] the college has grown to a current enrollment close to 1,200 students, with the most recent graduation class consisting of nearly 140 students eligible to receive degrees or certificates.[10]

Growth in facilities includes the following: In 2002, an 18,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art science wing was added to the Arts and Sciences Center and West Shore Community College opened a 36,000 sq. ft. ice arena. In 2006, Manistee County Education Center, a partnership between the college and West Shore Medical Center, opened in Manistee. In 2008, the 38,000 sq. ft. Schoenherr Campus Center opened for students.

Accreditation

West Shore Community College participates in the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP), a quality-based, continuous improvement model of accreditation through The Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This AQIP model is based on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program and incorporates a review process designed to deliver clear, concrete and efficient feedback to participating institutions. Additionally, it provides assurance of institutional quality to HLC and other audiences and constituencies.[11]

Academics

West Shore Community College offers a variety of degree focused programs, one and two year certificates, as well as non-credit course options. Areas of study include Business, Communications, Criminal Justice, Arts & Humanities, Math & Science, Manufacturing & Technologies, Nursing & Allied Health, and Social Sciences.[12] Learn more about Academic offerings at West Shore Community College

West Shore Community College also offers a number of online courses, providing learners with several alternative ways to take college credit courses. Online and hybrid courses require minimal on-campus visits, so students with job and/or family responsibilities are able to continue their education. More than 400 students each semester take online courses, with over 25 courses to choose from. Courses range from completely online or online with proctored testing to a blend of online and on-campus (hybrid) delivery. These courses are accessed using Canvas (a learning management system).[13] The college's online class presence has been growing such that currently (Winter 2016 semester) online course credit has grown to account for 20% of credits being attempted.[14]

Partnerships

Partnering with universities to help you meet your educational goals and ensure smooth transfer to your program of choice at Ferris State University, Central Michigan University, Davenport University, and Walsh College.[15] Learn more about WSCC Partnerships

WSCC Foundation

The WSCC Foundation provides financial assistance that benefits the college, its students, and the communities it serves and is building its endowment fund to provide additional scholarships for students desiring to attend the college.

College grounds

The college campus includes the Schoenherr Campus Center, Technical Center, Arts and Science Center, Recreation Center, Administrative and Conference Building, West Shore Ice Arena, and Manistee County Education Center.

The Schoenherr Campus Center houses the William M. Anderson Library, Beans & Bread Cafe, Student Senate Office, Office of Student Services, bookstore, and other services to support students and student learning such as STaRS (tutoring) and Learning and Testing Center.[16]

Technical Center houses classrooms and laboratories for the college’s occupational programs. There are also faculty offices, the Director of the Business Opportunity Center, Career & Technical Education offices (West Shore ESD), Nursing & Allied Health Division offices, lounge areas, and computer labs.[17]

Arts and Science Center is home to the Center Stage Theater, faculty offices and the Dean of Instruction. The building houses numerous classrooms including biology, chemistry and physics lab, a greenhouse and lecture and conference rooms.[18]

The Recreation Center is located on the northeastern part of the college campus. The Criminal Justice Offices are located in the upper level of the Recreation Center. The lower level of the building houses the Wellness Center, weight room, pool, gym, and racquetball court.[19]

The West Shore Community Ice Arena is a regional facility which provides figure skating, hockey, and open skating opportunities for all the citizens of the area. The arena, which is owned by Mason County and operated by West Shore Community College, is located near the Recreation Center and contains a National Hockey League size ice surface with seating capacity of 320 spectators.[20]

The Manistee Center is located on US 31, just north of city of Manistee, the satellite location serves students in the northern portion of the college district. The facility houses classrooms. a science lab, and a computer lab. While the classes offered change from semester to semester, many introductory and advanced courses are offered.[21]

Energy Park - The college, in conjunction with West Shore Educational Service District (WSESD), has created an energy park consisting of wind turbines and solar panels. The energy generated is incorporated into the college's electrical grid.[22]

Administrative & Conference Building houses the college's Administrative Service and Information Technology department.It also contains a number of conference services available for community use.[23]

Recreation

The Recreation Center offers non-credit, nominal fee recreation classes from body Shaping and Weight Training for seniors to swim lessons for kids. The Recreation Center has a 25-meter swimming pool and whirlpool, a weight room with free weights and other weight training equipment, one racquet ball court, an arena with six basketball goals, jogging and walking lanes, and areas that can be set up as indoor tennis courts or for volleyball.

West Shore Community Ice Arena provides hockey and open skating opportunities for area citizens. It is designed for year-round use, and contains a National Hockey League size ice surface.[24] The West Shore Community Ice Arena is home to the West Shore Wolves Amateur Hockey Association, Manistee Chippewa Junior Varsity and Varsity Hockey programs.[25]

Community

In addition to offering instructional programs, the college serves the area with lectures, theater productions, dance and musical performances in the Center Stage Theater, art exhibits in the Manierre Dawson Gallery and other types of entertainment for both student and community members.

Career counseling services are available offering a full range of advising and aptitude testing.

Student organizations

Learning is not limited to classrooms. West Shore students have multiple opportunities to lead, explore, and expand their horizons by participating in events and activities on campus. The Student Organizations and Activities Program (SOAP) sponsors campus events and leadership opportunities designed to complement and enrich student learning in the classroom.[26] The college has a number of student groups ranging from Phi Theta Kappa to the L.A.R.P. Club (Live Action Role-Playing).[27] It is a fairly easy process for students to start a new club.[28] Learn more about campus life at WSCC.

References

  1. "Dr. John M. Eaton was WSCC's first president". West Shore Community College: 25 years (Special insert of Ludington Daily News). May 15, 1992. p. 6.
  2. Higginson, Cheryl (January 7, 2002). "Anderson settles in as head of History, Arts and Libraries". Ludington Daily News. pp. 1, 3.
  3. "Governor eliminates Michigan Dept. of History, Arts and Libraries". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
  4. "The Presidential Search". West Shore Community College. April 20, 2015.
  5. "College approved by voters in 1967; planning had begun long before that". West Shore Community College: 25 years (Special newspaper insert to Ludington Daily News). May 15, 1992. pp. 4–5.
  6. "First permanent building was dedicated in 1970". West Shore Community College: 25 years (Special newspaper insert to Ludington Daily News). May 15, 1992. p. 3.
  7. "College approved by voters in 1967; planning had begun long before". West Shore Community College: 25 years (Special newspaper insert of Ludington Daily News). May 15, 1992. pp. 4–5.
  8. "College approved by voters in 1967; planning had begun long before". Ludington Daily News. May 15, 1992. p. 5.
  9. "First commencement held at WSCC". Ludington Daily News. June 14, 1971. p. 1.
  10. "45th Commencement". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  11. "Accreditation". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  12. "Academics". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  13. "WSCC Online". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  14. Grabowski, Ken (February 19, 2016). "Enrollment continues to decline at WSCC". Manistee News Advocate. p. 8A.
  15. "Partnerships". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  16. "Schoenherr Campus Center". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  17. "Tech Center". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  18. "Arts & Sciences Center". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  19. "Recreation Center". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  20. "Ice Arena". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  21. "Manistee Center". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-15.
  22. "Energy Park". West Shore Community College. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  23. "Administrative & Conference Building". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  24. "Ice Arena". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  25. "Ice Arena". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  26. "Clubs & Activities". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  27. "Registered Student Org. (RSO)". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  28. "Start a Club/RSO". www.westshore.edu. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
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