Lake Michigan College students visit state capitol for Community College Day

Benton Township, MI. - Four students from Lake Michigan College hit the legislative halls in Lansing on April 17 to advocate for community college students. The four students on the LMC team were Caia Bowman, Julia Pepple, Jonathon Orlando, and Renato Recillas. They were joined by LMC Provost Dr. Ken Flowers, Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Government Relations Al Pscholka, Jeremy Burleson, Associate Dean, South Haven campus, along with Sarah Thomas of LMC advising and the LMC Mascot Rocky Red Hawk.
 
Bowman, 19, of Benton Harbor, who graduated from Berrien Springs High School, was a dual enrollment student who will be graduating from LMC next week. She plans to attend Grand Valley State University and major in Pre-Medicine. “I like the idea of networking, and it was great to see the legislative process in action and I enjoyed hearing from our area legislators. They supported the same things we did and were open to a new generation with innovative ideas,” Bowman said.
 
Pscholka, a former state lawmaker and state budget director, said it was important for area legislators to hear directly from students. “We want our students to lead those discussions, to ask questions, and to share their stories. All four of them did an excellent job talking about overcoming barriers, the advantages they had with dual enrollment and Early/Middle College, and why Lake Michigan College was an important part of their journey,” Pscholka stated.
 
Recillas, 18, of Fennville, is an Early/Middle College student getting his associate’s degree next week after attending classes on campus for one year. “It was helpful having Mr. Pscholka up there with us. He was connected to many people but allowed us to lead the discussion. I was surprised at how approachable our legislators were, it was easy to connect with them on a number of issues,” Recillas stated. The President of the LMC Student Senate, Recillas will attend the University of Michigan next year and major in political science.
 
Pepple, 19 and a graduate of Watervliet High School, also took college classes while still in high school. Last year, 30% of the student body at Watervliet High was enrolled in at least one college class. She is graduating and planning to attend Grand Valley State and major in Pre-Law with an eye toward working in the legal field, or perhaps the Legislature someday. “Being able to go to our state capitol was a great privilege and an outstanding way to interact with state lawmakers. It was refreshing to know that legislators want to hear from younger people,” stated Pepple.
 
Orlando, 18, of Berrien Springs and another student who took college classes at Berrien Springs High School, took it one step further. “If I was attending a four-year school, I doubt I would have had the opportunity to have the experience I did as a Lake Michigan College student,” he explained. “I got to meet a number of Senators and Representatives, attend a committee meeting, see the architecture of the Capitol, and get a better understanding of how state government works,” he added. Orlando will return to LMC next Fall and transfer to Central Michigan University the following year. He is the Secretary of the LMC Student Senate.
 
“Student success is our mission,” said Flowers. “Every day, we are working to provide students experiences that will help them in the future, whether that’s participating in Michigan Community College Legislative Day, working as an apprentice at a local company, or being part of a student club, we want to connect our students to their future,” he said.
 
Lake Michigan College
 
Lake Michigan College is a two-year, fully accredited, nonprofit community college with a main campus in Benton Harbor, the heart of Southwest Michigan, and satellite campuses in Niles and South Haven. LMC serves as a vital cultural hub and key regional economic partner; the college boasts the largest performing arts center in the area, offers intercollegiate athletics, on-campus housing, and a rich array of clubs, activities, and organizations to provide students with a vibrant, full college experience close to home.