A contingent of LMC faculty and students traveled to Sierra Leone to take part in Project 1808's National Science and Leadership Festival.

Lake Michigan College Theatre Instructor Dr. Patrick King will spend the 2024-2025 academic year in Barcelona as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar. 

Lake Michigan College hosted its 77th annual commencement ceremonies on  Sunday, May 5, at Lake Michigan College Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre.

Shaneece Moffitt, Julie Dokter, and Halie Saylor were selected as student speakers for Lake Michigan College's 77th annual commencement ceremonies.

Kelly Kulich of St. Joseph is the recipient of Lake Michigan College's Spirit of Nursing Award out of 18 graduating nursing students for the Spring 2024 semester. 

Lake Michigan College reached the 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Softball World Series after dominating the Region XII Great Lakes District B Regional Tournament May 9-11 in Port Huron.  

On Thursday, April 4, Lake Michigan College revealed the new name of the LMC Mendel Center Mainstage during a dedication ceremony.

High school students who graduated from an in-district high school in 2024 can receive free tuition to attend Lake Michigan College this Fall through the Red Hawk Futures Scholarship program. 

Dr. Ken Flowers, Lake Michigan College's Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, was named Postsecondary Professional of the Year.

The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) has named Lake Michigan College Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Linwood B. Whitten to its prestigious Black Diaspora Knowledge Community Stellar 50.

The Lake Michigan College Alumni Association Board of Directors is seeking nominations for its 2024 Alumni Awards.

Concord High School's "Fiddler on the Roof" and Penn High School's "The Music Man" were the big winners, each taking home three awards, on May 22, during the third annual WAVE Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre held at Lake Michigan College's Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre.

A total of 456 students received 472 degrees and certificates from 31 areas of study, including 431 associate degrees, 15 advanced certificates, and 26 certificates of achievement during LMC'S 76th annual commencement ceremonies.

At the Lake Michigan College commencement on May 7, Betty Timmreck walked across the stage to earn her degree that has been 60 years in the making. 

Lake Michigan College has announced that it will place a millage renewal proposal on the Aug. 8 ballot.

Six metal sculptures by acclaimed artist Albert LaVergne, on loan from the Krasl Art Center, are on display until January 2024 in the William Hessel Library on Lake Michigan College’s Benton Harbor Campus. 

Mark D. Weber has been appointed to Lake Michigan College’s Board of Trustees. He was sworn in on Tuesday, April 4, in the president’s office on the Benton Harbor Campus.

Lake Michigan College has named LaToya Mason as its new Dean, Health Sciences. Mason, who served in an interim role after Marla Clark retired last year, has a long history with LMC.

Lake Michigan College was named a Voter Friendly Campus by the national, nonpartisan organizations Fair Elections Center's Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).

Lake Michigan College offers several Summer camps, workshops, and programs for children and adults on its Benton Harbor Campus, 2755 E. Napier Ave. 

Nine local high schools participated in the second annual WAVE Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre at the Mendel Center Mainstage

Lake Michigan College was one of 20 local businesses and non-profits named to Moody on the Market’s “Best Places to Work in Southwest Michigan” for 2023.

Lake Michigan College's Marketing & Communications Department earned top honors at the annual Paragon Awards at the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations national conference held March 30-April 1 at the Rosen Centre in Orlando, Florida.

Gaston Leoni, now a project manager at Edgewater Automation, is one of nearly 2,000 students to earn either a bachelor's or master's degree through Siena Heights University's Campus Center at Lake Michigan College – a partnership celebrating 40 years this month.

Lake Michigan College is accepting applications from students and local employers to take part in the 2023 Earn & Learn Summer Internship Progr

Lake Michigan College's entire May 2022 graduating nursing cohort passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on their first attempt. There were 29 graduating nursing students in the cohort. 

The Spirit of MLK Spotlight recognition is designed to shine a light on an individual, a student, and an organization that embodies Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s spirit of brotherhood/sisterhood and love through their direct action throughout the community. 

Lake Michigan College has named Dr. Ken Flowers as its new Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs. 

Lake Michigan College announces the appointment of Eric Wignall as its new Director of Admissions and Recruitment.

Jared Smith of Mattawan and Cody Wigginton of Red Ray, Alabama, were named the recipients of Lake Michigan College’s Spirit of Nursing Award out of 25 graduating nursing students for the Fall 2022 semester.

Lake Michigan College welcomes two new staff members to the management team overseeing the Visual & Performing Arts Department and LMC Mendel Center.

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) has recognized Lake Michigan College as part of its 2022 ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting. 

Employers in Southwest Michigan who are expanding or locating operations in the region will now have access to $500,000 of free training through Lake Michigan College and the Michigan New Jobs Training Program.

The Lake Michigan College Athletics Golf Outing, held Thursday, Sept. 22, on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at the Golf Club of Harbor Shores, raised a projected $18,000 to support LMC's student-athletes.

Lake Michigan College Chef Luis Amado, who oversees the Culinary Management program at LMC, will share his passion for chocolate with his students in the new Culinary and Confections Certificate at LMC.

Lake Michigan College Chef Luis Amado, who oversees the Culinary Management program at LMC, will share his passion for chocolate with his students in the new Culinary and Confections Certificate at LMC.

Fall is here, and with it comes a new academic year full of promise for new and returning students, our faculty and staff, and our entire community

The Registered Behavior Technician Certificate at Lake Michigan College, offered for the first time during the 2021-2022 academic year, provides classroom and hands-on training for students interested in a career in behavior analysis.

Merlin Hanson, the titan of Southwest Michigan industry, community benefactor, and long-time advocate of Lake Michigan College died Tuesday, June 21, at age 94.

Armed with a $3,200 Breaking Barriers Grant from the LMC Foundation, Chad Dee, LMC Biology Instructor Dr. Jessica Beachy, and Chef Luis Amado, created LMC’s first successful community garden.

Brian C. Dissette was sworn in as a member of Lake Michigan College’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

Gregory Vaughn spent 25 years at Cornerstone Alliance before retiring as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Business Development in 2019.

Steve Zaban’s civic work started as a favor for a neighbor. Steve was elected as a Board Trustee for Williamstown Township, Mich., serving four four-year terms. He also served one term as clerk for the community just east of Lansing. During his tenure, Steve served on the fire board, planning commission and handled all aspects of elections.

Hannah Kusaka Gorenflo estimates that she sent 150 job applications to Apple before receiving a return email from the global technology giant. That one reply, however, turned what seemed like an unattainable dream job into reality. The 2015 Lake Michigan College graduate has been working as a product design engineer for Apple since 2021.

Susan Wilczak has a passion for placing art in public spaces. Susan, who teaches art history classes as a full-time faculty member at Lake Michigan College, is taking on another public art project – the college’s permanent collection.

After 2020’s ceremonies were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2021 festivities were modified to an outdoor drive-thru event, LMC returned to the Mendel Center Mainstage on Sunday, May 1 for its 75th Commencement.  

Three members of Lake Michigan College’s Class of 2022 were chosen by their peers, faculty, and staff to speak at the college’s 75th Commencement ceremonies on Sunday, May 1 at LMC’s Mendel Center Mainstage on the Benton Harbor Campus. 

Selected because of their academic excellence, integrity, and compassion for their classmates, Lauren Bettis and Nicholas Hatton spoke during the 10 a.m. ceremony (Arts & Sciences and General Studies), while Heidi Fox spoke during the 2 p.m. ceremony (Career & Workforce and Health Sciences). 

The Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees named BHSH Spectrum Health Lakeland President Loren B. Hamel, MD, as the 2022 recipient of the Bernard C. Radde Distinguished Service Award during 75th annual commencement ceremonies on May 1.

During meetings held this month, both the Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees and the Berrien RESA Board of Education accepted the resignation of longtime public education steward Dr. Michael Lindley.

The Lake Michigan College Alumni Association Board of Directors seeks nominations for its 2022 Alumni Awards. Nominations must be received by June 8 for best consideration. Recipients will be announced in September. 

Lake Michigan College offers several summer camps, workshops, and programs for children and adults. Participants can explore hands-on learning in the Fab Lab, strengthen language skills with ESL courses, prepare for college with Upward Bound or tap into their creative side with LMC's Visual & Performing Arts.

Paw Paw High School's production of "Curtains: Student Edition" was the big winner on Tuesday, May 17, as Lake Michigan College's Visual & Performing Arts Department presented its inaugural WAVE Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre.

Almost four years after his first foray into unfamiliar concert territory with his highly-acclaimed Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, “Weird Al” Yankovic will be pressing his luck again, this time with The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour. The tour makes a stop at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center in Benton Harbor for one night only.

Lake Michigan College President Trevor A. Kubatzke and Rio Salado College President Kate Smith signed a historic partnership agreement Friday morning at the Todd Center on LMC’s Benton Harbor campus. 

Lake Michigan College will host campus tours from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and Saturday, May 7 at its Benton Harbor location, 2755 E. Napier Ave. 

Lake Michigan College announced on Tuesday, Feb.

Lake Michigan College is looking for pregnant volunteers to help our Sonography students learn and practice by offering FREE 3D/4D ultrasounds. Sca

The MLK Celebration Week, "I Have a Dream 2022: The Fierce Urgency of Now," a free, virtual, community-wide effort honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., opened festivities Monday morning with an inspiring kickoff celebration.  

Lake Michigan College created its free tuition program for the 2021-2022 a

Lake Michigan College is creating more opportunities for students to advance their education through a new partnership with Rio Salado College. 

The MLK Celebration Week 2022 will build on that momentum with both in-person and virtual events, Jan. 17-21, 2022, under the theme, "I Have a Dream 2022: The Fierce Urgency of Now."

The Leadership Accelerator Program has a new home.

Lake Michigan College’s Health Sciences Division announced that its nursing program received continuing accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) through Spring 2029. 

The Red Hawks are running again. Today, Lake Michigan College announced that it is reviving both Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams to its roster of intercollegiate athletics in the Fall of 2022. 

As LMC marks its 75th anniversary, a panel of alumni, including Dr. Gladys Peeples Burks' 48, sister Barbara Peeples '61, James Ellis '72, Gloria Ender '90, and Kevin Miller '01, reflect on their time at the college through the decades and the common threads that bind them all.

The year marks the College’s 75th anniversary, and while there is so much to look forward to in our future, it is useful to take a moment to ponder our past.

More than 2,000 students have applied for free tuition under a new LMC program, which covers full tuition and course fees up to 30 credit hours during the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters.

Chef Luis Amado has worked in his share of kitchens throughout his career, but nothing can compare to the newly renovated teaching and demonstration kitchens at Lake Michigan College. 

Lake Michigan College continues to upgrade its regional campuses in Niles and South Haven.

The Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to alumni who accomplish significant success in their personal or professional endeavors.

The Alumni Service Award is presented to alumni who offer significant personal or professional contributions to Lake Michigan College and beyond.

The Alumni Service Award is presented to alumni who offer significant personal or professional contributions to Lake Michigan College and beyond.

The Alumni Achievement Award is presented to alumni who demonstrate significant achievement and distinguish themselves in their career, education, or community.

The Bernard C. Radde Distinguished Service Award is named in honor of the late Dr. Bernard C. Radde, who served as a member of the Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees for 25 years. It is presented annually to an individual or individuals who have advanced the cause of Lake Michigan College and higher education.

Student-athletes at Lake Michigan College excelled on the field, court and classroom during the 2020-2021 academic year. 

Last season, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we contemplated art and its power to heal, transform, and inspire. While disappointed that we couldn’t share events face-to-face with our patrons, we chose to look at the situation as an opportunity to try out new ways to connect with our community – online, outdoors, and indoors.

Michigan Reconnect, launched Feb. 2 by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity allows Michigan residents age 25 and older the chance to attend local community colleges tuition-free, as long as they have a high school diploma or equivalent and haven't already graduated from college. 

Lake Michigan College's three-week Commercial Driver's License program, which began in October 2020 operating in partnership with Tri-Area Trucking School, and N&M Transfer Co., prepares students to earn their Class A CDL and start a career as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.  

The announcement of a seven-speaker season lineup marks the planned return of in-person events for the 2021-22 Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series hosted by The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College.

The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College announced its 30th season of Mainstage performances. The 2021-22 lineup includes 15 events that span the spectrum of music, dance, family programming, and comedy.

Major Cooper has been named the first dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Lake Michigan College.

The Visual & Performing Arts Department at Lake Michigan College offers a variety of arts education opportunities this summer for students as young as 6-years-old to adults on the Benton Harbor Campus and The GhostLight Theatre.

Lake Michigan College is offering several summer camps and workshops for kids and adults in its community Fab Lab. 

Harold Milliner has been selected as the student speaker for Lake Michigan College’s 74th commencement. Milliner, a Niles native who spent much of his childhood in Berrien Springs, is a 2015 graduate of Forest Lake Academy in Apopka, Florida. He will receive an Associate in Applied Science – Music.

Lake Michigan College graduates will celebrate this year’s commencement ceremony in person, although not in the traditional way. Because of COVID-19, last year’s graduates had to celebrate virtually, but this weekend LMC's 74th and 73rd graduating classes are invited to participate in a combination drive-in/drive-thru ceremony.

Lake Michigan College has been designated a “Voter Friendly Campus” once again by national, nonpartisan organizations Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). 

With March marking the first anniversary of Michigan's first COVID-19 cases, members of LMC's 2020 nursing class reflect on their journey from students to essential workers fighting on healthcare's frontlines. 

The addition of the MILO Range simulation training tool and a newly signed partnership enabling LMC students to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice through Ferris State University has strengthened LMC’s growing criminal justice program. 

Lake Michigan College is seeking public comments about its nursing program in preparation for a continuing accreditation site visit scheduled March 8-11, 2021.  

The Lake Michigan College Alumni Association Board of Directors is seeking nominations for its 2021 Alumni Awards.

Lake Michigan College is partnering with the state for the new Michigan Reconnect scholarship program unveiled Tuesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. In an effort to help address a widening skills gap within the state’s workforce, the scholarship offers Michiganders age 25 or older free tuition to pursue an associate degree or skills certificate. 

Households, businesses and classrooms viewed 12 livestreamed events more than 670 times during Now is the Time! The MLK Celebration Week, a free, community-wide effort presented Jan. 18-22 by Lake Michigan College, Whirlpool Corp. and supporting sponsors United Way of Southwest Michigan, Kinexus Group and Horizon Bank. 

Lake Michigan College’s Board of Trustees met for the first time this year on Monday, Jan. 4, selecting a new slate of officers for 2021. Jeff Curry of Buchanan was named the new Board Chair with John Grover as Vice Chair, Mary Jo Tomasini as Secretary, and Joan Smith as Treasurer. Debra Johnson, Vicki Burghdoff, and Michael Lindley are Trustees at Large.

Futures for Frontliners, the state scholarship program unveiled by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in September offers free tuition to Michiganders who worked in essential industries at the height of the state shutdown.

Unlike many of the nation’s colleges and universities that opened only to send students home after mass COVID-19 outbreaks, LMC acted quickly and decisively in June to prepare for a Fall semester that keeps students learning safely and successfully without undue disruption from the pandemic. We also discounted Fall tuition by 10 percent to help families who were struggling financially.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, LMC's Fall semester classes that could
be taught remotely have been offered remotely in one of several delivery options. Meanwhile, courses that require hands-on learning have limited in-person instruction in small groups that follow safety protocols.

After more than two years of construction, in August, Lake Michigan College completed its Campus Transformation project on the Benton Harbor Campus.

Jeremy Burleson, who has been the Director of Lake Michigan College’s South Haven Campus since February 2016, is now overseeing LMC’s Niles Campus

The Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to alumni who accomplish significant success in their personal or professional endeavors.

Whether it was in a restaurant, a hotel, or in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, Larry Wozniak has spent a life dedicated to service.

The Alumni Achievement Award is presented to alumni who demonstrate significant achievement and distinguish themselves in their career, education, or community.

The Alumni Achievement Award is presented to alumni who demonstrate significant achievement and distinguish themselves in their career, education, or community.

The Bernard C. Radde Distinguished Service Award is named in honor of the late Dr. Bernard C. Radde, who served as a member of the Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees for 25 years. It is presented annually to an individual or individuals who have advanced the cause of Lake Michigan College and higher education.

Student-athletes at Lake Michigan College use the same grit and determination in the classroom as they do on the field or the court.

Like many performing arts theatres, conference centers, and meeting venues across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the core mission of La

BENTON HARBOR, Mich.

LMC's delivery option plan, tuition discount takes the guesswork out of Fall semester equation.

When Nygil Likely came to Lake Michigan College in July 2019 to lead the Student Affairs team, he knew the job would provide new challenges. He couldn't have imagined, however, that a global pandemic would be among them. 

After years of overgrowth and storm damage, Lake Michigan College has restored its Nature Trail. The 1.8-mile path carved through 70 acres along the water and the woods behind the Benton Harbor campus officially reopened to the public this summer.

With Michigan performance venues closed to the public because of safety restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center has found an innovative, and safe way to bring fans back to the Benton Harbor campus.

Lake Michigan College's Associate in Applied Science Nursing Program is now accepting applications for admission twice a year. The competitive RN program, which celebrated its 50th anniversary during the 2019-2020 academic year, is currently accepting applications for the Spring 2021 semester, which begins in January. The deadline to apply for the new Spring entry start is Sept. 12.

Three Lake Michigan College students were among the 207 Phi Theta Kappa members named a 2020 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar. Sophie Paar of Stevensville, Tamlin Le Roux of Niles, and Alexis Johnson of Martin each receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Lake Michigan College has named former Aurora University assistant Rickey Hampton as the Red Hawks head men's basketball coach. Meanwhile, Ray Kimball, whose career includes stints at both Grand Rapids and Lansing Community Colleges, has been named the Red Hawks head women's basketball coach. 

It has been more than two months since LMC made the shift to remote learning, starting online classes on March 23, the same day Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued the first of many stay-at-home orders. In that time, LMC employees rallied around their students by providing financial, technological, and academic help to complete the spring semester. Now, the College is prepared for an all-remote learning summer session and planning several scenarios for the fall semester that could see a full or partial return to campus. 

LMC's Fab Lab has produced and given away nearly 1,900 face shields and more than 1,000 ear savers for mask wearers. Thanks to a new shipment of elastic, they are now ramping up production on cloth face masks with 50 given away to date. The ongoing project is part of a college-wide effort to help workers in health care and other industries in the community who must be out in the field to do their jobs.

Safety restrictions put in place at the local, state, and national level to stop the spread of COVID-19 has meant the unprecedented cancellation and postponement of multiple performances for LMC's Visual & Performing Arts Department as well as both the Mendel Center Mainstage and The Economic Club of Southwest Michigan Speaker Series. With the Mendel Center closed to patrons, LMC faculty and staff have turned to online resources to offer some performances virtually, while rescheduling many others. 

After 10 months of construction that saw a top-to-bottom overhaul, the William Hessel Library opened March 9. Four days later, it, along with the rest of the Benton Harbor campus, would close again, this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the Benton Harbor campus does reopen, the library will be the cornerstone of a newly combined space that also will house LMC’s new Writing Center and Teaching and Learning Centers as well as an open computer lab.

Lake Michigan College's 2020 graduates must forego a traditional commencement ceremony this year to protect themselves and their families from COVID-19 but they’re still finding ways to safely celebrate graduation. LMC has several opportunities planned to mark the College’s 73rd graduating class.

Business Administration, Applied Science Business and Accounting now offered online.

For the first time, Lake Michigan College is offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes completely online in May-June and July-August sessions. 

Lake Michigan College now offers a major in Communication with new class options beginning in the summer and fall semesters. 

The Visual & Performing Arts Department at Lake Michigan College is offering a variety of arts education opportunities this summer for students as young as 8-years-old to adults at the Mendel Center on the Benton Harbor campus.

Start-to-Finish, which started with the graduating class of 2011, is designed to help current and former foster care and underserved students achieve academic success. It offers students one-on-one life coaching, learning and computer labs, tutoring services, success planning, academic advising and intervention, referrals to internships or job opportunities, and even transportation and snacks.  

After two years in Baroda, Lake Michigan Vintners, the commercial teaching winery of LMC's Wine & Viticulture Technology program, officially opened its new tasting room on Jan. 11 in the Welch Center, 2774 E. Empire Ave. The move completes Lake Michigan Vintners' transition into the $7 million, 14,000-square-foot facility, which opened in August.

After months-long renovations, the Hanson Theatre rededicates the space to Merlin and Carolyn Hanson.

LMC's new Spanish Language Certificate of Achievement, which is open to all students, can be earned by completing four classes – Elementary Spanish I & II and Intermediate Spanish I & II – at LMC's Benton Harbor, South Haven, and Niles campuses.

Anyone who lives in southwest Michigan has surely received quality care from an LMC alum. In the Fall 2019 issue of Current, we pay tribute to the generations of healthcare professionals who’ve devoted their careers to keeping us and our loved ones in good health.

Student demographics from the 2018-19 school year.

Lake Michigan College’s women’s basketball team is coming off a storied 2018-2019 season where they were one of 16 teams to reach the National Juni

Lake Michigan College and its Hanson Technology Center received American School & University’s Collegiate Citation, the top higher-education design honor, in their 2019 showcase. In conjunction with the award, LMC is featured on the cover and inside the August edition of American School & University magazine.

Lead donors for the new Wine & Viticulture Center, Mike and Lisa Welch have also been involved with the Winner’s Circle Benefit Auction for nearly two decades. In 2011, they established the Mike & Lisa Welch Family Endowed Scholarship. Additionally, Lisa serves on the board of Lake Michigan Vintners.

This fall, LMC’s Visual & Performing Arts Department has presented the ghostly gala, The Deathly Hallows: A Howl-O-Ween Choral Concert &amp

Lake Michigan College has new virtual reality labs set up at both its Benton Harbor and Niles campuses.

Lake Michigan College’s Niles campus will soon prepare students to hit the road.

The number of Americans age 65 and older is projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2019 to 95 million by 2060, according to the U.S.

Joseph Effa was working in construction when the economy took a sudden turn, and he realized it was time for a career change. 

A case of wine changed Michael Moyer's life.

After injuring her shoulder after a drunk driver hit her car in 2017, Emily Mokwa feared that her impending surgery signaled a halt to her college

When Kyle Kelly learned that Lake Michigan College purchased some virtual reality equipment, he wanted to carve out space where students and fellow

Patrick Daniel had a choice.  

Alysa Gould didn't make it to The Mendel Center Mainstage to receive her Associate in Science degree during Sunday's 72nd annual Commencement at La

After a two-year preparation process that culminated with a day-and-a-half campus visit last November with faculty, students, staff, administrators