Southwestern Michigan College receives donation from the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation for athletics project
The Michigan Gateway Community Foundation has donated $10,000 to Southwestern Michigan College to help pay for their Charles O. Zollar athletic building project that was completed back in July.
The athletics facilities in the Charles O. Zollar building at Southwestern Michigan College’s Dowagiac campus has received a $10,000 donation from the Michigan Gateway Foundation. The project was completed back in July.
Leader Publications quoted Dr. Joe Odenwald, president of Southwestern Michigan College, as he reacted to the donation: “Michigan Gateway Community Foundation has done so much for Southwest Michigan, including this support for college attainment to improve the opportunities for our youth and to enhance our local workforce. Their participation in this project is another example of how they invest in the future of Cass County. It will help enable another 100 students per year to work on a certificate or degree as they continue a beloved activity that keeps them engaged in campus life.”
President of the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation, Michael Rowland, commented on the foundation’s decision to donate to the project, saying, “Southwestern Michigan College is an incredibly important partner for the work we do here at Michigan Gateway Community Foundation. We have a great deal of students, through Buchanan Promise and our general scholarships, meeting their educational goals with the resources they provide. With that in mind, we wanted to partner with them to provide as many opportunities as possible for our students. We are proud to be a small part of their success.”
The extent of the remodeling of the Charles O. Zollar building included replacement of the old gymnasium floor with a new surface for basketball and volleyball, a replacement of the bleachers with bleachers that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, new overhead lighting that support LED lights that are much more energy efficient than the original, as well as a new video scoreboard and audio system, new locker rooms and updates to the existing locker rooms for visiting teams, an officials’ room, and a new suite on the second floor for coaches, officials, and events.
Southwestern Michigan College held a dedication ceremony back on August 17, and the first matches were held against Lake Michigan College and North Central Michigan College on Saturday, August 27.
Other sources of funding for the remodel were 1st Source Bank, the name of which is on the fieldhouse, Midwest Energy and Communications, and two local family foundations.
The Michigan Gateway Community Foundation was started in 1977 and has since become a full service, standards compliant and accredited foundation focused on serving Niles, Buchanan, and Cass counties. The foundation gives out grants to a variety of projects with the aim of creating a strong, vibrant, and caring community.
Southwestern Michigan College offers transfer opportunities for new students, is part of the Michigan Reconnect Program, which offers free tuition to qualifying students, and has cross enrollment partnerships with Ferris State University and Michigan State University.