Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC) will begin its Fall 2024 class on Sept. 3 with record-breaking enrollment for returning and new college students. The school has renamed certain aspects of its education this year. KBOCC has switched the art program to Anishinaabe art and liberal studies to general studies which will be more transferable to local universities through the Michigan Transfer Agreement.  

The community college will also have a new psychology program with 12 students participating which was previously under the liberal studies social sciences program. Certificate programs that KBOCC will be offering include criminal justice, medical billing and coding and healthcare management. This year the college will also offer the associate degree of nursing for the first time with nine students within the first cohort.

“For being such a small community college, we offer a lot of different support for our students,” Dean of Students Amanda Nordstrom said.

KBOCC offers support to their student body with free lunches to students everyday, tutoring services, emergency aid, food banks and transportation to help ensure their success. The success that KBOCC defines for its students depends on each individual, as each student has a different goal and idea of what it means to have succeeded. Many of the students at KBOCC are non traditional, and some take more years than others to obtain an associate’s degree due to things such as a job or raising a family. KBOCC understands that each student has different circumstances regarding his or her life, and they work with each individual to obtain the goal the student has set up for him or herself.

“We are really blessed to have a personal relationship with each and every one of our students,” KBOCC President Lori Sherman said. “Sometimes you can get lost in a system that is so much bigger than you, but here you get personal and individual care.”

The enrollment presents the issue of running out of room for students and faculty, but this problem presents the opportunity for expansion and proves the success of the community college.

“We are definitely running out of space,” Sherman said. “We are looking into building a Trade Center and it’s going to take a lot of fundraising and grants but that’s going to be our next big goal.”

While the trade center is only being discussed, its addition is planned to house the welding, nursing and carpentry programs along with other certification programs.  The college believes their courses along with the affordability of the college and student access to financial aid through the state of Michigan have all combined to create the enhancing opportunities at KBOCC.

“I really think the community is starting to realize what a gem we are and that we’re right in their back yard,” Dean of Academic Affairs Megan Haataja said. “We’re open to Native and non-Native students and we always let people know that and I think the community is realizing the benefit and cost saving of coming here before pursuing a bachelor’s degree.”

Haataja also said that she believes it is great that Native and non-Native students learn together about each others’ cultures and traditions.

“The more you know about each other, the better you get along,” she said.

The last four hires for KBOCC’s adjunct faculty are all Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) members and the hope is that having members of the local tribe will be able to introduce aspects of their culture to new students. KBIC hosts the community college’s charter and this partnership will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.