Kalamazoo Valley Recognized by American Association of Community Colleges

The Bronson Healthy Living Campus (BHLC) project, a partnership between Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (KCMHSAS), Bronson Healthcare (Bronson) and Kalamazoo Valley Community College (Kalamazoo Valley), has been named the winner for the 2019 American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership Award.

The award honors local, regional and national collaboration between a college and corporate partner that has achieved demonstrable, multi-year success in advancing the mission of the institutions, the economic prosperity of a community and the learning excellence of students.

The award was announced on April 15 at the American Association of Community Colleges’ Awards of Excellence Gala, part of AACC’s 99th Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida. Kalamazoo Valley’s President L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D. accepted the award on behalf of the collaborators.

In 2013 the three organizations came together with the ambitious goals of urban revitalization, community health improvement and workforce development through sustainable food education and training. Bronson donated previously unused land adjacent to its downtown Kalamazoo hospital for the new BHLC, which now includes the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, the Food Innovation Center (with a food hub and indoor and outdoor growing spaces) and an integrated health services clinic for KCMHSAS customers, which serves about 9,000 persons annually.

“This collaboration is meeting the increasing demand for sustainable, holistic approaches to food education and health. The award provides meaningful acknowledgement of the important work being done here in Kalamazoo,” Washington said. “I am very pleased that the AACC chose to honor our collaboration with Bronson and KCMHSAS in this way.”

The nation’s community colleges serve more than 40 percent of all U.S. undergraduates, providing a pathway to the American Dream for 12 million students. Other finalists for the award included Indian River State College in Florida, Monroe Community College in New York and North Carolina's Wayne Community College.

Award winners were selected by a committee of the AACC Board of Directors. Finalist colleges also were recognized at the Awards of Excellence Gala.

Photo: L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D., President, Kalamazoo Valley Community College;
Mike Way, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, Facilities and Real Estate Bronson Healthcare;
and Jeffrey W. Patton, CEO, Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services