Long-Time Kalamazoo Valley Administrator to Retire at the End of the Month

In his 21-year-career at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Michael Collins, executive vice president for enrollment and campus operations, has worn many different hats. There is just one hat he won’t miss when he retires next month – the wool-lined, head-hugging cap he would don on the dark, frigid winter mornings when surveying the overnight snowfall.

“I’m not going to miss it,” Collins said with a laugh. “I’m happy to pass that hat to someone else.”

During the winter months of the past two decades, with temperatures often in the single digits and accumulating snow in the double digits, Collins would rise shortly after midnight to assess the temperature, windchill and road conditions, consult with facilities services staff and make a recommendation to the president as to whether or not the college should close due to inclement weather.

Come February 1, the 70-year-old will no longer be monitoring weather reports but enjoying the next chapter of his life at his home in Texas Township with his wife of more than 47 years, Stephanie, reading and running more and spending time with his two children and their families.

Born and raised in Portage, Michigan, Collins earned a bachelor’s degree in religion from Western Michigan University and a master of arts degree in religious studies from Indiana University, with the ultimate goal of teaching at a community a college. After graduating, however, he found job prospects were slim. Collins returned to Indiana University and earned a master of science degree in parks and recreational studies, a field in which he’d worked during high school and college. He began his professional career working for the city of Bloomington, Indiana and in 1979 returned to Michigan to work for eight years in various positions for the city of Portage, including director of parks, recreation and property management and deputy city manager. He was later hired by Portage Public Schools and spent 12 years working for the district as the director of school services.

He finally achieved his original goal of working at a community college in August of 1999 when he was hired as the vice president for college relations at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

“The mission of the community college and the opportunity to work for an institution like Kalamazoo Valley Community College really appealed to me,” Collins said.

From directing major building projects and securing state capital outlay funding, to leading student services, academic services, enrollment management and employee and community relations, Collins’ impact on the college has been significant. The renovation, expansion and development of college buildings and campuses are among Collins’ biggest accomplishments while at the college.

Upon his arrival, he oversaw the remodeling of interior classroom space and the addition of the 60,000-square-foot Student Commons and Dental Hygiene Labs at the Texas Township Campus.

After securing a $5 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and raising an additional $6 million from the private sector, Collins spearheaded efforts to open the college’s 70,000 square foot Michigan Technical Education Center (M-TEC) training facility in 2001 (renamed the Kalamazoo Valley Groves Center in 2012). It became one of 17 training centers in Michigan to bring additional focus on training workers for careers in high tech fields.

Working with the city of Kalamazoo and Greenleaf Trust, Collins also oversaw the remodeling of the W.S. Dewing Building in downtown Kalamazoo to become the Center for New Media, home to the college’s art and new media programs.

The development of the 13 acre, $46.1 million Bronson Healthy Living Campus, which includes the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building and the Food Innovation Center, however, ranks at the top of Collins’ list of building project accomplishments. The project began in 2013 and opened its doors to students in 2016.

The three-story Culinary and Allied Health Building houses students enrolled in the Culinary and Sustainable Food Systems programs. It houses a culinary theater, kitchen and a full-service teaching restaurant and café. Additionally, the building is also home to the college’s nursing, emergency medical technology and respiratory care programs and the Kalsec Center for Sustainable Brewing Education. The Food Innovation Center houses a collection site for aggregating foods from local farms to supply to area hospitals, schools and other intuitions. Indoor growing space, a processing and distribution facility, quality assurance testing lab, classroom and greenhouse and outdoor gardens and education spaces are located on site.

“It was an absolutely incredible project,” Collins said. “Like the Arcadia Commons Campus, I think the Bronson Healthy Living Campus has the potential to be equally transformational to the city of Kalamazoo, if not more so. I don’t think we’ve even begun to see its potential and what it can do for the community. The primary mission of the college is, obviously, to educate but we are also responsible for providing opportunities to build a stronger community. I’m looking forward to watching the college continue to grow its footprint.”

Collins says projects like the Bronson Healthy Living Campus have contributed to his longevity at Kalamazoo Valley.

“The ongoing opportunities and challenges over the course of my career have kept me at the college,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of different job responsibilities as things are constantly changing – it’s been a great run.”

During his time at Valley, Collins has overseen nearly every department at the college. From the Financial Aid and Admission, Records and Registration offices to Enrollment Management, Marketing, Facilities Services, the KVCC Foundation, Student Success Services and Academic Services – all of have seen Collins at the helm.

“Over the years, we have been very fortunate to attract really quality people who are committed to the community college mission,” Collins said. “It’s the experiences with those people I’ll miss most.”

As he looks to the future, Collins has no doubt that the college will continue to be a first choice in higher education for students in Southwest Michigan and beyond.

“Kalamazoo Valley Community College is cemented in the DNA of this community and has a whole new group of young, forward-thinking leaders,” Collins said. “I have confidence that the college will continue to teach subject matter relevant to students and the community.”

Collins will officially retire January 29 and has no plans to set his alarm or monitor the weather. Plans to formally recognize his service to the college are currently in the planning stages and will be announced.

Collins’ Kalamazoo Valley career included leadership of the KVCC Foundation. He and his family established two funds at the foundation, the R.M. and John Collins Endowed Nursing Fund in 2001 and the Robert M. Livingston Scholarship Fund for business students in 2018. Your financial support of either of these funds will help the Collins’ legacy continue in perpetuity. Gifts may be made online at www.kvcc.edu/foundation or by check payable to the KVCC Foundation.