In 1957, Lansing was listening to the number one song in the country, Pat Boone’s Love Letters in the Sand, going to see Jailhouse Rock at the theater and watching a new show called Leave it to Beaver on black and white television sets. President Eisenhower was in the first year of his second term, and the Soviet Union launched Sputnik. In Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge opened. At the Capitol Building, Gov. G. Mennen (“Soapy”) Williams participated in a cow-milking contest to publicize Michigan’s dairy farmers. He was bested in the contest by Lansing Mayor Ralph Crego.

And on April 8, 1957, the Lansing Board of Education adopted the following resolution: “We, the Lansing Board of Education, resolve to establish a community college and technical institute in the City of Lansing, Michigan ….”

Between 1952 and 1956, spurred by the return of GIs from Korea, college enrollments in the United States increased by more than 37 percent. In Michigan, community college enrollment soared by 150 percent. The time seemed right for Lansing to establish its own community college. Dwight Rich, then Lansing School District superintendent, approached the board of education, who authorized him to hire a special adviser to work on a feasibility study. He hired Michigan State University graduate student Philip J. Gannon, then employed at MSU doing community extension work. His study easily convinced the Lansing Board of Education that a community college should be established, and Gannon’s leadership convinced the board to name him dean of Lansing Community College.

The first class taught at the college was a refresher course in mathematics with 32 students, taught by Ruth Kelly the summer before the school officially started. When the doors to the college, housed in the old Lansing Central High School Building, opened for fall semester 1957, there were 425 students enrolled in mechanical, electrical and civil technologies, apprenticeship programs and licensed practical nursing. Staff collected tuition in a cigar box in those early days, and the library consisted of four window sills’ worth of books in Gannon’s office.

Enrollment grew steadily and programs expanded their offerings; new programs and courses were offered. By 1964, operations for the college were transferred from the Lansing Board of Education. A board of trustees was elected consisting of Albert Boyd, executive vice president of the Lansing Chamber of Commerce; John Dart, attorney and managing partner of Dart Insurance Agency; David Diehl, partner in Diehlfields Farm and Farm Equipment Company; David Froh, station manager of radio station WILS; Cecil McDonald, retired superintendent of East Lansing schools; and Lee Trumble, treasurer of the Michigan Baptist Convention, who was elected chairman. Philip Gannon was given a new title, president of the college. By 1965, enrollment had topped 4,000.

The subsequent years saw LCC grow both in breadth and depth. New programs and courses were added in response to community needs. Student services were expanded. Special needs were recognized and addressed. Honors programs grew. The LCC Foundation came into being in 1982, and scholarship assistance has continued to expand. Technology took off, and LCC kept pace. Computers and information technology became integral. (LCC’s first computer was installed in 1963!) The Women’s Resource Center brought new options and assistance. Athletic teams for men and women enjoyed success in sports. Performing arts flourished. Both a cable television station (LCCTV) and an NPR radio station went live. Capital Quality Initiative brought innovation concepts and programs to the business sector. International partnerships brought new opportunities for area students to study abroad, and for international students to come to LCC from all over the world. The Business and Community Institute was established to meet the needs of local employers.

Space soon became an issue and building boomed. Committed to the urban campus, LCC developed into a large downtown complex. Old Central was renovated and refurbished. In 1966, the Arts and Sciences Building was erected. Area buildings such as the Rogers-Carrier House, the Bell Telephone Building, Turner House and the Herrmann Home were adapted for college use. The Gannon Vocational Technical Building was opened in 1975. Dart Auditorium, housing performing arts events and classroom space, debuted in 1980. The Abel Sykes Technical Learning Center (TLC) was built in 1988. More recent buildings to grace the campus include the Health and Human Services Building and the Paula D. Cunningham Administration Building; both opened in 2005. On the horizon is the University Center, now being built on the former Old Central site.

Over the years too, other sites have been developed. LCC facilities now include West Campus in Delta Township, Clinton County Center in St. Johns, Livingston County Center in Howell, the Aviation Center at Capital City Airport, LCC East in East Lansing and even a facility, the Michigan House, in Otsu, Japan.

LCC has been ably led by five presidents: Philip Gannon (1957-1989); Abel Sykes (1989-1999); James Anderton (1999-2000); Paula D. Cunningham (2000-2006) and, currently, Judith F. Cardenas.

Currently, LCC offers 200 degree and certificate programs and nearly 2,500 different courses and serves 40,000 students annually. It has been estimated that 400,000 people have taken classes at LCC. Thirty campus organizations are available to students. The LCC Foundation awarded over $700,000 in scholarship funds last year alone.

Lansing Community College, its board of trustees and President Cardenas are committed to the mission of the college: “LCC exists so that the people it serves have learning and enrichment opportunities to improve their quality of life and standard of living.”

According to Dr. Cardenas, “LCC strives to lead, to grow and to maintain a high level of accountability and performance. The impact we have on the community and its citizens and the trust that has been placed in us are principles we take very seriously. We understand that we need to be responsive to the needs of the community and continually evolve in how, where and what we offer. Michigan is facing challenging times, and LCC will continue to pilot new programs and provide new opportunities to meet those challenges. We understand that we need to be an active and proactive player in the area of economic development.”

Bo Garcia, regional director of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development (MSBTD) Center at LCC and interim director of strategic planning and economic development added, “We are working in partnership with other organizations and entities such as Prima Civitas, Cooley Law School, the cities of Lansing and East Lansing and others to create comprehensive economic and community development. Exciting plans are in the works to establish a ‘corporate college’ for executive and leadership training on a state and national level. We have joined with 10 other community colleges across the nation in a consortium to work on developing this exciting project. We have already met with state officials as well as other educational institutions to discuss these plans.

Other future plans include opportunities for growth and development in many areas. According to Cardenas, “We are in discussions in Howell to create a vision for what the future will look like in our Livingston County Center. Our program there is moving into Parker High School and this opens up new dimensions for what we offer in that area.”

“We are working on a strategic communications plan for both internal and external audiences. Plans are under way to hire a director of emergency preparedness. Efforts in recruitment and retention are ongoing with the assistance of Noel-Levitz, a nationally recognized consulting group which guides campuses to reach and exceed their goals for enrollment, marketing and student success. We have experienced a steady increase in enrollment but feel there is untapped potential for even more growth, both in numbers and in what we offer. We hope to grow by going out to the community and establishing localized centers which will foster community growth.”

The recent downturns in the local, regional and state economy impact the college as well. Cardenas explained, “We need to continue to be responsible stewards. By leveraging and aligning resources, decreasing duplication and partnering with the community, faith-based organizations and government, we can maximize our resources and better serve the public.”

The facts are impressive: enrollment, options, graduation rates, building projects, initiatives and special projects. But the real power of Lansing Community College is revealed in the lives of the students, students who are envisioning their futures, realizing their dreams and moving forward to establish meaningful lives and fulfilling careers. Lansing Community College is, indeed, “where success begins”!

Author: Jane Whittington
Photography: Terri Shaver