Kalamazoo Valley Community College

KVCC was founded on August 1, 1966, after a meeting in which people from nine different school districts in the area voted to support and establish a new community college. The school began offering classes in 1968, consisting of 1,518 students and 47 faculty members at the time of its opening. It also became the 29th community college in Michigan when it opened. [ 5 ] On March 1, 1967 Dale B. Lake [ 6 ] becomes the first president of KVCC. Dr. Lake was the president of Kalamazoo Valley Community College until October 1, 1982. Marilyn Schlack served as the second president of the college for 35 years and retired in 2017. [ 7 ] L. Marshall Washington, was chosen as the third president of KVCC on Thursday March 15, 2018. [ 8 ]

Currently, Kalamazoo Valley Community College has four campuses: Texas Township, Arcadia Commons, Groves Campus, and the Bronson Healthy Living Campus. Texas Township Campus Designed by Alden B. Dow, [ 9 ] a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Texas Township Campus is located near the I-94 and U.S. 131 interchange on 185 acres of rolling woodland west of Kalamazoo. Expanded several times over the last 55 years, the 430,000-square-foot complex features modern classrooms, comprehensive library and computer capabilities, two gymnasiums, a swimming pool, ball fields, tennis courts, a running track, two auditoriums, food services, free parking in expansive lots, and fully equipped labs for science, industrial and manufacturing technologies.

Located in downtown Kalamazoo, the Arcadia Commons Campus, build in 1994, includes Anna Whitten Hall, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, and the Center for New Media. The campus serves as a hub for community, business and education partnerships that renovated and revitalized a significant portion of the historic downtown area. Anna Whitten Hall Located downtown Kalamazoo on the Arcadia Commons Campus, the 55,000-square-foot Anna Whitten Hall, features 15 classrooms, a library, computer lab, new media art gallery and outdoor relaxation areas. Opened in 2004 and named for in honor of longtime Board of Trustee’s member Anna Whitten, Anna Whitten Hall offers a full range of student support services are available including admissions, records, registration, transcripts requests, pay station, counseling, financial aid, tutoring services and student activities. The facilities and services of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, as well as other downtown institutions, are frequently used to supplement the students' learning experience. [ 10 ]

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum, located near the Arcadia Commons Campus, offers a multi-sensory glimpse into the Kalamazoo area's history. A 60,000-square-foot educational resource in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo, it provides children and adults with hands-on learning opportunities in history, science, and technology. The museum seeks to develop cultural, historical and scientific literacy through innovative permanent exhibits, special traveling exhibitions, planetarium programs, and family events. As of 2025, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum is free admission.