By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
VICTORY TOWNSHIP — West Shore Community College has released its 2025-26 annual report, highlighting its continued role in student success, workforce development and regional economic impact across Mason, Manistee and Oceana counties — while voters also prepare to decide a key funding question for the college on May 5.
The report emphasizes the college’s direct connection to the regional economy. WSCC alumni generate an estimated $33.4 million in added income, and nearly one in every 54 jobs in the service area is tied to the college. College leaders note that impact is reflected across the workforce, including nurses, paramedics, trades workers, educators and public safety professionals trained locally.
That economic role is central to an upcoming ballot proposal. Voters in the WSCC district will decide May 5 whether to approve a 10-year renewal of the college’s capital millage, set at 0.9604 mill — about 96 cents per $1,000 of taxable value. While listed as a new proposal on the ballot, college officials describe it as a continuation of a millage first approved in 1996.
If approved, the millage is expected to generate about $4.1 million annually for capital improvements, including facility maintenance, instructional equipment and campus upgrades. Initial projects could include expansion of the AgScience Lab in partnership with West Shore Educational Service District and Michigan State University, renovation of student services areas and replacement of the technical center roof.
The annual report outlines additional long-term investment plans, including approximately $12 million in capital projects in 2026 such as renovation of the college’s pool and natatorium and development of the Oceana County Education Center.
Student affordability and access remain central themes. About 95 percent of WSCC students graduate without student loan debt, and more than $600,000 in financial awards were distributed last year to help cover tuition and basic needs such as transportation, housing and food. The college also serves 1,298 students and maintains a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio while offering 44 degree and certificate programs.
WSCC continues expanding educational pathways through partnerships. The college works with 15 colleges and universities to support transfer opportunities and collaborates with 15 area school districts, serving 328 Early Middle College students. Workforce programs remain a priority, including advanced manufacturing and robotics training, as well as its emergency medical services program, which serves 11 counties and prepares students for careers in public safety and healthcare.
The college’s broader economic footprint is also reflected in a separate impact study cited in millage information, estimating WSCC contributes $43.3 million annually to the regional economy and supports about 720 jobs.
Beyond academics, WSCC hosts more than 25 cultural and educational programs each year, drawing tens of thousands of attendees and supporting lifelong learning across the region.
“West Shore Community College exists because of the communities it serves,” President Scott Ward said in the report. “Together, we are building opportunity, strengthening our workforce and supporting a resilient regional economy.”
Polls for the May 5 election will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with absentee voting available through local clerks’ offices.
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