Last week, Southwestern Michigan College announced its latest — and largest — construction project yet.

The community college’s nursing teaching center, located on its Dowagiac campus, will undergo a $9.6 million renovation and expansion.

The project, expected to break ground in May, will double the existing footprint of the structure, with added space for instruction. In addition to updating the facility’s technology and infrastructure, the college plans on building in new state-of-the-art simulation labs as well as study spaces that are designed to encourage greater interaction between students and faculty.

While a majority of the funding for construction will be paid for via a state grant and out of pocket by the community college, SMC administrators announced they are also looking for some financial assistance from the community. The college is seeking $2.6 million in donations from area philanthropists and organizations to pay for costs the college and state cannot cover.

According to SMC President David Mathews, this is the first time the college has asked for community contributions to pay for a major construction project at the college.

While certainly a steep undertaking, we believe the community and area that benefits from the nursing instruction SMC provides should pitch in to support the college’s effort.

Anyone who is familiar with the community college should know that its nursing program is perhaps its main calling card. The program remains among its most popular, and is considered by many to be among the best in the region, especially given the college’s size.

During his presentation, Mathews pointed out that there isn’t a healthcare institution within 40 to 50 miles that doesn’t benefit from the labor of people graduating from the nursing program. With the demand for qualified nurses continuing to grow due to the aging baby boomer population, we don’t see that need disappearing anytime soon.

Besides enhancing the quality of SMC’s nursing program through updated facilities, the expanded amount of classrooms means the college can admit more students into the program on an annual basis — another win for healthcare providers.

Of course, not only will the expansion benefit our area’s quality of healthcare, but it could also benefit the local economy at large. The more students who attend SMC, the more attention Dowagiac gets, and more attention often translates into more money spent in local businesses.

SMC is also one of the largest employers in the Dowagiac area, so naturally the more success they enjoy, the more success we all enjoy.

We wish SMC luck with their donation drive. We also look forward to seeing the new facility when it is finished.

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of General Manager Ambrosia Neldon and editors Scott Novak and Ted Yoakum.