Points of Pride
In December 2023 two Glen Oaks eSports teams won their first national championships playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 4v4 and all of Duty Gunfight.
Glen Oaks Community College has received ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) national accreditation for its nursing program in October 2023. Glen Oaks is now one of 15 of the 28 community colleges in the state that is ACEN accredited
In 2023, the Glen Oaks nursing graduate pass rate on the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) was 100 percent.
Glen Oaks Community College was featured nationally in 2023 on "Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid," an award-winning, short documentary series, featuring how education is changing lives for today's high school students.
Renovations were made to the north side of campus through a $7.3 million state capital outlay project in 2022 that included a totally re-imagined E. J. Shaheen Learning Commons, formerly known as the library; work on instructional spaces; and a completely new exterior wall system to improve the appearance and provide significant energy savings.
The college was a recipient of a $900,000 federal technology grant in 2022 for the purchase and installation of videoconferencing technology to allow instructors to broadcast synchronous live instruction from their classrooms. The project greatly expands educational options, particularly for dual-enrolled students in area high schools.
Glen Oaks implemented the Watermark Student Success and Engagement software program in 2021 which provides early alert warnings that notify faculty and advisors so that they can reach out to offer guidance and support to those students who are struggling academically.
In 2022, the college entered the increasingly popular Esports arena which is now sanctioned as a sport by the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association).
In 2019, the college celebrated the 50th anniversary of the campus building as well as a major renovation of the grand concourse.
The $6.5 million David H. and Patricia A. Devier Student Suites opened in August 2017 and features two- and four-bedroom suites. There are 106 beds in all and the facility was the first of such projects in Michigan to be funded by a USDA Rural Development loan.
Glen Oaks is the only Agricultural Equipment Technology program offered by a community college in the state of Michigan where students learn to repair and maintain farm-related equipment and machinery.
Students in the Glen Oaks agricultural programs, in conjunction with Michigan State University, are engaged in hands-on learning by farming over 65 tillable acres on the campus.
Glen Oaks operates a food pantry to assist students with both food and necessary items.
Glen Oaks hosts the Viking Speaker Series featuring speakers on a wide range of topics. The series is co-sponsored by the Glen Oaks Foundation.
The college and the Glen Oaks Foundation recognize alumni, community members, students, and employees through numerous awards including the E. J. Shaheen Teaching Excellence Award, Part-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, Distinguished Alumni Award, Up and Coming Distinguished Alumni Award, Fellows Award, Outstanding Alumni Award, Nursing Hall of Fame, Arts Hall of Fame Award, President's Award and Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 2017, the Glen Oaks Foundation provided 75 students with over $83,000 in scholarship funding.
Each year the college hosts St. Joseph County College night with admission representatives from over 55 institutions of higher education in attendance.
The College inducts members annually in the Epsilon Pi Tau honorary society for students in the technology professions.
The Glen Oaks Pi Theta Kappa Chapter has one of the highest percentages of inducted PTK students in the state of Michigan.
Each year, a number of students in each of the eight area high schools in St. Joseph and Branch Counties in Michigan; and students attending high schools in LaGrange, Elkhart, Steuben, and St Joseph Counties of Indiana apply for and receive President’s and Dean’s scholarships.
Glen Oaks, in conjunction with the St. Joseph County ISD, offers high school students the option to participate in the Early Middle College program which provides students the opportunity to earn an associate degree or occupational certificate program in their “13th” year of high school, with funding paid for by the state.
The College partners with the Intermediate School District to offer student Career and Technical Education programs including Graphic Design, Welding, Computer Coding and Gaming, Medical Occupations, Automotive Technologies, Computer-Aided Design, Marketing, and Information Technology.
The College enrolls more than 600 high school students each year and this generates the highest percentage of dual enrollment of any Michigan community college.
Over the last five years, high school dual enrollment students have transferred to 127 different colleges and universities.
Members of the community are invited to join students and faculty on annual Study Abroad programs each year. Recent trips have included Peru, France, the British Isles, Greece, and Italy.