February 1964 – Representatives from the K-12 school districts of Crawford, Ogemaw, Oscoda, & Roscommon counties met to “discuss the possibility of widening the educational opportunities for the people in the four-county area.”
1964
June 1964 – A Citizens’ Advisory Committee was formed to determine if a community college in the area would be feasible.
March 7, 1966 – Voters of the four counties approved the establishment of the College.
1966
March 25, 1966 – 1st Board of Trustees meeting was held in the Roscommon County Building.
May 1967 – The site on the corner of F-97 and County Road 603 in Roscommon County was selected as the site for the new college – the center of the six local school districts. Temporary offices were set up in the old bank building in Roscommon as there were no buildings on the F-97 site.
1967
May 1967 – Lloyd VanBuskirk appointed as the first president of the College.
Spring 1968 – Construction began on the first permanent building, called Unit #1, on the new site. It was later renamed the Student Center.
1968
September 20, 1968 – Classes began at Kirtland Community College in six relocatable classrooms with 160 students. Unit #1, which housed the library and classrooms, was not ready until the winter of 1969.
November 1969 – James Reed appointed as acting president after the departure of Lloyd VanBuskirk.
1969
Spring 1970 – Construction started on additional buildings including the Occupational Building, the Academic Studies Building, and the Learning Resources Building. These buildings were completed in the Fall of 1971.
1970
June 14, 1970 – The first commencement ceremony was held with 44 graduates: 15 received Associate of Arts degrees, 22 received Associate of Science degrees, and seven completed the Cosmetology program and earned a license from the state.
August 1970 – Robert Stenger appointed as the third president of Kirtland.
1971-1972 – Kirtland Student Senate representatives for the academic year 1971-1972.
1972
April 1972 – The Kirtland Aviation Maintenance program began using the Grayling McNamara Airfield.
1974 – Bear Archery donated $2,000 in equipment and services to establish an archery team, known as the Royal Archers. The team went undefeated against the University of Michigan and University of Notre Dame.
1974
1975 – The College received accreditation as an associate degree-granting institution from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (now known as the Higher Learning Commission).
1975
October 25, 1974 – Bob Seger, rock musician, performed at the Kirtland Auditorium. Tickets were $2.50 for students.
1976-1981 – Kirtland’s Theater Department flourished, producing plays such as Harvey, Finian’s Rainbow, Man of La Mancha, and Once Upon a Mattress. It also offered dinner theaters and hosted performers such as Dizzie Gillespie and Chet Atkins.
1976
April 1977 – A forest fire broke out near the Roscommon Campus. It was contained and extinguished with the help of Kirtland students in a forest fire control class.
1977
October 1977 – Raymond Homer appointed as the fourth president of Kirtland.
October 1980 – The Administration Building opened.
1980
1981
January 1981 – The Kirtland Royal Archers archery club won its 3rd state championship.
August 27, 1982 – Kirtland had enough foreign students to start an International Student Club.
1982
1983
September 1983 – A 1 ¼ mile fitness trail with exercise stations was constructed on the Roscommon campus.
1985 – A Federal Title III grant was received to construct an instructional television (ITV) system connecting Kirtland with the six local high schools.
1985
1987
1987 – Brett Stockton, 1983 Kirtland graduate and AuSable River Canoe Marathon winner, was a member of the USA Kayak team and competed in the 1988 Olympic trials.
Fall 1988 – Kirtland’s college honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, was established.
1988
1989
1989 – College and high school classes and teacher in-service programs were broadcast over ITV.
July 1990 – Richard Silverman appointed as interim president due to the retirement of Ray Homer.
1990
August 1990 – Dorothy Franke appointed as the fifth president of Kirtland.
March 1991 – Kirtland celebrated its 25th anniversary.
1991
1992
November 1992 – The Kirtland House, formerly the president’s residence, was renovated to house the Continuing Education Center and Art Gallery.
May 1993 – Instructor Dale Seymour congratulated student Mindy Pelka, the first female welding student on record to complete welder certification according to the American Welding Society.
1993
Summer 1996 – Anthropology students took part in a summer archaeology dig on private land in Roscommon County.
July 1996 – Five Kirtland Honors students traveled to Russia to study art and architecture.
1996
November 1996 – The Kirtland Ms. Club published the cookbook A Taste of Kirtland with recipes from students, staff, and current and former Ms. Club members.
Fall 1997 – Kirtland opened its Nurse-Managed Clinic for students, staff, and area residents.
1997
August 1999 – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation awarded Kirtland funds to build, own, and operate an educational center to teach manufacturing and building trades.
December 1999 – Voters of Otsego County passed a millage to help fund operating expenses for a technical training center (M-TEC) in Gaylord.
1999
October 1999 – The Physical Plant (PHY) Building was built to house the Art Program, the Print Shop, and the College’s maintenance operations.
February 2000 – Charles Rorie appointed as the sixth president of Kirtland.
July 2000 – A ground-breaking ceremony was held for the Michigan Technical Education Center (M-TEC) in Gaylord.
2000
Fall 2000 – Kirtland joined the Michigan Community College Athletic Association and added men’s and women’s basketball and golf as official sports.
January 2001 – The book, A Setting for Success, detailing the history of Kirtland from 1966-2000, was published.
2001
November 2001 – The Kirtland Center for the Performing Arts welcomed American folk singer, Judy Collins. The Roscommon High School Choir joined her on stage.
January 2002 – The M-TEC/University Center opened in Gaylord. Classes offered were carpentry, electrical, HVAC, industrial maintenance, machine tool, welding, and nursing.
2002
May 2003 – The inaugural class of M-TEC students completed their programs. This included Electrical Technology graduate Charles Brooks, pictured left with instructor Alan Mabarak.
July 2003 – Kirtland offered a one-week Law Enforcement Career Academy to Michigan high school juniors and seniors to learn about law enforcement as a career.
2003
September 2003 – Country Singer Lee Greenwood, known for his hit “God Bless the U.S.A”, performed at the Kirtland Center for the Performing Arts.
Summer 2005 – Kirtland added men’s cross country as the College’s fifth sport.
2005
Winter 2006 – Kirtland’s Firing Range opened on a parcel of land adjacent to the Roscommon campus.
2006
March 2006 – Kirtland’s Theater Arts Department production of Escanaba in da Moonlight was performed at the Houghton Lake Historical Playhouse.
July 2007 – Thomas Quinn appointed as the seventh president of Kirtland.
2007
November 2007 – Kirtland honored its 25th Police Academy graduating class.
August 2008 – Kirtland partnered with the Michigan School of Cardiovascular Stenography to offer a cardiac sonography program at the M-TEC in Gaylord.
2008
2009
Fall 2009 – A student-designed 18-hole disc golf course opened to students, employees, and the public, on the Roscommon campus.
March 2010 – Kathy Gibson, Kirtland nursing student, submitted the winning name of Sparky for the College’s redesigned Firebird athletic logo/mascot.
2010
Fall 2010 – Kirtland received a five year, $2 million federal grant to expand online learning and upgrades to classroom technology.
February 2011 – Canadian comedian Steve Smith (a.k.a. Red Green) appeared in two sold-out shows at the Kirtland Center for the Performing Arts.
2011
February 2015 – The College expanded its athletic program with the addition of bowling. The team hosted its first home tournament at Hi-Skore Lanes in West Branch.
2015
July 2015 – Groundbreaking was held for the state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center south of the City of Grayling on West Four Mile Road.
2016 – Kirtland and the C.O.O.R. Intermediate School District teamed up to offer the Early Middle College program allowing high school students to earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or substantial college credit through an additional fifth year of study.
August 2016 – Classes began at the 57,000 square foot Health Sciences Center located on the Grayling campus.
2016
Fall 2016 – Fiat Chrysler partnered with Kirtland’s automotive department to offer the Mopar CAP (Career Automotive Program) LOCAL which prepared students to work as Level I technicians upon graduation.
January 2018 – Kirtland assumed operations of the University Center building in conjunction with the Gaylord M-TEC.
February 2018 – The Higher Learning Commissions reaffirmed Kirtland’s accreditation through 2027.
2018
May 2018 – The Kirtland Center for the Performing Arts offered its final general audience show with the band Resurrection: A Journey Tribute.
May 2018 – Kirtland employees and the community gathered to break ground for the Grayling Michigan Forest Products Institute, a 44,000 square foot addition to the existing Health Sciences Center.
October 2018 – High School students from around the state along with Kirtland automotive students and faculty competed in pit crew challenges, inspection tests, tire mounting and more during the first annual Auto Olympics in the newly renovated Auto Lab on the Roscommon campus.
August 2019 – The Michigan Forest Products Institute, an addition to the Grayling campus, opened. It included additional classrooms, labs, and the relocation of the Library and Cosmetology Salon.
2019
March 2020 – COVID–19 was declared a global pandemic. Kirtland closed its campuses and moved face–to–face courses to online delivery.
2020
February 2021 – Kirtland participated in the first–ever Michigan Reconnect program which offered funds to help pay the cost of tuition for adults 25 years or older pursuing a certificate or degree.
May 2021 – The first of its kind, an outdoor drive–through commencement, was held on the Grayling campus to honor the Class of 2021, due to the COVID–19 pandemic. Faculty and staff lined the red carpet and welcomed the graduates.
2021
September 2021 – Phase III of the Kirtland Grayling building project opened housing the Dr. Thomas Quinn Events Center. Space for art classrooms, an art gallery, the automotive department, the Criminal Justice program, the Print Shop, and the Maintenance Department were also part of this phase.
February 2022 – Paige Galbraith and John Morrison, two Kirtland Art students, took top honors at the Michigan community colleges’ Liberal Arts Network for Development (LAND) competition.
2022
April 2022 – A ribbon cutting for the Matt LaFontaine Automotive Technology Center was held to recognize the donation from the LaFontaine Automotive Group to fund future scholarships for automotive students.
June 2023 – Kirtland offered a new summer program, Kickstart, which provided new students the opportunity to explore the campus, meet staff and faculty, and refresh English and math skills before the start of the fall semester.
2023
August 2023 – New campus housing opened to students on the Grayling campus.
December 2023 – Gary Roberts appointed as the eighth president of Kirtland.
April 2024 – In collaboration with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to help combat food insecurity in our local communities, Kirtland hosted a food distribution event, the 2nd on the Grayling campus.
2024
August 2024 – For the first time in more than 10 years, a hands–on Biology course was offered at Kirtland. Formerly known as Nature Study, Field Biology of Northern Michigan provided students with an opportunity to explore the environment of the north first–hand along with an online component. It is planned that this course be offered every fall.
February 2025 – The new Sparky mascot was introduced.
May 2025 – Kirtland Esports team hosted its first Firebird Gaming Con – an all–day celebration of games and gaming culture including board games, classic consoles & arcade games, Esports tournaments, and Dungeons & Dragons sessions.
2025
September 2025 – Kirtland renewed its commitment to supporting the needs of veterans and military–connected students by attaining Gold Level status, once again, with the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA).
