Congratulations to Alice Pyle Baldazo who has been named College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff of the Month for July 2022. Baldazo works as the Scholarship and Work-Study Coordinator for the Financial Aid Office and has been with the College since January 2020.
Part of her duties on campus are to help manage CWI Foundation scholarships and educate students about scholarship opportunities around campus and scholarships offered by the state.
Her work with the Work-Study Program gives her access to communication with CWI supervisors, students, Enrollment and Student Services, and community partners. She also plays a role in recruitment to build partnerships and manages the student Work-Study funds.
“I've been empowered to do what I love by being involved in the community and help empower those in our community to reach their educational goals at CWI,” Baldazo said.
Education has always held a huge spot in Baldazo’s heart. With a unique educational background herself, she knows the importance academics can play in one’s life.
Baldazo graduated from high school in 2004 at 10 years old.
From there, she attended Daniel Webster College where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 2007. She then obtained her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership with a graduate certificate in Human Resource Management from Southern New Hampshire University in 2009.
She began her career with the Boys and Girls Club of Nampa, which she said lead her to state- and international-wide non-profit organizations. Then came her opportunity with CWI.
“I’ve always been passionate about empowering others, and CWI embodies this with their affordability, community connections, and the programs that are offered. Because of that, I knew it was a place I wanted to work to be a part of something that gives back to the community I love.“
Being part of the College for nearly three years, she said it is difficult to pinpoint a specific moment that stands out. However, being able to work with students directly and going to CWI events is always something she looks forward to.
“Every scholarship night the Enrollment Team gets to put on or CWI Night at the Steelheads games where we get to interact with our students or talk to the community about the difference CWI is making in the lives of our students are my favorite.”
She said working with CWI has been able to get her more involved in her community and she gets to work with some stellar individuals daily.
“I mean, at the end of September I get to vacation in South Korea with my colleague, Kari. Not many people can say they work with someone they want to be in an airplane with for 10 hours at a time. But really, you will meet some of the most amazing and hardworking people while empowering our students.”
Baldazo grew up outside of Nampa where she had many animals. Today, she is self-titled, “fur mama” to two dogs and two cats. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cuddling her “fur babies,” playing rugby, and traveling.
