This is a true story about someone from our community who, despite long odds and those saying, “you can’t,” stood defiant and dared to anyway — launching a new career that began at College of Western Idaho.
This is the second of a series of stories from our Let’s Get Started 2.0 spring recruitment campaign. In it we feature innovators, builders, healers, and protectors, each of which capably demonstrate what’s possible when we exercise a grain of grit. After all, if our neighbors can do it, so can you.
Finding His Direction
For Aaron Potter, enrolling at College of Western Idaho (CWI) wasn’t just about earning a degree — it was about building confidence, finding direction, and discovering the power of possibility.
Aaron, a recent graduate of CWI’s Software Development program, first came to the College unsure of what he wanted to do. “I started with general education classes. I didn’t know what I wanted to do quite yet,” he said. After exploring his options, he landed on Software Development. But even then, he wasn’t quite ready to dive into all the math that typically comes with computer science. That would come later.
The Right Fit
Before arriving at CWI, Aaron was living in Utah, going to school and working summer jobs back home in Idaho. It was during one of those summers that his path took a new turn — he met his now-wife and decided to move back to Idaho for good. He needed a place to continue his education, and after considering his options, he chose CWI.
“Out of all the options here, I chose CWI,” he said. “I wasn’t as interested in all of the theory and math required for computer science. I just wanted more hands-on programming, and I felt some of the stuff was more complicated than I really wanted at the time.”
That hands-on focus is exactly what CWI’s Software Development program offered. Students learn to design, build, and test applications using programming languages like Java, Python, and C#, all while gaining skills in web development, databases, and project management. For Aaron, the program offered the right balance of practical training and academic support to help him grow.
Gaining Confidence Through Support
A turning point in Aaron’s academic journey came during his math classes, especially under the guidance of instructor Robert Kosh.
“My math teacher, Robert Kosh, made a huge difference for me,” Aaron said. “He helped me gain confidence in my ability to learn math because I wasn’t super confident before. Through his class, I gained confidence. I felt really proud of my work and effort, and he really helped with to that. He had a good impact.”
Paving the Way Forward
After earning his associate degree, Aaron was ready for the next challenge. He is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with an emphasis in Artificial Intelligence at Western Governors University and working as a freelance developer, training large language models (LLMs) and chatbots for a company called Outlier.
His ultimate goal? To blend his passion for software development and AI into entrepreneurial work that makes a difference.
“I want to identify pain points in my community and help solve those problems,” he shared. “There’s huge opportunity helping smaller businesses take advantage of AI and incorporate it into their processes and systems.”
Advice for Future Students
For students who may be feeling uncertain about starting college, Aaron has one piece of advice: “Just get started. Before I came to CWI, I lacked confidence in what I could actually accomplish in school, but the support I got from my professor, tutoring services, and others made a huge difference. Honestly, just the desire to learn is something to be proud of — and once you start, keep showing up.”
At CWI, Aaron didn’t just learn to code — he learned to believe in himself.
Ready to build your future in tech? Explore CWI’s Software Development program today.
