Families and friends came together Friday, May 16, to honor the perseverance and achievements of more than 1,585 College of Western Idaho (CWI) graduates. Held at ExtraMile Arena in Boise, CWI’s 16th Commencement Ceremony celebrated graduates as they embark on a new chapter in their lives.
Speaking to a packed house in the 12,644-capacity arena, CWI President Gordon Jones welcomed attendees before speaking directly to graduates, “Today marks both an ending and a beginning. It is the culmination of years of hard work, late nights, and countless exams. But more significantly, it is a journey you took into the unknown when you started at CWI — a journey that now places you here tonight where we gather to celebrate your successes,” said Jones.
Chair of CWI’s Board of Trustees, Jim Reames, related how people react seeing him wearing the CWI logo out in the community. “It is a regular occurrence that someone approaches me and asks if I work at CWI. After I explain my role, the person tells me their story, which often begins with a tale of hardship or a rocky path to beginning college,” said Reames. “It almost always ends with the positive impact of their program of study, how well they connected with faculty and other students, and how their life is now changed because of their experience at CWI.”
The 2024-2025 academic year saw 1,585 CWI students graduate from the College, ranging in age from 17 to 70 years old, and earning 1,861 degrees and certificates. Other highlights included:
- 638 Graduates with Honors
- 341 Graduates with Multiple Degrees
- 169 Veteran Graduates
- Average Graduate GPA 3.25
- 289 Apprenticeship Graduates
- 35 Associate of Arts Degrees Awarded to Dual Credit Students
- 109 GED Candidates
Next, graduates heard from notable Idaho businessman Skip Oppenheimer, who, in addition to his role as Chairman and CEO of Oppenheimer Companies, also serves as Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Setting the stage and introducing CWI’s Commencement Speaker — marking the first time someone without direct ties to the College had been invited to do so — Oppenheimer introduced Mary C. Daly, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Daly has served as an advisor to the Congressional Budget Office, the Social Security Administration, the Institute of Medicine and the Library of Congress. She has also been a visiting professor at Cornell University and the University of California, Davis. Daly holds a Ph.D. in economics from Syracuse University, an M.S. degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a B.A. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She completed a National Institute of Aging post-doctoral fellowship at Northwestern University and is a research affiliate at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics.
Speaking directly to students, Daly shared her untraditional path to education and eventual success — one full of challenges and roadblocks. Growing up in Missouri, she dropped out of high school at the age of 15 and started working several jobs to help support her family. She went on to earn a General Education Development (GED) certificate — the equivalent of a high school diploma — and begin her career in economics. “My GED stands and the single best degree I’ve ever earned,” Daly affirmed, holding up her framed certificate to show graduates.
“We will all have moments in our lives where we feel stuck or off course. But time passes, constraints fade, doors open, and your ambitions follow,” said Daly. “We live in a world where single decisions are rarely final, where all of us have the ability to choose, and choose again, and frankly, that is what I love about CWI. It’s filled with possibilities, and it’s filled with choosers.”
“Each of you chose. You put in the hard work, dedication, and desire to earn a degree, and you expected a lot of yourselves, and you rose to meet the challenge,” Daly said.
After hearing from Student Speaker Rebecca Rose Kay, ASCWI president and graduate of the Business program, hundreds of CWI students received their certificates and degrees.
President Jones concluded the ceremony by once again offering his congratulations, “You are not just walking away with a degree, but with the power to shape your own future. Whether you choose to continue your education, enter the workforce, or pursue other passions, you have the ability to make a difference in the world. And, you will continue to have a connected community at CWI, supporting you every step of the way.”
