Congratulations to Greg Wilson, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Faculty of Distinction for January 2021. Wilson has been at the College for eight years. He currently teaches in the Integrated Studies department and is the General Education Coordinator. Courses he has taught include Intro to Philosophy, Intro to Ethics, Intro to Humanities, and English 101.
“My background is in English literature, history, and philosophy. I have master’s degrees in both Theology and English Literature,” Wilson said. “Having taught at other colleges and universities, I know what a special place CWI is for students. Here, they get instructors who teach and who are here because they love to teach. We all work together to support our students. It's a great place to work, and a great place for students.”
As his students navigate various challenges, Wilson strives to provide them with the support they need to be successful.
“I think one of the best ways CWI prepares students is by giving them the foundational skills they need to succeed in academics and life in general. We provide students with such a strong foundation in the basic skills of thinking, communicating, and problem solving which they can take anywhere they go after their time with CWI.”
Among his most memorable moments are reading through his class discussion board posts.
“To see students open up and share powerful things they would never say in person often leads to profound discussions, and it is an amazing privilege to be a part of those.
As the General Education Coordinator, Wilson started revision of the General Education Value Rubrics, has been instrumental in aligning General Education courses with new CWI Degree Outcomes, and has pushed for increased faculty recognition for best practices as part of the annual state GEM awards.
“Greg has truly hit the ground running in his first year as the General Education Coordinator,” commented Department Chair of Integrated Studies, Kim Scheffer. “He is, simply, one of those people at CWI who gives 110% of his time and effort. He is always the first person to volunteer and jump in with help, and always with a smile. His knowledge and expertise is unmatched. I am a better Department Chair because of his ongoing support of me, our instructors, and our programs.”
Wilson is an Idaho native born in Boise. After graduating from Capital High School, he continued his education at University of Idaho where he became the first in his family to graduate from a 4-year university.
“After finishing my upper graduate work, my wife and I, along with our son, spent 10 years in Nigeria working as a nurse and teacher. While there, we adopted our daughter. It has now been more than 10 years since we have been back in Idaho, and we have enjoyed every minute of it.”
Outside of the classroom, Wilson enjoys movies, books, and traveling.
