When Amy Shore graduated from high school, she chose the route many others do. She joined the U.S. Army with future plans to go to college. She ended up meeting her husband at her first duty station in Upstate New York and motherhood soon followed. A few years in to her job as a military intelligence analyst, the desire to be a stay-at-home mom won. Fast forward to more than a decade later—Amy decided it was time to get back to her original goal. She enrolled at College of Western Idaho (CWI) and made a little history along the way.
“After moving from coast-to-coast, we ended up in Canyon County,” Amy said. “I chose CWI because the location was great and it was affordable.”
When Amy’s sons were in school, she decided to volunteer. The adventure quickly turned into substitute teaching. From there, she became a full-time employee—teaching real-world computer skills to kindergarten through fifth grade students. After working and helping her husband get through school, she took and paid for just one class.
“When I started, I just figured I would have to take on debt to finish,” she said. “Much to my surprise, I didn’t have to. I started small, got good grades, and then ended up getting a scholarship that paid for my first semester.”
The scholarship Amy received was from the CWI Foundation. It allowed her to work part-time so she could focus on her studies. Class after class, she graduated with a well-rounded education three years later.
“I’m a free spirit and I wanted versatility,” she said. “So I ended up taking a variety of classes. I found value in every class I took.”
Amy fell in love with CWI’s science courses. She also had the opportunity to be a part of the College’s history while taking an art class. She participated in painting the art mural that lives in the lobby at CWI’s Micron Center for Professional-Technical Education.
“It’s so cool to know your hand will be a permanent part of history,” she said.
Amy graduated in May with an associate degree in Liberal Arts. After both of her sons graduate from high school, which will be three years from now, she plans on going back to school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business and communications. Until then, she plans to work.
“Being debt-free allows me time to find just the right job,” she said. “And when I do, I know the education I received at CWI will definitely help me. (People) never use every single thing they learn, but if you go into things looking for those gems and focusing on them, it’s invaluable.”
