Bert's Alerts—May 11, 2018
In the Spotlight
![Because of CWI collage of students](https://cwi.edu/sites/default/files/styles/spotlight/public/spotlight_ct/image/spotlight-because-of-cwi.jpg?itok=XQcoCXSO)
As we countdown to #cwigraduation 2018, College of Western Idaho (CWI) has been sharing success stories from several of this year’s graduates. The roads traveled and the experiences of our students along their educational journey are all amazing and inspiring in their own way. Read about a few of our #mightyCWI graduates by visiting the Superstar Blogs on the CWI website.
In the News
Idaho Press-Tribune: CWI to hold graduation on May 12
Boise State Public Radio: Idaho Ranks Last In Nation For Working Mothers
Idaho Press-Tribune: CWI student drowns in Lake Lowell
News Highlights
2018 Commencement Preview
On Saturday, May 12, College of Western Idaho (CWI) will celebrate its 2018 class of graduates in a commencement ceremony hosted at Taco Bell Arena in Boise. The ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will recognize degree and certificate graduates, as well as GED completers.
The College will honor a record number of degree and certificate candidates as well as the most ever graduates with multiple degrees. In addition, the amount of Dual Credit students receiving an Associates of Arts degree has tripled in the past year, from 10 to 32. Additional highlights of this year’s commencement include:
- 1952 Degree and Certificate Candidates
- 485 Graduates with Honors
- 357 Graduates with Multiple Degrees
- 152 Veteran Graduates
- Average Graduate GPA 3.316
- 32 Associate of Arts degrees awarded to Dual Credit students
- 491 GED Candidates
- Youngest Graduate – 17 years old
- Oldest Graduate – 66 years old
Additional information can be found on the CWI website. Family and friends of graduates who cannot attend commencement in-person are invited to watch a live stream of the event on the CWI Facebook page. Share your success as a graduate or congratulate a student on their accomplishments on Twitter or Instagram using #cwigraduation on your posts. Messages will be streamed on screens for graduates to see while preparing for the ceremony.
Outstanding Business Students 2017/2018
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is proud to announce the annual winners of the Pearson Outstanding Business student of the year: Jameson Rodriguez, Tosha Stein, Alli Miles, Magen Nielsen, and Aleshia Anderson. These students are being recognized for their academic achievements and activities in and out of the classroom.
Students were nominated for the award by Business faculty and internship advisors. Applications were reviewed by a faculty committee and winners were selected based on eligibility requirements, grade point average, and other honors, contributions, and achievements. Those selected receive a scholarship, a personalized certificate and medal, and have their name added to an annual plaque.
For more information regarding the CWI Business Student of the Year award, contact Joe Welker at joewelker@cwi.edu.
STUDENT BIOS
Jameson Rodriguez
I was born on the Elmendorf Air Force base in Anchorage, Alaska. Both of my parents were in the military and as a result I’ve lived in a few states including Alaska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho, Florida, and briefly in Arizona. I graduated high school from Thomas Jefferson Charter School out of Caldwell, Idaho in 2011. During my time at Thomas Jefferson I was able to play lacrosse and basketball for Vallivue High School. Before taking classes from CWI I attended a stringed instrument building and repair course from Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery out of Phoenix, Arizona. Since graduating high school I’ve mostly been a laborer in the construction industry, hence my desire to earn my degree.
My most meaningful achievement has been successfully taking courses from CWI, I struggled academically in High School. So much so, that by the time I graduated I truly believed I was just too stupid to go to college. It took me a couple years before I would even try to take college classes. I’m very grateful to the teachers inside and outside the business department that have helped bring me that much closer to obtaining my academic dreams and career goals beyond that. A special attribute that sets me apart would be my ability to remain calm and make decisions in high stress situations. Failing many times at a bunch of different things has helped develop this attribute and has made success taste that much sweeter. I’d be a good candidate for this award because I’ll be a good representation of the kind of students CWI business department can produce as I move on to a four-year university.
Tosha Stein
Attending CWI has been a three-year journey that I never thought I would be able to take. I grew up in a family with parents who never promoted secondary schooling, they themselves not making it through even high school. I was the odd one out being a “business-centric” child. I kept lists and made spreadsheets on paper, ran entrepreneurial enterprises in the summers selling keychains and hosting lemonade stands among other various ventures. The thought of someday purchasing a new car or home though was still a foreign concept, people who grew up in my economical and emotional setting just didn’t do those things.
For many years I worked jobs that did not allow for professional or personal growth and I became jaded thinking that the world was out to get me. Thoughts such as “why couldn’t I have been born into money” and “why can’t I just get a break” frequently crossed my mind. And despite this fact I applied for my FAFSA every year not knowing how to utilize the funding once I was accepted.
Finally, after a three year stretch of unemployment I decided it was either time to get another wasting job or go to school and so I found myself at CWI. My first semester was a summer semester where I very quickly became enthralled with being a student, in fact in my very first class I was introduced to metacognition which was life changing in itself.
Being able to apply my knowledge in a constructive setting, being challenged on my paradigms and learning even basic communication skills was an awe-inducing experience. I decided from then on to say yes to any opportunities that came my way and soon enough I learned to create those opportunities for myself.
My life is altered, I no longer think the world is out to get me; now I understand that I compose the world for myself. Since I have started school I have purchased a new car, am buying a new home, I have had a second child and I have achieved more in the past three years than I have in my entire life.
Never will I be at a job where I am underappreciated and unable to develop externally and internally, never will I have a difficult day and not realize that it is a learning opportunity. I will always strive to achieve what I desire, and I will never, ever stop working to better myself, my family, my community and my world.
Alli Miles
After a 13-year break from college, I made the decision to return to school in 2017 to finish my education. I had spent almost two decades building a career in an industry that I loved, but that required me to be away from my three young children most weeks. When I made the decision to start over, I knew that I would need to expand my skills and complete my degree. While I was frustrated after enrolling at CWI to find out that only 15 of my credits would transfer to my chosen degree, I made a decision to not let that be a barrier. It’s critical that I set an example of academic success and commitment in our household, and I have maintained a 4.0 GPA during all semesters at CWI.
Currently I work full-time at the Treasure Valley YMCA as their Human Resources Recruiting Director. I am truly passionate about working with people to find positions that help them feel valued and successful. In particular, I strive to ensure that our internal applicants have a career development plan in place to set them on a path to realize their goals. I have worked very hard to be accessible and approachable to our field team, and to establish a reputation as being committed to the professional growth of our employees. I try to do this in school as well, making myself available to peers for study groups and being supportive wherever I can.
After a lot of research and weighing all my options, I decided this past month to pursue a B.S. in Business Administration at NNU. After that, I am considering the M.S. of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program at BSU. My long-term career goal is to lead the Human Resources department at Treasure Valley Y or another non-profit, and to create a culture of ongoing growth and development at all levels of the organization.
I will be forever grateful for the experiences I have had at CWI. I have done things here that I never thought I would (like reading a short story I wrote out loud!), and I am very proud to say that I am graduating from this school. I try to share my experiences with anyone I meet who is considering a life change, without knowing where to start. I fully believe that CWI has set me up for success for the next step in my educational journey.
Magen Nielsen
Magen Nielsen is a business student finishing her business, associate of arts in Fall 2017. She has successfully completed the major courses including: Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Statistics 1 and 2, and Business Communication; frequently performing in the top 10% of her class. She is planning on attending NNU May 2018 and will take additional business courses that CWI offers in the spring to better prepare her for seeking a bachelors in accounting.
She has been a work-study student for the business department since February 2017. In this position, she has aided in grading papers, creating flyers, and performing other duties to assist the business professors.
She has been a Presidential Ambassador since 2016 and enjoys introducing new students to what CWI has to offer and guiding them around on campus tours. This has given her the opportunity of speaking with Idaho’s representatives about CWI and showing them the need for CWI’s future growth for our community.
Magen was raised in Filer, Idaho and graduated from Filer High School. She has three daughters that she enjoys exploring with and creating memories with. She is working hard and showing them how to be successful by example. She previously worked in accounting and bookkeeping. The positions she held opened her eyes to her love of accounting and led her to seeking a degree in accounting.
Aleshia Anderson
As you may know, I am a non-traditional business student here at CWI. I started attending back in the fall of 2015 when my youngest child started school. I figured that would be a good time to begin my college education since there would be no kids at home or requiring daycare during the day.
During these last three years I have maintained a 4.0 GPA. My first semester I worked through 9 units in Math 095, which was difficult and very time consuming! I consider that one of my college accomplishments. While in school, I've somewhat successfully balanced two jobs and a family as well.
Throughout my life, believe it or not, I have always been a leader. I was captain of my soccer and softball teams in high school. In a professional sense, anytime I've had a job, I've learned anything and everything there is to know about that particular job and have progressed within the company. For example, I've worked at Olive Garden for almost 10 years. I started out as a server, worked my way to a certified trainer (training all of the new hire classes), then became a Service Professional, which is a step below management. When I got to that point where they were asking me to go through manager training, that was a turning point for me and a little more of a shove, another reason to start school. I did NOT want to be stuck in the restaurant business the rest of my life.
Currently, Olive Garden is my "fill in" job. I work there when I don't have homework and my kids are at their dad's house. I'm also a manager at Stor All Self Storage. I've been assistant manager for about 4 years and manager is a brand-new title for me. Working here has been a great opportunity. The owner very much supports me going to school and appreciates that work that I do. He has even allowed me to use business information for school projects! Also, he takes to heart and implements suggestions that I present to him to improve his business. I feel this job is great experience for me in the business field. It gives me a lot of responsibility and requires me to be in many different situations and scenarios that will help me learn and grow even more.
I am very honored to be considered for this award. I do feel that I am a good student and I always do my best. While taking classes specific to business, I feel I try and know the material, rather than just memorize it for a test and dismiss it the next day. Having a career in business is very important to me and I've put a lot of time and effort into my education.
2018 Nursing Pinning Ceremony
College of Western Idaho (CWI) celebrated on Thursday, May 10, the Associate of Science Degree in Nursing Pinning Ceremony at the Nampa Civic Center. Hundreds of family and friends cheered for the thirty graduates as they received their hard-earned pins.
Following opening remarks from Allison Baker, Chair of CWI Nursing Department, Joan Weddington, and President, Bert Glandon, Odette Bolano, President Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, took the stage for the keynote speech.
Bolano highlighted the importance of nursing and developing trust with their patients and she closed her speech with this thought. “There are endless opportunities awaiting each and every one as you begin your careers as nurses. I hope no matter what your choices are, you will move forward with grace, compassion, and commitment.”
Of the thirty graduates, 28 will be transferring to other institutions to obtain a bachelor’s degree and 21 already have jobs in the nursing field. Well done class of 2018!
School Supply Drive Exceeds Expectations
College of Western Idaho's (CWI) Assistant Professor, Scott Straub, along with Education students, collected school supplies to help families in need in the Treasure Valley this semester.
Approximately 300 items were collected In April including items such as markers, binders, colored pencils, paper, pens, headphones, and notebooks. These supplies were then generously donated to the City Light Home for Women and Children in Boise on Wednesday, May 9.
"Since so many items were collected during the supply drive during the Fall 2017 semester, we thought we'd try it again this semester,” commented Straub. "Because there is such a need for educational supplies for children around the valley, we wanted to see if we could double our collection total from the previous drive. The great news is we went from approximately 100 donated items last semester to nearly 300 items this semester! I am so proud of everyone who participated. Next fall, we will work with City Light and the Boise Rescue Mission to see if we can expand our efforts to include computers and clothing."
If you are an instructor and would like your own students to participate next semester, please contact Scott Straub. To learn more about the school supply drive, visit Straub’s website.
Faculty of Distinction—May 2018
Liza Long has been named College of Western Idaho’s Faculty of Distinction for May 2018. Long, an instructor in the English department, is an author, educator, and mom of four children – one of whom has bipolar disorder.
Her book, “The Price of Silence: A Mom's Perspective on Mental Illness”, was a "Books for a Better Life" award winner. Long volunteers as a mental health advocate and currently teaches the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Boise Basics class for families with children who have symptoms of mental illness. Liza presented talks on children’s mental health and stigma at TEDx San Antonio in October 2013 and at the National Council for Behavioral Health in March 2016.
Liza holds a master’s degree in Classics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from Argosy University. Her dissertation research focused on mental health advocacy and leadership strengths. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, reading science fiction, and playing the piano.
Eldridge Recognized by National Marketing Organization
Congratulations to College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Director of Communications and Marketing, Audrey Eldridge! She was recognized by National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) with the Communicator of the Year Award for District 7. She was acknowledged, along with other winners from around the country, during NCMPR’s national conference in Las Vegas and in the organizations magazine, “Counsel”.
She has been involved in a number of the College’s efforts to support current and prospective students, playing an influential role in building multiple marketing campaigns and leading new scholarship opportunities, such as CWI’s Score Big Scholarship. A recent promotion with Michelle Heart, on 107.9 Lite FM, called Mom’s Next Move was a tremendous success. More than 100 moms were nominated to win a full-year scholarship to attend CWI. During the two-week promotion, Heart visited a number of programs at the College including, Horticulture Technology, Cybersecurity, Physical Therapy Assistant, and Early Childhood Education. She interviewed students and shared their stories on air. This was a great way to reach thousands of people in the community and inspire them to pursue an education.
Audrey is a wonderful advocate for the College and a tireless supporter of CWI’s programs, faculty, and instructors. She continually finds creative ways to promote the College and spark excitement in the community with all of the opportunities CWI provides students. Thank you for all you do for CWI and congratulations on this amazing achievement!
Employee Benefit Fair Prizes
Thank you to all those that attended the Employee Benefit Fair on Tuesday, May 8. Below are a few of the awesome prizes raffled off this year.
VALIC prize winners received:
Google Mini Home
Lap top case
Takeya Flavor Infusion Maker
Nationwide prize winners received:
Nationwide emergency kit with travel case
Nationwide carry on travel bag
ARAG prize winners received:
Shelby Tumblers
HR prize winners received:
Movie tickets
Dutch Bros. gift cards
CWI Polo Shirts
We hope to see you next year!
HR Updates
Employment Opportunities
The following positions at the College have been posted recently. Employees can access internal job postings by visiting cwinternal.silkroad.com or view all external listings on cwijobs.silkroad.com. Upon application submittal, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive an email, check your "Junk/Spam" folder, then email HR@cwi.edu to verify receipt of your application.
- Adjunct Faculty—Dental Assisting
- Adjunct Faculty—Political Science
- Adjunct Faculty – Heavy Duty Truck Technician
New Hires
Welcome to the following individuals who are new to the College. We are happy to have you here and look forward to working with you!
- Kari Meyers—Financial Aid Coordinator, Enrollment and Student Services
- Gary Brennan—Building Specialist, Facilities
Position Changes
- Phil Varrick—Budget Manager II, Business Office
- Eddie Villanueva—Enrollment Counselor, Enrollment and Student Services
Note: This is the official communication newsletter for the College. Content is driven by contributions gathered from all areas of CWI. If you have news you would like to submit for this, please use a Marketing Help Desk ticket.