Bert's Alerts—Nov. 16, 2018
News Highlights
2018 Veterans Day Celebration
2018 Veterans Day at College of Western Idaho
College of Western Idaho (CWI) celebrated Veterans Day with a number of events at the Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB) on Monday, Nov. 12, to honor and recognize those who have served our country.
As the sun rose, students and staff participated in a Run to Remember – a one-mile run and walk to pay tribute to the sacrifices veterans and their families make to the nation.
That afternoon, in front of the CWI Patriot Range at NCAB decorated with 200 American flags, Dallas Hulsey, Senior Coordinator with Veterans Services, introduced President Bert Glandon; guest speaker, Jacob Roecker; and Justin Vance, Culture and History Department Chair. Marking the 100th Anniversary since the end of World War I, Vance underscored the sacrifices and toll these conflicts place on military members.
“Wars are all horrible in their own way, whether it’s making a frontal assault across No Man’s Land over the course of a few terrifying hours – or being under the constant threat of not knowing if you’ll be shot or drive over an IED every day for a year, or many years, in the case of multiple deployments like in recent conflicts,” Vance said.
The day concluded with a panel discussion featuring veterans discussing their service and the transitions they made starting school following their service. The College is proud to support veterans as they acquire the education they need to excel in the workforce. Thank you for your service to our country.
Portrayal: A Visual Story of the Written Word
Art and creative writing students at College of Western Idaho recently came together to create a visual story of the written word. Stories written by students in Catherine Kyle’s Creative Writing Fiction (ENGL 242) were the inspiration for paintings created by April VanDeGrift’s Painting 2 (ARTS 275) students. The paintings will be reinterpreted by the writing students in a later activity.
All are invited to view their collaborative work, “Portrayal”, at the Nampa Campus Academic Building, November 8-29, in the Art Studio Gallery on the second floor.
Contact Shawn Moore, the show coordinator, at shawnmoore@my.cwi.edu to learn more.
Native Plant Garden Receives a Facelift
Students from College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Horticulture Technology program added 70 new plants to the Native Plant Garden, at the Nampa Campus Academic Building, on Monday, Nov. 12.
The Horticulture and Biology clubs partnered in 2011 to install this inspiring garden — showcasing a variety of native plants, which require low amounts of water and maintenance to thrive. The garden illustrates the beauty of more than 50 species of plants which help pollinators, like monarch butterflies and bees, throughout the year.
“It’s a win-win. We couldn’t maintain the garden as it grows and evolves without our partnership with the Horticulture Technology program,” describes Associate Professor of Biology, Dusty Perkins. “The students are amazing, and they give a 100 percent to make the garden the best it can be.”
Students Discuss Historical American Documents
Twelve score and two years ago fifty-six founding fathers affixed their signatures to a declaration which would, they hoped, bring forth a new nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. On Nov. 7, 2018, a panel of four students delivered their assessments of the progress of that project, as part of the ongoing Common Read Series at the College of Western Idaho (CWI).
Briana Carpenter, Benjamin Fogler, Nathan Hawley, and Noah Munster each presented original papers exploring the themes present in three documents foundational to the American project, including the Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King Junior’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Fogler focused his attention on the source from which our inalienable rights derive, Munster addressed how those rights have been defended and secured. Hawley described the process by which our ideals progress forwards, and Carpenter illustrated the enduring prominence of egalitarianism among the truths which we hold self-evident. The presentation of their papers was followed by a lively question and answer session in which students, faculty, and a College trustee engaged in a spirited back-and-forth on the difficulty of safeguarding the freedoms held so dearly by these historical documents’ authors, the panelists, and students at CWI.
The event was the second in a series of Common Read panel discussions hosted at the College where audience members and speakers are encouraged to take part by reading a common book or document, and arrive ready to engage in a rousing, yet respectful, conversation about the ideas encapsulated in the selected reading. This session, featuring historical American documents, was organized by the indefatigable Jana McCurdy, General Education Coordinator. Presenters were selected from the bright, young scholars of Reggie Jayne’s American History class.
All are invited to join us for the next Common Read Series event which will focus on writing central to the #MeToo movement which promises to deliver equally stimulating and probing appraisals of the state of gender equality today. Students are encouraged to keep an eye on the MyCommons section of BlackBoard for important updates about reading along, presenting their papers, or attending the next event. Contact Jana McCurdy at 208.562.3317 or janamccurdy@cwi.edu to learn more.
Students Help Rake-Up the Community
Beta Sigma Pi, Foundation College Ministries (FCM), Student Veteran Association, and the Student Nurses Association (SNA) were proud to participate in community Rake-Up events during the month of November.
For the second year in a row, Beta Sigma Pi, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) local chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, participated in Rake-Up Nampa on Saturday, Nov. 3. Chapter officers, members, and their families were privileged to help families in need by volunteering their time.
Also participating in Rake-Up Nampa, CWI’s Skills USA club collaborated members of the Student Veteran Association with the mission of giving back to their local community.
“It was a great opportunity for Skills USA to kick off their group volunteering efforts,” said Dallas Hulsey, Senior Coordinator for Veteran Services. “It was a privilege to work next to veterans who believe that once they’re done serving, they should never stop serving.”
Members of FCM spent their day, Saturday, Nov. 10, raking leaves in Boise. Elissa Martin, one of the participants, said, "Service projects give us a chance to serve the community and, in a small way, show others the love of Christ by giving our time and energy to meet a real need."
SNA participated in Rake-Up Meridian on Saturday, Nov. 10. “The nursing program instills the value of service not only to patients but also to the community. The SNA actively seeks all opportunities to give back!” commented Joan Weddington, Nursing Instructor and SNA Advisor.
Thank you to all our student clubs and organizations for their continuous care and dedication to our community.
Opal Theatre Company Visits Campus
A local theater company brought the story of “The Minotaur” to life during a reading as part of College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Visiting Artist Series. Josh Rippy, Adjunct Faculty of Theater Arts and Co-founder and President of the Opal Theatre Company, brought the artists to the Nampa Campus Academic Building to share this present-day version of Greek myth with students and the CWI community on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
“It is important for cultural entities to directly reach out to the CWI community, as these are the next leaders and participants in moving our community forward,” said Rippy.
CWI’s Visiting Artist Series is made possible thanks to a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
One Stop Holiday Hours
One Stop Student Services will be open reduced hours Dec. 17 – 28.
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday, Dec. 17 | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Dec. 18 – Thursday, Dec. 20 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| Friday, Dec. 22 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. |
| Monday, Dec. 24 – Tuesday, Dec. 25 | CLOSED |
| Wednesday, Dec. 26 – Thursday, Dec. 27 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
| Friday, Dec. 28 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. |
Visit One Stop Student Services online to view additional hours and locations.
Fall 2019 Registration
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is excited to announce registration dates for the Fall 2019 semester.
Priority registration at College of Western Idaho for the Fall 2019 semester begins April 8. Priority registration allows continuing students a chance to enroll in classes ahead of others in order to stay on track to graduate.
- Students can register online anytime on or after their assigned registration time.
- Continuing students, who enrolled and attended classes any semester since fall 2016, are eligible.
- Assigned registration times are based on cumulative credits earned.
- Students can check myCWI and CWI email for their assigned time.
- Dual Credit students are not eligible for priority registration.
Open Registration for all students, including new and continuing, begins April 15 at 8 a.m.
Visit us online to learn more about applying to CWI, orientation, registering for classes, and for One Stop Student Services hours and locations.
PTK Connection Carnival—Nov. 27
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Phi Theta Kappa Honor (PTK) Society chapter, Beta Sigma Pi, is pleased to announce the completion of their Honors in Action research project. The theme for this year’s research project is “Connections”. Making human connections is vitally important to good mental health. Technology and smart phones can be a marvelous thing, but can also steal opportunities to make connections.
PTK, along with the ASCWI Entertainment Board, is hosting a Connection Carnival in support of this research. The free event will provide an opportunity for students and the CWI community to spend time building connections in a screen-free zone.
Date: Nov. 27, 2018
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Nampa Campus Academic Building, second-floor atrium
Contact PTK President, Elizabeth Carter, at elizabethcarter@my.cwi.edu to learn more.
In Search of Authenticity: Studio Art Graduate Show
Artwork from graduates of College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Studio Arts program will be on display in December at the Gem Center for the Arts in Boise. All are invited to attend the opening of their exhibit, “In Search of Authenticity”, Thursday, Dec. 6, from 6 – 9 p.m. Artwork will be on display through Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Speaking of the opportunity to show her work in public, graduate, Eva Streicher, said, "I'm baring a part of my soul to an audience. There's something unnerving, terrifying, and extremely exhilarating about it!"
Fellow graduate, Oscar Macias, agreed stating, "It's both invigorating and stressful. It's nice to finally start to get art out there, however, there's always that nagging part of the mind that says – it wasn't done yet, or I hope people get it. Regardless, the good feelings ultimately outweigh the negatives."
Contact Goran Fazil at 208.562.2117 or goranfazil@cwi.edu to learn more.
Staff of the Month—August 2018
Kristin Clovis has been recognized as College of Western Idaho’s Staff of the Month for August 2018. Clovis has been with the College for seven years. She is currently the Senior Analyst for Reporting and Financial Services. Past positions include: Senior Accountant, Budget and Financial Reporting, Senior Specialist, Accounts Receivable Workforce Development (WD), Finance Specialist WD, and Administrative Assistant II WD. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from University of Idaho.
Clovis was recognized for taking initiative in any situation or challenge she encounters. Always striving towards improvement, she often goes out of her way to assist areas by understanding and developing solutions to fit those needs. She produces comprehensive information with transparency, integrity, and the accuracy needed for the entire organization and its stakeholders.
Clovis grew up in Boise and cannot imagine being anywhere else! When she is not at work, she enjoys hanging out with her friends, family, and her dog, Stanly.
Please join us in congratulating Kristin on her accomplishment!
Holiday Food Donation Drive
College of Western Idaho’s Staff Senate Connection Committee invites you to join in a holiday donation food drive Nov. 26 through Dec. 10! This is a great opportunity to help students who may be needing a little extra this holiday season.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to participate by teaming up with their coworkers to fill a box. Those interested are asked to send an email to staffsenate@cwi.edu. Please include your mail stop in this communication. Once your email is received, Staff Senate will send you a box along with a list of items to fill it with. Filled boxes will be distributed to students the week of Dec. 10.
Please contact staffsenate@cwi.edu or Nikki Houston at nikkihouston@cwi.edu with questions.
Cybersecurity Awareness: Holiday Shopping Tips
Just like food and decorations, deep discounts and bargain prices have become a huge part of the holidays. As shoppers go online to find good deals, they are also exposing themselves to cyber criminals seeking to exploit the festive season.
Scammers and spammers view the holidays as a golden opportunity to take advantage of unsuspecting online shoppers. Hackers may use tactics like preying on popular keyword searches to lure shoppers to malicious websites, with the goal of collecting financial and personal information.
To help keep you and your bank account safe, it is important to learn how to shop securely during the holidays. These simple tips from the Department of Homeland Security’s STOP.THINK.CONNECT.™ Campaign can help protect your personal information and transactions throughout the holiday season:
- Watch out for deals that look too good to be true. Scammers often try to trick shoppers by offering extremely low prices on hard-to-get items. Don't open suspicious email attachments or follow unsolicited web links in email messages.
- Consider using a credit card instead of a debit card. There are laws to limit your liability for fraudulent credit card charges, and you may not have the same level of protection when using your debit card. Check with your providers to see what protections they provide for each card you have.
- Avoid financial transactions on public Wi-Fi, which is often not very secure. Save your online shopping, banking, or sensitive transactions for your home network.
- Keep your computer, browser, anti-virus, and other critical software up to date.
- Check privacy policies. Before providing personal or financial information, check the website's privacy policy to ensure your safety.
- Beware of fake URLs. Malicious websites look like legitimate sites, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs .net). Also look in the address box for the "s" in https:// before any transaction. That "s" tells you that the site is taking extra measures to help secure your information.
- Keep a record of your purchases and copies of confirmation pages in case there are unauthorized purchases on your bank statements. If there is a discrepancy, report it immediately.
For more holiday shopping tips, check out the Federal Trade Commission. Additionally, the STOP.THINK.CONNECT.™ provides advice and resources to help you stay safe online all year round.
Contact Mike Wilson at michaelwilson1@cwi.edu or 208.562.3193 with questions or for more information.
