Bert's Alerts - December 2, 2016
In the Spotlight
‘Tis the season to shop. Did you know that you can help support College of Western Idaho (CWI) students achieve their educational goals anytime you make purchases online through Amazon.com? By designating the CWI Foundation as your charity of choice through AmazonSmile, .05 percent of your qualifying purchases come back to CWI’s scholarship fund at no charge to you. Click here to get started.
News Highlights
Career and Technical Education Leadership Announcement
College of Western Idaho (CWI) has announced that Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, Brenda Pettinger, will be guiding CWI’s Academic Affairs and Career and Technical Education Divisions through the remainder of the 2016-17 academic year. Please help support her and the entire team during this transition.
U.S. Holiday Tradition has CWI Flair
An Idaho inspired, one-of-a-kind work of art is in Washington D.C. for the holidays thanks to a partnership forged between a pair of Treasure Valley organizations. In December the Capitol Christmas Tree will stand outside the United States Capitol Building, accompanied by a custom steel display. The artwork helps tell the tree’s story and represents the collective effort made to send the perfect Christmas tree from McCall, Idaho to the nation’s capital.
The display was created by students at Centennial Job Corps in Nampa and faculty with College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Welding and Metals Fabrication program. Logistics of the project brought the two groups together and it proved to be a beautiful collaboration.
“We didn’t have all the machinery or skills to execute the project,” explains Job Corps’ Kris Johnson. “I knew that CWI has both. So, I made contact with [CWI Welding Program Chair] Mike Wheeler and the rest is history.”
Job Corps was originally approached by Payette National Forest staff to produce the display, offering a valuable learning experience for students. The opportunity was too important for Johnson to pass up, leading him to contact Wheeler. CWI’s faculty jumped at the chance to take lead on designing the elements of the display and cut all of the metal pieces in the CWI Welding labs.
“Anytime we can donate our time to either help out in the community or bring notoriety to our program and the trade of welding and metals fabrication, I get a great deal of satisfaction out of that,” says Wheeler.
Once complete, Johnson’s students welded the individual elements together and added finishing effects, like sanding, polishing, and coloring.
“The experience for the (Job Corps) students was huge,” Johnson says. “This is technology that we don’t have but that they should all be aware of and have some idea of how it works.”
CWI faculty used the Capitol Christmas Tree’s official logo, commissioned by Idaho artist Ward Hooper, for direction. Wheeler says the project was tedious and presented plenty of challenges along the way. It required drawing the display in computer drafting software and then precisely cut the metal pieces, both true to design as well as structurally sound. All of the work was well worth it, however, knowing where the artwork is now standing.
“The fact that this piece traveled the country and ended up in Washington D.C. means a lot,” says Wheeler. “I hope it gets people excited about the welding trade, thinking about welding in a different light, and maybe inspires them to create something of their own.”
In addition to the display, CWI’s Welding faculty created 30 table-top metal Christmas trees, which will also be on display at the lighting ceremony on Dec. 6. The tree will be lit from nightfall until 11 p.m. each evening through Dec. 25.
CWI Successful at Linfield Tournament
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Speech and Debate brought home a number of individual awards on its way to a second place finish among community colleges at the Linfield College Mahaffey Memorial in McMinnville, Oregon. The 86th Mahaffey Memorial was held Nov. 17-21 and featured 31 teams from two- and four-year schools. CWI sent 19 students to participate in the event, including 11 competing for the first time this semester.
Among the awards celebrated by the team was a Junior Poetry victory for new competitor Aleli Snively. She achieved an incredibly rare feat; receiving first place in all preliminary and final rounds of the event. “My success at the tournament was a culmination of my teammates individual talents, shared with me through extensive coaching and patience” says Aleli. “They worked hard to foster the success I had at the tournament, and I’m incredibly grateful.”
CWI Art Instructor Selected for Prestigious Show
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Art Faculty, Goran Fazil, was recently selected to participate in a showcase of contemporary art from around Idaho. Fazil is one of just 24 artists picked to participate in the Boise Art Museum’s (BAM) Idaho Triennial; a show that occurs just once every three years. BAM received 917 entries from 180 Idaho artists. Selections for the show were made by out-of-state juror, John D. Spiak.
This is the second time Fazil has been included in the Idaho Triennial. This time, his work is an animated short movie titled Creation of a Nation. He explains, “The movie is split into four different sections; the first one is about migration which is the idea that all nations are created through some type of migration. The second section is about ritual and development of rituals such as prayers, symbols or national anthems. The third section is about development of heroes and leaders. The fourth and final section or chapter of this movie is about destruction and isolation. Through creating a nation we always isolate ourselves from other humans and the rest of the world.”
The animated short movie will be projected on a three-by-four feet canvas.
“I am very glad to have been selected for the second time for the Triennial,” says Fazil. “I am particularly happy because the work that was accepted is in a medium that I just started working on.”
The Idaho Triennial is open to the public. The exhibit will run from Feb. 18 through July 16. Visit www.boiseartmuseum.org for more information.
Dickinson Published in Teaching Sociology Journal
Charles Dickinson, associate professor of Sociology at College of Western Idaho (CWI), co-authored an article published in the October issue of Teaching Sociology. This peer-reviewed publication is the most prestigious sociology journal devoted to teaching and learning. The article used data from a national sample, the first of its kind, of sociology instructors at community colleges. They analyzed the reasons sociology instructors choose to teach at a community college. They found there was a strong social justice motivation for sociology instructors to choose careers at a community college. Despite the many challenges of teaching at a community college, they found that most respondents were satisfied with their chosen career path. The article ends with some of the future challenges that face sociology instructors at community colleges. It is a great read for both sociology instructors and administrators at community colleges.
Welding and Metals Fabrication Open House
On Dec. 7, College of Western Idaho (CWI) is inviting the community to explore the in-demand careers available through new, evening courses in Welding and Metals Fabrication.
Wednesday, Dec. 7
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Micron Center for Professional and Technical Education
5725 E. Franklin Road Nampa, ID 83687 Directions
CWI’s Welding and Metals Fabrication program is designed to give you comprehensive training in just nine to 24 months so that you can move on to exciting careers in local industries. CWI partners with local employers to ensure that we are providing the exact skills that those employers are looking for.
Instructors, advisors, and enrollment specialists will be at the event to talk with attendees about career options, to give tours, and provide program specifics.
More information about the Welding and Metals Fabrication program can be found online at cwi.edu/program/welding-and-metals-fabrication.
Please call 208.562.2381 or email delynnbute@cwi.edu for more information about the event or with any questions about CWI's Welding and Metals Fabrication program.
Holiday Concert Presented by CWI Choir and Faculty
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) community is invited to a concert of holiday music performed by the CWI Chamber Choir and members of the Performing Arts faculty. Join them on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. at beautiful Still Water Hollow, located at 18120 Dean Lane in Nampa. This is a concert for all ages and is free of charge. Refreshments will be provided.
CWI Community Invited to Paws to De-Stress
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Staff Senate welcomes CWI employees and students to take a break and relax from projects and deadlines by enjoying therapy dogs during the week prior to finals. Dogs will be at various campus locations just in time for finals preparation. Take a break by visiting the following locations:
Monday, Dec. 5
Ada County Campus Pintail Center
RM 1118
11 a.m. – Noon
Canyon County Center
One Stop Student Services
10-11 a.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 6
Nampa Campus Academic Building
RM 107F
11 a.m. – Noon
Wednesday, Dec. 7
Ada County Campus Pintail Center
RM 1118
Noon – 1 p.m.
Ada County Campus Lynx Building
RM 1110
3-4 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 8
Micron Center for Professional Technical Education
RM 1210
11 a.m. – Noon
Ada County Campus Lynx Building
RM 1110
1-3 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 9
Nampa Campus Administration Building
Suite 101
11 a.m. – Noon
INL Visits CWI to Recruit Interns
On Friday, Nov. 18, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) visited College of Western Idaho (CWI) to discuss internships with students from CWI’s Information Security and Digital Forensics program. INL, a Department of Energy facility, offers a diverse number of paid internship positions. These internship opportunities enable students to collaborate with experienced scientists and engineers in order to develop innovative solutions to challenging, real-world projects.
INL expressed interest in recruiting CWI students because its Information Security and Digital Forensics program has built a stellar reputation. It is one of the few community colleges in the United States that INL visits for recruiting. Other schools INL visits include MIT and University of California, Berkeley, among others.
November Proclaimed as Idaho Career Development Month
On Nov. 21, 2016, Idaho Governor Butch Otter declared November as Career Development Month with a proclamation and signing. College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Career Services was represented at the signing by Sam Galan, who serves as President of the Idaho Career Development Association (ICDA).
Galan, who is CWI’s Manager of Assessment, Testing, and Career Services, opened the ceremony. He was proceeded by Governor Otter’s proclamation and former ICDA President Christie Stoll honoring state leaders for their work and assistance with the passage of House bill 618. Line item 3 of this bill provides $5 million dollars for academic and college or career advisors and student mentors to be implemented into Idaho schools according to Sections 33-1002(s) and 33-1212A, Idaho Code.
Coins and Cash Drive Supports Salvation Army
Students at College of Western Idaho (CWI) are showing their holiday spirit by organizing donation activities to support the local community. One example is at CWI’s Nampa Campus Math Solutions Center where students coordinated a Coins and Cash drive in support of the Salvation Army. The group collected eight bags of assorted cans and boxes of food to donate. They also purchased 20 bags of potatoes and 10 bags of carrots from coins donated. Thank you to everyone who supported the effort.
One Stop Student Services Holiday Sock Drive
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) One Stop Student Services is collecting donations of new, packaged socks for donation to local homeless shelters. Donations can be dropped at any CWI One Stop Student Services location through Dec. 19. All sizes, shapes, and colors are welcome.
Fellows Awarded Faculty of Distinction
Michelle Fellows has been selected as College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Faculty of Distinction for November.
Fellows is a tremendous asset to the college. In addition to serving as chair of Curriculum Committee, she leads the Psychology department’s course and program assessment, participates in Gen Ed evaluation and CWID advisory, and helps many other departments outside of her own with statistical analysis. She was nominated by a colleague who recognizes her many contributions to CWI and says she is a kind person who truly cares about others and works to ensure that her co-workers aren't overwhelmed or discouraged.
Fellows grew up in Meridian. She received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Boise State University, and then went to The University of Texas at Austin for a Ph.D. in Psychology. She enjoys hiking, botanizing for native plants, gardening, cats, and ice cream. Her goal as a teacher is to help students remember how much fun learning is by linking material to the real world whenever possible and encouraging their curiosity.
Please join in congratulating Michelle on her recognition.
