Bert's Alerts—Feb. 19, 2021
In the Spotlight
Department Chair of Health Professions, Sabina Omair, left, along with Occupational Therapy Assistant Instructor, Angela Zaugg, trying out isolation gowns donated to the College by SMHeuristics. The donation of 2,400 gowns will be used by students in the Dental Assisting, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Medical Assistant, and Professional Nursing programs.
News Highlights
President Glandon Announces Retirement
Dr. Bert Glandon, president of College of Western Idaho (CWI), announced his retirement today, Feb. 18, 2021, as part of a special meeting of the CWI Board of Trustees.
Glandon, who came to CWI in July of 2009, reflected on his time here as president.
“It’s been my distinct pleasure to serve the amazing students, faculty, and staff here at CWI for the last 12 years,” said Glandon. “It’s been the highest honor for me to wake up each day and work on their behalf.”
“This is one of the moments you know is eventually coming but you don’t look forward to”, said Trustee Board Chair, Molly Lenty. “We’ve enjoyed President Glandon’s leadership, vision, and amazing presence in our community. This chapter in CWI’s history has been written through his efforts to advance the success of our students.”
Glandon was selected as the second president of the College, taking over for Dennis Griffin, who served as the CWI’s first chief executive, bridging from the schools founding in 2007 to June 2009. Glandon has a lengthy and robust record of student success and service throughout a near 50-year career in higher education and private industry. During his tenure, CWI grew from just over 1,200 students enrolled in 2009 to currently serving over 30,000 students annually.
While at CWI, Dr. Glandon has been an active member of the business and philanthropical communities- serving on numerous boards, working to raise funds for scholarships to help students advance their individual educational journeys.
Prior to joining CWI in 2009, Glandon served as president at Arapahoe Community College (2002-2009) and Treasure Valley Community College (1981-2002). President Glandon, who tells everyone, 'Just call me Bert,' says he’s most looking forward to spending time with his wife of 47 years, Jane, helping to chase their five-year-old grandson around the neighborhood and not logging on to Zoom for quite some time!
During the search for the next president, an interim will be named to lead and guide CWI. Board Chair Lenty has indicated appointment and subsequent announcement will take place at a later date following Glandon's final day which is set for May 15, 2021.
“We’ll take the needed time, do our work, do the necessary due diligence to ensure that we are addressing the needs of our students, the many communities we serve. and of course our faculty and staff as we prepare to select our next president,” Lenty said.
Fire Service Students One Step Closer to Fulfilling Careers
Congratulations to fourteen Fire Service Technology students from College of Western Idaho (CWI) who passed three International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Certification skills and written tests with a 100% pass rate!
The tests, which included Firefighter 1, HazMat Awareness, and HazMat Operations, were administered this past December by the State of Idaho Fire Service Technology office regional testers. The skills portion of the testing took place at the Nampa Fire Training Center. During the Fall 2020 semester, students were taught 76 detailed skills as part of the Fire Service Technology curriculum. Nine of these skills were chosen at random for the three tests.
"Seventy-six skills is a lot to memorize, but each skill is an incredibly important part of the operations of a fire department,” said Fire Service Technology student, Samuel Hoff. “We spent the entire academy practicing these skills which were taught to us by firefighters in the Treasure Valley.”
“The classes offered through CWI were specifically designed to prepare us these certifications,” said student, Tara Fisher. “The combination of classroom instruction, hands-on skill development, and a good amount of grit, led the academy to a 100% pass rate. This class has been an amazing opportunity each and every one of us will cherish and reflect back on during our journey to becoming valuable members of the fire service community.”
Fire Service Technology student, Garrett Morse, was immediately hired by the City of Boise Fire Department after passing his tests. Morse began training with the department in January.
“My gratitude to CWI’s Fire Service program, to the firefighters who teach us, and to my fellow classmates is hard to express in words,” said Morse. “The instructors are all incredibly hard-working professionals who are passionate about firefighting and dedicated to teaching us and sharing their experiences. I owe a lot of where I am today to them. I gained a lot of great mentors from the program and a lot of great friends, and I feel extremely fortunate to have found a job with my dream department so soon.”
Are you interested in a career in fire service? Apply now for Fall 2021 classes. The application period ends March 10. Visit the Fire Service Technology program page or email cwifireprogram@cwi.edu to learn more.
CWI to Hold a Virtual Ceremony for 2021 Graduates
College of Western Idaho (CWI) will honor and celebrate 2021 graduates with a virtual commencement ceremony. Although the College takes great pride in our traditional, in-person ceremony, the safety of our students and the CWI community remains a top priority as we continue to navigate circumstances surrounding COVID-19.
While a virtual format may not be ideal for some, CWI is eager to create a memorable, unique, and personal experience for our graduates to share with family and friends. The virtual ceremony will take place in May. Graduates are encouraged to check their student email account, the CWI newsroom, and the Graduation webpage regularly for announcements and up-to-date information.
Currie Named Staff of the Month for January
Congratulations to Cathleen Currie, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff of the Month for January 2021. Currie has been at CWI since the very beginning supervising several areas of Career Technical Education including Horticulture, Early Childhood Development, Culinary Arts, Drafting, Law Enforcement, and Health programs in Program Manager, Department Chair, and Assistant Dean roles. She is currently the Dean of the School of Health.
Currie discovered her passion to care for others while attending nursing school at Good Samaritan School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon. This realization resulted in more than 36 years as a Registered Nurse (RN) working in Outpatient, Med-Surg, Post-op, Oncology, and Hematology. After spending several years raising her three sons, Currie attended Idaho State University earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education and began teaching at College of Southern Idaho (CSI)
“I thought education would be an interesting expansion of my RN experience,” Currie said. “In 2007, I met with Gerry Gee, Interim Vice President at CSI at the time, to ask his thoughts on what I should do next. Encouraging me to look into CWI, he described what an amazing opportunity it would to help create a new college and its programs.”
Hired in 2008 to be the Program Manager for Health at Selland College (Boise State University), Currie was given the task to transition the College’s Health programs to CWI. As a result, one of CWI’s first associate degree programs, Nursing, was created.
“I hit the ground running cold calling and creating relationships in the healthcare industry throughout the Treasure Valley and the state asking for support in developing the Nursing program. I had always worked hard, so creating something so new and extensive was not as daunting as it now looks in retrospect. Oh, what an adventure it has been!”
At CWI, Currie has helped in the development of six Health programs and the Law Enforcement program. Now, as the Dean of the School of Health, Currie oversees all of the College’s Health programs, facilities, and faculty and staff which includes three departments: Nursing, Health Science, and Health Professions. Many of the programs she oversees have 100% or near 100% license exam pass rates and job placement rates.
“I have great pride in the programs, faculty, and staff I supervise. My super power is hiring great people and supporting them to do their best. Even through COVID, our Health programs have not missed a beat moving many of our labs and hands-on learning experiences to an online format.”
Among her milestone moments at the College was the accreditation of CWI’s Professional Nursing program in 2013.
“My mom, a retired RN, was a huge support during the stressful days of developing the Nursing program. She always encouraged me to leap, take myself lightly, laugh, and move on. It was a God wink when she passed away at the very time the accreditors were onsite meeting with me to share their recommendation that CWI’s Nursing program receive five year accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).”
“Because of CWI, I am a better and more fulfilled person. My work here has filled me with purpose, great excitement, and humility. I see the impact of working as a team and have pride in the students who have benefitted from the hard work of so many.”
Currie grew up in Portland, Oregon. Her spare time over the past year, she jokes, has been spent away from her computer screen. She enjoys cooking, baking bread, creating knotted pearl jewelry, and experiencing all Idaho has to offer through walks, bike rides, and whitewater rafting.
Summer 2021 Registration
Registration for new, continuing, and returning students for College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Summer 2021 semester begins Monday, Feb. 22. Summer classes, which begin June 7, will be delivered in-person with online options to accommodate students’ learning and life styles.
New Students
New to CWI? The Summer 2021 admission deadline is Saturday, May 29. All, new, degree and non-degree seeking students must apply to CWI prior to registering for classes. Visit Applying to CWI for a complete list of steps to get started.
Non-Degree Seeking
- Upon completion of the application process and once accepted to CWI, new, non-degree seeking students can immediately register for classes.
Degree Seeking
- Upon completion of the application process and once accepted to CWI, new, degree-seeking students must participate in New Student Orientation prior to registering for classes.
Continuing and Returning Students
Course offerings can be viewed on myCWI.
Financial Aid
Contact Financial Aid at financialaid@cwi.edu to learn more about options available for students in need of financial assistance.
Students are encouraged to contact their Student Success Advisor with any questions or concerns. Registration for summer will be open through Friday, June 4.
Register for Summer 2021 Classes
2020-2021 Academic Calendar
Course Delivery Options
CWI to Host Virtual Forums for VP of Human Resources Candidates
Members of the College of Western Idaho (CWI) community are invited to join the College for a series of virtual, public forums to meet three candidates for the position of Vice President of Human Resources.
Each virtual event will be streamed live via CWI’s Facebook page where viewers can utilize the comments section to ask questions of each candidate during their live event. Each candidate's forum will be recorded and shared afterwards for those unable to attend.
Vice President of Human Resources Candidates:
- Ryan Herring – Wednesday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m.
- Michael Zeigler – Thursday, Feb. 25, 3 p.m.
- Dana Moss – Friday, Feb. 26, 3 p.m.
Visit the President’s Cabinet page on the CWI website for links to each candidate’s resume and to CWI's Facebook page for the live stream. Email presidentsoffice@cwi.edu with comments, questions, or feedback.
Visiting Artist Series Welcomes Boise Baroque Orchestra
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Visiting Artist Series is proud to welcome the Boise Baroque Orchestra, for a series of virtual concerts, March 1-4, followed with a Q & A with Artistic Director, Robert Franz, March 5.
Boise Baroque Orchestra Virtual Concert Series
Grab a snack and settle down in the comfort of your own home to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Boise Baroque Orchestra as they host three, virtual concerts. Concerts, featuring music from the 17th and 18th centuries, can be viewed on demand March 1 – 4. Concerts are free, will be approximately 35-40 minutes in length, and are suitable for all ages.
Concert 1: Mannheim Effect
The Boise Baroque Orchestra performs music inspired by the famed Mannheim Orchestra. Watch for an explanation of the infamous "Mannheim Rocket”. This concert will feature Johann Stamitz’s Symphony in E-flat Major op. 11, no. 3 and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony in D Major, KV 320.
Watch Concert 1: Mannheim Effect
Concert 2: Vivaldi’s Italy
The Boise Baroque Orchestra visits St. Mark's Square in Venice with music of Gabrieli and Vivaldi.
Watch Concert 2: Vivaldi's Italy
Concert 3: Hijacked Pergolesi
How did these pieces become wrongly attributed to Pergolesi until 1980? Watch to find out more about the lesser-known Dutch composer, Wilhelm van Wassenaer, and how his music was high jacked by history.
Watch Concert 3: Hijacked Pergolesi
Q & A Session
Join Boise Baroque Orchestra's Artistic Director, Robert Franz, and CWI music faculty, Sveltlana Maddox, Friday, March 5, from Noon – 1 p.m., via Zoom, as they answer questions and discuss various aspects about the concert performances. The Q & A session will be sign interpreted in American Sign Language.
Zoom Link: Q & A with Robert Franz and Sveltlana Maddox
Passcode: 025273
CWI’s Visiting Artist Series is made possible through a grant from Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by National Endowment for the Arts. Visiting Artist Series workshops, featuring visual and performing artists, are free and open to the entire CWI community.
Contact Brenda Fisher at brendafisher@cwi.edu to learn more or with questions.
March Wellness Challenge: Springtime Greens Time
Sign up to participate in March’s Employee Wellness Challenge, the Springtime Greens Time Challenge by Sunday, Feb. 28! As a participant of this challenge, your goal will be to eat the daily amounts of vegetables and fruits for 21-days as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Using the FDA’s MyPlate app or tools available on the MyPlate website, participants can create a personalized plan for these amounts. Additional instructions on utilizing MyPlate to create a plan for your daily amounts of vegetables and fruits can be found in the Resources section on the challenge webpage.
Visit the Culture and Employee Engagement Committee site on myCWI for all the details including:
- how to sign up
- participation requirements
- tracking resources
- submission information
- valuable tips, information, and resources to get you started
Submit your participation data by Wednesday, March 31, for your chance to win some awesome prizes including meal preparation containers and cookbooks.
Remember, for each 21-day challenge in which you submit your participation data, you receive one entry for the grand prize drawings at the end of April (eight possible entries total). Grand prizes include Apple AirPods, Garmin watches, gift certificates, and more!
