Bert's Alerts—Jan. 29, 2021

Congratulations to Matias Haramoto-Pete, winner of College of Western Idaho’s 2021 Connections Project Logo Contest! Haramoto-Pete's logo submission was chosen out of over 30 entries earning him the $150 prize. His design was chosen for its emphasis on an individual’s journey toward their future. The new logo will be featured in all upcoming Connections Project marketing for 2021.

“Creating art is something I am passionate about,” said Haramoto-Pete. "I didn't think I would be good in art classes because of the type of art we were learning. Sticking to what I knew. in addition to learning new techniques. has pushed me to try different perspective, stop doubting my abilities, and be better. Winning the logo competition has really made me feel like I have a place at CWI, and I can be successful in college.”

The inspiration for Haramoto-Pete's design was connection which is represented with a hand surrounded by various icons.

“For me, our hands are our biggest connection. They connect us to objects and people. In my design, the hand is connected to different symbols representing the connections each of us has available to us.”

Once his design was chosen, Haramoto-Pete was given the opportunity to work Cody Sprague, a Graphic Designer in the College’s College Relations Division. Development included updating icons to relate to education and the addition of an abstract compass icon representing areas of study and guidance available at the College.

Karen Brown, Assistant Professor of Art History and Humanities, helped create the Connections Project logo design competition three years ago. Brown shared this method of choosing a logo “provides a way for students to gain experience and understanding of how marketing works at the College, in addition to some of the complexities of designing a logo and presenting it to the public”.

The logo selection process begins when student submissions are sent through an anonymous jurying process. The jurors consist of members of the Connections Project team including staff, faculty, and students. Once members have chosen their top three or four entries, these votes are pooled together to determine the finalists. The Connections Project team then collaborates with the College’s Relations Creative Team to choose the most viable image.

The Connections Project logo contest provides the opportunity for students, like Haramoto-Pete, to shepherd their design from the initial stages, to a product that will appear on ephemeral objects such as the webpage, as well more permanent ones like posters, programs, and t-shirts. Keep an eye out for future updates regarding this year’s Connections Project.

Congratulations to Annie Estvold, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Faculty of Distinction for December 2020. Estvold teaches Social Work, Sociology, and Psychology classes and has been with the College for a year.

“I am so passionate about my field and love sharing it with students who are eager to learn,” Estvold said. “A huge part of my identity is being a social worker. I truly love helping people, and I adore teaching for these reasons. I love seeing my students carry on the skills and knowledge they learn at CWI and apply it in the professional world. I learn so much from them every day allowing my own personal and professional growth to continue.”

Prior to teaching, Estvold spent over a decade practicing in a variety of clinical settings and being active in social justice movements, advocacy, and legislative processes. Along with the completion of a master’s degree in Social Work and as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Estvold invests in her students with passion and expertise.

“CWI empowers students to take control of their lives and education helping them to make changes to their own world and the community at large. I truly have never met a more caring group of people than I have at CWI. Staff and instructors are so invested in each student and work hard to give a personalized experience to each. Our team is adept at working with students who face adversity and helping them succeed despite it. Because of CWI, our community is a better place as our students have experiences and learned caring, compassion, and empathy in addition to a professional skill set.”

Over the past year, Estvold assisted in the creation of a Social Work degree program at the College.

“I have really enjoyed being a part of the process of starting this new program. We identified an educational need for students and worked hard to quickly and efficiently fill that need. We are now offering a customizable associate degree in Social Work designed to help students transfer seamlessly to their program of choice. As part of this program development, I was able to take a group of students to the Capitol for Legislative Advocacy and Education Day where they had the opportunity to learn about key social issues affecting our communities and then meet with their legislators to advocate for policy change. It was an amazing experience and such a joy to watch the students learn and grow so much in one day."

“This program was of high interest to our students and a need in our community,” commented Department Chair of Social Sciences, Jana McCurdy. “Annie worked extremely hard in its creation researching programs, talking to transfer institutions, and clarifying the mission. She generates enthusiasm and works to ensure students are prepared in knowledge and skills to transfer. A capable mentor and guide, she maintains open communication, shares her perspective respectfully, and promotes excellence. She is energetic, enthusiastic, and an excellent ambassador for CWI.”

Estvold grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho, and is very close to her extended Italian family. She and her husband of 12 years recently welcomed triplet boys to their family and have a dog named Freeman and a cat named Conley. Outside of teaching, she enjoys reading and relaxing and recharging in nature by hiking, camping, and snowshoeing.