Bert's Alerts—Jan. 31, 2020
In the Spotlight
Holly Paquette, Assistant Professor of Biology; Ander Sundell, Assistant Professor of Geology; and Andrea Schumaker, Department Chair of Physical and Agricultural Sciences, were featured this week as part of the Common Read Series event, Communicating Scientifically. The panel discussed how scientists can communicate about and view science objectively.
News Highlights
Scholarship Makes Dreams a Reality
“I come from a broken home. My mom had to work extremely hard to support us which did not allow for the dream of a college education,” explains Exercise Science major and 2019-2020 scholarship recipient, Megan DeRoos. “I am now a mother of two children and married to a man with a similar childhood background. We decided early on in our relationship that we did not want a similar fate for our children.”
“My husband recently completed a degree program and his journey has inspired me to do the same,” she continued. “Thank you for this generous scholarship that will allow me to be a mom and still work on my goals of academic excellence and the pursuit of my dreams. Knowing others believe in me is humbling, inspiring, and heartwarming.”
The College of Western Idaho Foundation scholarships application period for the 2020-2021 academic year is open through March 31, 2020. Visit the Grants and Scholarships page to learn more or apply.
Willow Buildings – Moves and Updates
The Willow Buildings, adjacent to College of Western Idaho’s Nampa Campus Academic Building, are now occupied. Thank you to all for your patience as this project was completed and occupancy was granted.
The following is information related to the building names, codes, addresses, mailstops, and occupants. Additionally, the future use of the now vacated spaces on campus will be addressed.
Nampa Campus Willow Building A (NCWA)
5560 E. Opportunity Dr., Nampa, ID 83687
MS 2060
NCWA is occupied by Facilities Planning and Management who transitioned out of the Nampa Campus Multipurpose Building (NCMP), Suite 202. NCMP 202 will now serve as the Dual Credit office. The Dual Credit team will transition to their new space mid to late spring. The current Dual Credit suite, NCMP 212, will be re-purposed to accommodate a small interactive classroom space.
Nampa Campus Willow Building B (NCWB)
5540 E. Opportunity Drive, Nampa, ID 83687
MS 2040
NCWB welcomed the School of Math and Science. A variety of locations within the Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB) were vacated by this team, including office space in room 107, 222, and 311. NCAB 222 will be re-purposed as a science prep space/lab manager space. NCAB 311 will be re-purposed back to a classroom space available for scheduling in late spring.
Nampa Campus Willow Building C (NCWC)
5520 E. Opportunity Dr., Nampa, ID 83687
MS 2020
Student Affairs staff is now located in NCWC. NCAB 122 will be re-purposed as a student space which will include a lounge, study area, and recreation space. The new space will be available this summer.
Additional work related to finish grading and landscape improvements will take place this spring. Again, thank you to those who assisted in planning and transitioning into these new spaces and your continued support as the College moves to the next phase of this project and begins reconfiguring the vacated spaces.
Please contact Facilities Planning and Management at facilities@cwi.edu with questions.
Staff of the Month—November 2019
Congratulations to Matthew Lemons, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff of the Month for November 2019. Lemons started at the College in 2016 as a One Stop Representative. Currently a Senior Financial Aid Officer, he will transition over to Workforce Development to be a Case Manager with Idaho Job Corps in mid-February.
To his coworkers, Lemons is admired for his ability to bring their team together and for being an advocate for students.
“Matthew always has the best attitude and outlook on life,” said one coworker. “He will stop anything to chat with a student and help them navigate through financial aid.”
“I enjoy working with students and helping them accomplish their goals,” Lemons commented. “The people I work with are all superstars, constantly working to improve processes and dedicating their time to ensure our students have what they need to succeed.”
Lemons, a native Idahoan who grew up in Boise, completed a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Texas State University. He is currently working on a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Idaho State University which he plans to complete in May 2021.
Outside of work, Lemons enjoys spending time with family and friends.
“I spend a lot of time with my nieces and nephew who are always assured to give me a good laugh. During the winter, you will find me at my family’s cabin in Pine, Idaho, snowmobiling and enjoying the hot springs. In the summer, you will find me with friends sitting by the river soaking up the rays. I also enjoy live music and have attended more concerts than I’d like to admit.”
Criminal Justice Program Welcomes Dr. Greg Hampikian
College of Western Idaho’s Criminal Justice program is excited to welcome Dr. Greg Hampikian to the Nampa Campus Academic Building on Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., to share his insights on criminal database matches, historical and current cases, and new developments in the criminal justice field.
Dr. Hampikian is a professor at Boise State University in the Biology and Criminal Justice programs and is the founder and director of the Idaho Innocence Project. As a forensic DNA expert, he has worked on DNA cases both nationally and worldwide, with many of those cases leading to exonerations of individuals on death row. His work has been discussed in Science, the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Fox News, and he has appeared on CNN, 20/20, Nightline, and Good Morning America.
The event is free and open to the public. Contact McKenzie Wood at mckenziewood@cwi.edu to learn more.
2020 President’s Writing Awards Submissions
College of Western Idaho's (CWI) President's Writing Awards is now open for submissions. This annual writing contest recognizes and honors excellence in student writing at the College. Writing is a foundational, academic skill, and celebrating writing across disciplines underscores its importance and encourages students to approach it from a variety of perspectives.
Enrolled students at CWI are invited to submit their writing. Contest categories are open to manuscripts produced for coursework at CWI. Previously published writing is not eligible for submission. Students may submit to multiple categories, but are limited to one submission per category. Submissions may not be submitted to multiple categories.
Submission categories include:
- Creative Nonfiction
- Poetry
- Fiction
- Critical Analysis
- Original Research
- Literature Based Research
- First-Year Writing
- Technical Writing
The submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., March 6, 2020. The top three submissions in each category will be awarded prizes and recognized at the 2020 Connections Project awards ceremony April 23.
Visit the President’s Writing Awards webpage for submission link and guidelines.
