Bert's Alerts - July 1, 2016
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) hosted over 150 educators in June for the annual Treasure Valley I-STEM (TViSTEM) event. The conference ran June 27-30 at CWI’s Micron Center for Professional Technical Education. TViSTEM focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics instruction for Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers. The event included presentations and workshops that allowed teachers to dive deep into STEM specific content through hands-on activities, experiments, and field trips. Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a tremendous success.
News Highlights
CWI Celebrates First SkillsUSA National Title
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is celebrating a historic trip to the 2016 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 20-24 in Louisville, Kentucky. A group of CWI students and recent graduates won medals in a school record five events, including the College’s first-ever SkillsUSA national championship. Steve Silva brought home the honor with his first-place performance in the Prepared Speech competition. Since 2010, CWI students have medaled at the SkillsUSA national event 11 times.
Silva’s success is remarkable considering this is his first year participating in competitive speech. (Read Steve’s story here.) The Canyon County native graduated this spring from CWI’s Heavy Equipment Technician program. With his gold medal, Silva will receive a SkillsUSA scholarship that he plans to use at Boise State University.
Following his win, Silva shared: “Winning the gold means I learned that even though something seems massively difficult, and maybe not doable, that things are possible if you break them down and finish them a step at a time. You can accomplish massive things.”
CWI students continued their success with silver medal finishes in a pair of events. Dustin Loya placed second in Telecommunications Cabling, while Tera Filan, Adam Hayman, Trent Jensen, and Zack Lager earned silver in Quiz Bowl.
Laura Gilmore and Josiah Duff concluded CWI’s trips to the podium with bronze medals in their respective events. Gilmore won bronze in CNC Turning Specialist, while Duff placed third in Electronics Technology.
The SkillsUSA national conference brought more than 6,000 high school and college students together from around the United States. Visit www.skillsusa.org/ to learn more.
Chance Encounter Leads to Golden Opportunity
For College of Western Idaho (CWI) alum Steve Silva, a chance encounter turned into a golden opportunity when he decided to get involved with SkillsUSA. The Diesel Technology program graduate just finished competing in the National Skills and Leadership Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. He walked away from the competition with the gold medal in the Prepared Speech category after placing first in the nation.
“To me, winning the gold at the national level means you can do it,” he said. “Impossible lives in the mind.”
Steve’s life has changed considerably since the end of last year when he saw a sign in the hallway at CWI's Nampa Campus Micron Center for Professional Technical Education. The sign announced an upcoming SkillsUSA meeting. He dropped in to check it out.
“I knew I wanted to surround myself with good people during my time at CWI,” he said. “I definitely found that in SkillsUSA.”
Shortly before becoming involved with the group, he was encouraged to participate in a rookie speech tournament hosted by CWI. His Comm 101 teacher Johnny Rowing was the one who inspired him to do it. He took first place in that tournament, and later went on to represent CWI at the state’s SkillsUSA competition in the Prepared Speech category. A gold medal followed in that event as well; earning him a spot in the national competition as an automatic qualifier.
“For as long as I live, I will hold CWI in a special place in my heart,” he said. “I was a guy who was coming off a cattle ranch before I started school. I was a lousy student when I was younger. I’m definitely not the same person I was before starting at CWI.”
Steve’s journey is somewhat unique. The youngest of six children, he grew up on a ranch in Canyon County. He graduated from Nampa Christian High School in 1999. A few years later he joined the military and worked as a munitions specialist for the next six years. After some personal and real-world exploration, he moved back home and went to work again on the family ranch. After deciding he wanted something to call his own, he chose to go to college.
“My mom always encouraged me to live, pursue my passion, and not be afraid to fail,” he said. “So I guess you can say I went to school because of her. I chose CWI because it was affordable, conveniently located, and offered a Diesel Technology program.”
Steve excelled as a student during his time at CWI. Along with earning accolades as a public speaker, he also earned two scholarships through the CWI Foundation. He graduated from the Heavy-Equipment Technician program in May and immediately enrolled in summer courses at Boise State University. His ultimate goal is to earn an MBA, work for a great company in the Treasure Valley, and, in his words, contribute to the greater society.
CWI Closed for Independence Day
On Monday, July 4, College of Western Idaho (CWI) will not hold classes in observance of Independence Day. All campus buildings, offices, and services will also be closed. The College will resume its regular class schedule and operating hours on Tuesday (July 5).
CWI Anthropology Department Enjoys Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Assistant Professor Nikki Gorrell has authored an article for the official publication of the American Anthropological Association, Anthropology News. Gorrell’s article, A Taste of the Basque Culture, provides insight to the cultural role of the Basque food tradition called pintxoak. Her article was written in support of the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. which features the Basque Culture. Gorrell’s article can be viewed at anthropology-news.org.
In conjunction with the start of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter proclaimed June 29, 2016 to be Basque History and Culture Day. CWI was included in the proclamation based on the hundreds of cultural anthropology students from the College who have immersed themselves in student engagement field trips Gorrell has lead at the Basque Museum and surrounding Basque Block since 2010.
Dual Credit Featured in College Board Newsletter
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Dual Credit Department’s work helping high school students earn college credit has been put in a national spotlight. In June, CWI was included as a highlight in an electronic newsletter from College Board, which is the not-for-profit organization that oversees the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). Since 2014 CWI has been coordinating opportunities for high school students to take the Spanish Language CLEP exam. The College Board newsletter shared CWI’s article about Earning Credit Where Credit is Due.
Business Office Updates for FY2017
College of Western Idaho (CWI) leadership has approved several changes related to the Business Office, effective Friday (July 1) for Fiscal Year 2017. The changes are related to travel per diem, meeting refreshments and meals, and travel status. Prior approvals are still required. Please contact the Business Office with any questions about the following updates:
Per Diem—New Rate for in-state travel
CWI will be adopting the State of Idaho meal reimbursement rates. They are as follows:
- New - $45.00
- Partial Day
- Breakfast (25%) - $11.25
- Lunch (35%) - $15.75
- Dinner (55%) - $24.75
Meeting/Training Refreshment and Meal Parameter— Partial day meal rates apply for all types of events.
- Breakfast/Refreshments - 25% or up to $11.25
- Mandatory attendance AND
- Minimum 3 hours in duration
- 5 or more attendees
- Lunch - 35% or up to $15.75
- Dinner - 55% or up to $24.75
- Meal
- Mandatory attendance AND
- 6 or more hours in duration
- 5 or more attendees
*Requiring: Published agenda with start and end times, projected, and actual attendees. A sign-in sheet for meetings and training attendees is required.
Travel Status
- New Mileage rate is following the most current Federal General Services Administration (GSA) rate of .55 a mile. (The rate may vary)
- Local travel that qualifies for per diem is outside a 100 mile radius from traveler’s home station.
- Per Diem rate on travel days (arrival and departure day) are eligible for 75% of the GSA per diem for the location no matter the time of arrival or departure. This is following the GSA.
*NO change for students Per Diem Rates.
June Staff Award Goes to Harrison
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is pleased to announce CWI’s June Staff of the Month honor has been awarded to Mary Harrison.
Harrison joined CWI in January 2015 as a temporary hire, and became permanent in June 2015. She is one-of-six Technical Support Specialists at the College and currently supports the students and staff residing at the Nampa Campus Academic Building.
Before coming to CWI, Harrison served honorably in the United States Navy for 20 years, supporting the core values of living a life filled with honor, courage, and commitment. She said she feels blessed to serve the CWI community and strives to make the college experience positive. Her can-do attitude and willingness to assist others makes her a valuable team member to CWI and a pleasure to work with.
Harrison’s nomination indicated she follows all the Core Values – acting with integrity, sustaining our quality of life for future generations, serving all in an atmosphere of caring, respecting the dignity of opinions, innovating for the 21st Century, and leaving a legacy of learning. Her nomination mentioned, “Mary is amazing, and has been a life saver for me! I also overhear her working with adjunct faculty in helping them master updates. She exudes a calmness that is most welcome in the hectic world we work in and always has a smile! She is a true asset at CWI!”
Harrison received her bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Security in 2015 from American Military University, and was recently accepted into their master’s degree program for Information Technology (Digital Forensics). She successfully obtained certifications in CompTIA: Security +, EC-Council: Certified Ethical Hacking, and HDI: Desktop Support Technician.
After retiring from the military in 2014 the Harrison family moved from Italy to Idaho. She is happily married to her husband of 20 years and together they have two children, Ashley and Matthew. In her spare time, she likes to garden with her family and is passionate about travel, cookies, and cats.
Please join in congratulating Mary. Thank you for your commitment and continued dedication to CWI and its faculty, staff, and students.
Houston Honored with May Staff Award
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is pleased to announce CWI’s May Staff of the Month honor has been awarded to Nikki Houston.
Houston has worked at the College since 2011. She started as the CWI Foundation’s Administrative Assistant then moved to Facilities Planning and Management. She currently works as an Outreach Advisor for Enrollment and Student Services, where her job involves visiting local high schools to talk with potential students about the benefits of going to college.
Her nomination indicated that Houston exhibits the Core Values of “sustaining our quality of life for future generations”, “serving all in an atmosphere of caring”, and “leaving a legacy of learning”. Her nomination stated that she has gone well beyond her job duties at CWI. In addition, she has a never give up attitude and embraces all challenges.
Houston graduated from Boise State University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Journalism. She is currently working on her master’s degree in Organizational Learning and Performance at Idaho State University.
Since coming to CWI, she has created a scholarship through the Foundation that is helping single parents achieve their academic dreams. The “LTH Don’t Give Up” scholarship is named after her three-year old son, Logan Thomas Houston. She was inspired to establish the scholarship by her work with teens at alternative high schools who felt as though college was not an option because of their financial situations.
In addition to her work at CWI, Houston is an ambassador for the Woman’s and Children’s Alliance and is a board director for Advocates Against Family Violence. Houston’s outreach also includes supporting the Family Justice Center of Ada County, Nampa Justice Center, and Idaho Coalition of Home Educators.
Outside of work and school Houston says she enjoys spending time with family, including Logan who keeps her extremely busy, and her three younger brothers. She also loves playing softball and hiking.
Please join in congratulating Nikki. Thank you for your commitment and continued dedication to CWI and its faculty, staff, and students.
