CWI Compass Connect - April 17, 2018
News Highlights
Big Win at the Steelheads
Thank you to all who supported CWI Night at the Idaho Steelheads this past Friday, March 30! Congratulations to Louisa P., who was awarded the $1,000 SCORE Big Scholarship during the sold out game against the Utah Grizzlies.
One hundred seventy-four CWI group tickets were sold for the event – almost double than last year! Thanks to generous support from employees, students, alumni, and members of the CWI community, group ticket sales raised $870. The funds, presented to CWI Foundation by Idaho Steelheads Senior Account Executive, Steven Anderson, will go directly back to the SCORE Big Scholarship fund.
Join us this July for CWI Night at the Boise Hawks—stay tuned for more information!
Explore Virtual Reality at Connections Project
Jennifer Lastra, CEO and co-founder of 360 Immersive, will be giving the keynote presentation related to social entrepreneurship and virtual reality (VR) at the Connections Project on Thursday, April 26. Lastra’s creative entrepreneurial spirit and 360 Immersive’s application of this technology have the power to connect, educate, and inspire. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience different training scenarios through interactive VR demonstrations after which Lastra will offer insight into her journey as an entrepreneur and answer questions.
After serving in the United States Navy from 1997-2001, Lastra went on to work in the shipbuilding industry for the construction and overhaul of aircraft carriers and submarines. She also developed an extensive career in the manufacturing and distribution of night vision equipment to aid domestic law enforcement, military, and United States foreign allies. Combining her passion for public service with her entrepreneurial ambition and after being introduced to the world of VR, Lastra knew this technology would be a catalyst for innovative solutions. In 2015, Lastra co-founded 360 Immersive by turning a 14-year-old, well established marketing company into an experienced-based, solution provider that utilizes VR to enhance learning, education, and training outcomes.
Over the past few years, there has been a major shift in the commercial viability of VR technology. This advanced training and education resource, once limited to use in the military and aviation industries, has now infiltrated real world applications. VR has the ability to offer extraordinary experiences, giving individuals the chance to witness situations through the perspective of someone other than themselves. With numerous applications, Lastra foresees immersive technologies integrated into every major field including transportation, engineering, art, healthcare, etc.
The mission of 360 Immersive is to collaborate with organizations such as law enforcement, governmental agencies, and learning institutions looking to implement VR into their training procedures and marketing initiatives. Although advancements in technology can be used in both positive and negative ways, Lastra and 360 immersive will continue to operate morally and ethically to help, not hinder, society and to create uplifting and motivational content.
Jennifer Lastra
Keynote Speaker, 2018 Connections Project
Date: Thursday, April 26
Time: Virtual Reality Demonstrations, 5:15 – 5:45 p.m.
Lecture and Q&A Session, 6:00 – 6:45 p.m.
Location: Nampa Campus Academic Building, second-floor atrium
Whether you’re working towards an academic goal, developing a skill set, or entering the workforce, the insight gained at this event will be invaluable. The Connections Project event is free and open to the public. To learn more visit the Connections Project webpage.
Spring Skate 2018
Lace up your roller skates and join Associated Students of College of Western Idaho (ASCWI) for Spring Skate 2018! CWI students, employees, alumni, family, friends, and members of the community are invited to come skate with us, April 24, 2018, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Nampa Campus Academic Building. The event is FREE, skates are provided, and food and drinks will be available for purchase on site.
Contact ASCWI President, Kerry Meredith, at kerrymeredith100@my.cwi.edu to learn more.
Scholar's Day
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) third-annual Scholar’s Day is teaming up with the College’s annual Connections Project, April 26, 2018.
Scholar’s Day welcomes high-achieving, high school seniors from across the Treasure Valley and their parents to campus. The event showcases academic opportunities available at the College and highlights the benefits of being an honor student in a college setting.
Scholars will partake in a special session to engage with members of CWI’s President’s Cabinet, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and alumni. In addition, attendees will be eligible for great CWI gifts and prizes.
Pairing Scholar’s Day with student work displayed at Connections Project will highlight the dynamic educational opportunities CWI students have access to, both in and out of the classroom. Combining these two events will allow scholars to see some of the amazing work student’s at CWI have accomplished.
To learn more about Scholar’s Day, contact Nikki Houston at 208.562.2648 or nikkihouston@cwi.edu.
OSU and CWI Sign Pathways Agreement
College of Western Idaho (CWI) students will have an easier time transferring to Oregon State University (OSU) Ecampus, the university’s nationally ranked online education provider, thanks to an agreement approved this month by the two schools.
The presidents of both colleges signed a degree pathway agreement that will provide students advising on degree pathways at both institutions; expand student access to institutional services and curriculum; and may shorten the time to a degree, by helping students avoid taking courses that cannot be applied to their degree requirements.
“We are pleased to finalize this pathways agreement with OSU, which provides tremendous value for our students and employees,” said David Shellberg, CWI’s Executive Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. “We couldn’t be happier to facilitate transfer opportunities to OSU and the high quality online bachelor’s degree programs they offer.”
“This agreement is just the latest example of Oregon State and its Ecampus program providing access to a four-year college degree to the widest range of students that we can,” OSU President Ed Ray said.
In January, for the fourth straight year, Oregon State Ecampus was named one of the nation’s 10 best providers of online education by U.S. News & World Report. Ecampus ranked sixth out of more than 350 higher education institutions in the category of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs.
Bridges to Baccalaureate Program Announces 2018 Undergraduate Research Fellows
The Bridges to Baccalaureate Program, supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, has selected five College of Western Idaho (CWI) students to be awarded the first Bridges Fellowships! The students, each of whom will transfer to Boise State University for the fall term, in alphabetical order are: Aliona Chernish, Adriana Rodriguez, Iris Torres, Jason Ward, and Cassie Wigfall.
Each Bridges Fellow has been paired with their faculty mentor based on the student’s career interests, the recommendations of peer mentors, and meetings with faculty. They will work with their faculty mentor this summer, all of their junior year at Boise State, and the following summer and earn up to $15,750 in the process. The students will conduct original research as a part of the faculty member’s research team which includes other research faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates (if applicable). In addition to research, Bridges Fellows will engage with the larger undergraduate research community at Boise State through formal events such as seminars and informal gatherings such as outings to the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, for example. Finally, they will present their work at the Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research each July and other regional and national conferences (if warranted).
There is very little rest for our student researchers! They’ll begin work on May 15, 2018, with an orientation to the Bridges to Baccalaureate Program and will be in their new labs on May 16, just days after CWI’s graduation ceremony. We’re very proud of these motivated and talented students and pass them on to Boise State with high hopes and expectations. Good luck to all of you!
Thompson Rivers University Becomes CWI’s First Canadian Transfer Partner
NAMPA— College of Western Idaho is pleased to announce that it has signed two transfer articulation agreements with Thompson Rivers University (TRU) to provide transfer opportunities for CWI students and graduates.
The articulation agreements allow graduates of both associate of arts and associate of science programs to receive transfer credit into TRU’s bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree programs.
This is CWI’s first agreement with a Canadian university. Both are members of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
“We are pleased to finalize these transfer pathways articulation agreements with TRU, which provides tremendous value for our students, particularly in terms of offering them a high quality education while they are enjoying an international learning experience,” said David Shellberg, CWI’s executive Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. “We are especially impressed by how well TRU understands and appreciates our graduates and how it has made American community colleges a major emphasis in its recruitment efforts.”
“The College of Western Idaho is committed to providing students with hands-on learning opportunities and realizes the transformative nature of the experiences they provide their students. TRU’s Faculty of Science shares this commitment, and we are confident that students who transfer to TRU to finish their degree will be successful and will benefit from our own efforts to graduate knowledgeable and skilled problem solvers,” said Dr. Thomas Dickinson, Dean of Science.
TRU World Associate Vice President International Operations Baihua Chadwick is excited about the partnership: “We are so pleased that College of Western Idaho has chosen TRU as their first Canadian partner institution. TRU is committed to enhancing diversity, inclusiveness and intercultural competence on our campus. This agreement helps us further develop a community that is welcoming to all.”
CWI programs that could facilitate student transfers include anthropology, liberal arts, general business, communication, criminal justice, English, geography, history, political science, psychology, sociology, Spanish, chemistry, biology or geology.
Denim Day—April 25
Join College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Inclusive Excellence (Diversity) Committee and show support for the prevention of sexual assault by wearing your jeans Wednesday, April 25! April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Denim Day is a call to action for all to come together by wearing denim as a visible sign of protest against sexual violence.
A Denim Day panel discussion will be held Thursday, April 26, on the second-floor atrium of CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building at 4 p.m. Contact Christine Lee at christinelee@my.cwi.edu for more information.
Additionally, during the 2018 Connections Project April 26, the Women’s and Children’s Alliance (WCA) will be hosting a table in collaboration with the Psychology and Domestic Violence Awareness Clubs in honor of Denim Day.
Read more about the history of Denim Day on the WCA website.
Business Professionals Triumph Over Competition
Congratulations to members of Business Professionals of America (BPA) who competed at the BPA State Leadership Conference hosted at College of Western Idaho (CWI) March 3, 2018. Eight CWI students are headed to Dallas, Texas, May 9-13 to represent the College at the 2018 BPA National Leadership Conference.
BPA State Leadership Conference Results:
Kayla Young
1st place – College Accounting
Evan Lewis
1st place – College Payroll
2nd place – Banking and Finance
Lori Clemens
2nd place – Basic Office Systems and Procedures
4th place – Fundamental Word Processing
Kristin Burbidge
1st place – Human Resource Management
4th place – Basic Office Systems and Procedures
John Nahlan
4th place – Database Applications
Corissa Wilderman
1st place – Computer Network Technology
1st place – Systems Administration Using Cisco
3rd place – Network Administration Using Microsoft
Kaj Forney
1st place – PC Servicing and Troubleshooting
1st place – Network Administration Using Microsoft
1st place – Computer Security
Melissa Harless
2nd place – Interview Skills
2nd place – Human Resource Management
C’line Duff
1st place – Ethics and Professionalism
1st place – Contemporary Issues
CWI and Bellevue University Announce New Partnership
College of Western Idaho (CWI) has joined the Bellevue University Premier Partner Network, the nation’s largest partnership network of community colleges.
The new partnership will offer CWI students the opportunity to continue their education beyond an associate’s degree at one of the nation’s leaders in preparing students for lifelong career success with career-relevant knowledge and skills. Students will be able to transfer all of their college credits, including full associate’s degrees, toward accelerated, online bachelor’s and master’s degrees in their chosen career field.
“Bellevue University is one of the nation’s top four-year universities for creating pathways to support community colleges,” said David Shellberg, Executive Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. Jim Grotrian, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Bellevue University, added: “We’re excited to make CWI a part of Bellevue University’s network of more than 50 community colleges. Our university is committed to helping CWI students achieve their educational goals and become leaders in the Treasure Valley and beyond.”
