CWI Compass Connect - Dec. 11, 2018
Spotlight
Robert Herold, right, President of the Associated Students of College of Western Idaho (ASCWI), greets students during a CWI Finals Blackout event, Coffee and Coloring, on Monday, Dec. 3. This was one of many events hosted by Student Affairs, Library Services, and Tutoring Services to help students de-stress as they prepare for finals.
News Highlights
CWI Elects New Board Chairman, Welcomes New Trustees
Trustees of College of Western Idaho (CWI), Idaho’s largest public institution of higher education serving more than 31,000 students, unanimously selected C.A. “Skip” Smyser as their new chairman on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
Smyser, who was elected to CWI’s Board of Trustees in November 2016, also welcomed two newly elected trustees in Molly Lenty and Annie Hightower. Lenty will replace retiring trustee Stan Bastian from Zone (2) while Hightower will take the seat formerly held by Emily Walton in Zone 4. Both Walton and Bastian did not run for re-election in November.
“It’s an honor to serve,” said Smyser. “I am a true believer in the mission of CWI and have seen what our students are doing. It truly is life-changing. I have said before, education is the key to this country and to Idaho.”
Smyser is a veteran attorney who served in both the House of Representatives and the Idaho Senate before devoting his career to representing companies and their advocacy interests full-time. Smyser is married to Melinda Smyser who currently serves as the Director of the Idaho Department of Labor and is a former state senator herself. They have four adult children and make their home in Parma, Canyon County, Idaho.
Outgoing chairman Mark Dunham of Boise was elected by the Trustees to serve as Vice-Chairman while fellow founding trustee Mary Niland will serve as Secretary and Treasurer.
The College was founded by a supermajority vote in Ada and Canyon Counties in May 2007. Currently, CWI offers more than 107 degree and certificate options for students seeking rewarding careers in many fields. Students pay $139 per credit, which has not changed in over three years due to the conservative fiscal stewardship of the College’s trustees and administration. Classes are available in Nampa, Boise, and online. To learn more visit cwi.edu .
Emerging Professionals Nominated for Commitment, Talent, and Potential
The Career Technical Education Emerging Professionals program exists to recognize outstanding students for commitment to learning, demonstration of talent in their program, and potential to excel in their chosen industry. Students are nominated by their instructors, and selection is based on academic integrity, innovation, and professionalism both in and outside the classroom.
Christian Medina, a student in the Heavy Duty Truck Technician program at the College, was nominated as one of this year’s Emerging Professionals.
“I nominated Christian for the Emerging Professionals scholarship because he is a student who shows a lot of passion and dedication,” said Alex Beal, Department Chair for Diesel Technology. “Christian is a leader. He’s not a loud kind of leader, but a leader who people want to follow because of who he is and his personality. He is going to have a lot of great success in his career and in his future.”
“I am a first-generation college student in my family, and I am pretty proud to set an example for my two younger brothers. This scholarship is going to help me pay for next semester which really motivates me,” said Medina. “Because of CWI, I’m going to get an opportunity to work in the career field that I want and that I chose, and it’s going to help me open my own shop up in the future.”
Congratulations to Christian and the following students nominated as Emerging Professionals for the 2018/19 academic year:
Ann Hymas, Bookkeeping and Accounting – nominated by Jenny Miller and Teri Harbacheck
Christian Medina, Heavy Duty Truck Technician – nominated by Alex Beal
Jeremy Perkins, Western States CAT – nominated by Scott Russell
Tristan Maloney, Welding and Metal Fabrications – nominated by Mike Wheeler
Maureen Hartnett, Marketing Communications – nominated by Michelle Bennett
CWI Partners to Help Boise School District Students
College of Western Idaho is proud to partner with Sovrn Creative and the Community Schools program to kick-off the inaugural Neighbors in Need Drive to help Boise School District students.
"Many of CWI's students have children in the district served by Community Schools, and some are involved in the College’s Basic Skills Education (BSE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs," said Alexis Bennett, CWI ESL Instructor and Sovrn Project Manager.
The CWI Community is invited to donate household essentials as part of the Neighbors in Need Drive through Dec. 20 at the College’s Ada County Campus Pintail Center.
"It seemed natural, given all that CWI already does to create affordable and convenient educational opportunities, to participate as a public donation site,” said Bennett. “In the ESL department in particular, we are always looking to make resources beyond the classroom more available to reduce barriers to success. Good hygiene and clean clothes are often among those barriers."
“The goal is to start small and build, so we appreciate partnering with well-known local brands like CWI,” said Nicole Keisel, Sovrn Art Director and Neighbors in Need campaign designer.
Nearly half of students within the Boise School District receive free or reduced lunch and close to 800 are homeless or unaccompanied. Many of these students’ families make difficult trade-offs every day in order to get by. Community Schools helps provide everyday essentials to students allowing them to be successful and show up for school ready to learn.
Learn more about the drive, Sovrn Creative, or the Community Schools program by contacting Alexis Bennett at alexisbennett@cwi.edu
Vance Named to National Geographic Idaho Advisory Council
Department Chair of History, Culture, and Politics, Dr. Justin Vance, has been named to the National Geographic Idaho Advisory Council. National Geographic’s goal is to teach students about the world and how it works in order to empower them to make a difference. These skills are essential for student achievement and college and career readiness, but also in order to prepare students to become engaged citizens and responsible stewards of our planet. The Idaho Council aims to collaboratively develop an action plan for Idaho that enhances geography education in ways that align with Idaho’s needs and priorities.
To learn more about National Geographic’s education initiatives and resources visit their website.
President Glandon Visits English Class
In a kaleidoscopic of color, English 201 students and College of Western Idaho (CWI) President, Bert Glandon, wrote on large pieces of easel paper surrounding Instructor Ryan Witt’s Persuasive Writing class. They were completing a brainstorming exercise; can community-engaged persuasive writing help make community connections?
President Glandon spent the class engaging with students and learning about the skills they have developed throughout the semester, as they focus on gaining the attention of an audience in different forms — including social media.
“It was great to get in class with students and have an engaging conversation about real issues that affect the College,” President Glandon said. “It’s good to see classes that effectively and efficiently address the College and how we can better serve the community.”
Additionally, students had a chance to share with President Glandon why they enjoy attending CWI.
“I really appreciate all of the instructors I’ve taken classes from at CWI, they’re super flexible!” said English 201 student, Nora M.
Workshop Keeps Hands Busy and Enlightens Minds
Native beading expert, Liz Mummy, visited College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Ada County Campus Pintail Center to share her artistry and tradition in honor of Native American Heritage Month Nov. 13. In addition to discussing the history and significance of beadwork among Native peoples, Mummy provided the materials necessary for participants to make dream catchers.
“It is hard to find time with your teenager that is meaningful and enjoyable for both of you,” said Erin Peterson who attended the workshop with her daughter. “It kept our hands busy and enlightened our minds as we learned about Native American artwork and met some talented artists. With busy hands came an opportunity to not focus on forced conversation, but fun discussion and sarcastic remarks. It also resulted in some beautiful artwork; unique and made with love during one-on-one time between mother and daughter.”
Thank you to the Inclusive Excellence Committee and the CWI and Boise State University Anthropology clubs for hosting this wonderful event!
MakerHub Club Promotes Creativity
As Garrett Ellison, president of the MakerHub Club, walked into the Early Childhood Education Preschool located at College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Nampa Campus Multipurpose Building, the students knew it would be a good day. Ellison entered in a monthly STEM Action Center drawing and received a makedo cardboard construction toolkit. Makedo is a toy construction system that allows individuals of all skill levels and ages to make any item imaginable of any size from a flower to a fort, a mask to a maze. He donated his winnings and the clubs technical skills to the preschool hosting two workshops with plans to make it a monthly activity.
The mission of the MakerHub Club is to promote creativity and share technical skills. The club hopes to do so by sharing their 3D printer, housed at the Nampa Campus Library, and vinyl cutter at the Nampa Campus Academic Building Tutoring Center. Ellison hopes to eventually have a 3D printer at the Ada Campus Pintail Center library and Canyon County Center as well. The CWI community will be able to order 3D prints or have custom stickers made with the vinyl cutter by completing a Google form and paying a small fee to the club.
The club has also partnered with classes at CWI such as Eric Mullis’s 3D Art and Design course and Susan Aydelotte’s Calculus course. Mullis’s 3D Art and Design students were assigned to create abstract art pieces using a program called Tinkercad. Students then partnered with the MakerHub to get all 20 of their designs 3D printed. Aydelotte’s Calculus students were assigned to calculate the theoretical volume of a vase. Two students from her class partnered with the MakerHub to get vases 3D printed to test their practical application guesses.
Learn more about MakerHub, 3D printing, vinyl cutting, and partnering with the club by contacting Garrett Ellison at garrettellison@my.cwi.edu.
Fall 2018 Facts at a Glance
College of Western Idaho's (CWI) Fall 2018 Facts at a Glance is now available to view online. The annual publication provides a statistical overview of the College and is a valuable resource for learning more about CWI. The information included in Facts at a Glance supports the messages being shared about who the College serves and the impact CWI is making in the community.
Hard copies of this year's Facts at a Glance will be delivered to each campus location in the near future.
