CWI Compass Connect - January 7, 2014
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) has launched its annual electronic holiday greeting to employees, students, and community supporters. The email links to a new video, which shares CWI’s 2013 highlights and festive holiday wishes from the College community. Please help share this video with any of friends of the College that you interact with. The video can be viewed at cwi.edu/holiday.
2013 CWI Holiday Greetings
News Highlights
CWI Unveils Updated Newsletter
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is kicking off 2014 by unveiling an upgraded electronic newsletter, along with a new name, CWI Compass Connect. The newsletter now ties into the CWI website to improve navigation, utilize enhanced multimedia functions, and increase overall awareness of activities, initiatives, program changes, and student accomplishments. Some of the new features include:
- A condensed email format, with brief summaries of each article.
- More robust online version with full content and high resolution images.
- “Sharing” buttons with each online article to seamlessly share articles through email, Twitter, Facebook, and more.
- Access to archived and searchable online articles for future reference.
CWI Compass Connect will continue to distribute every two weeks. Everyone is welcome to sign up to receive the newsletter at cwi.edu/news. If you have questions or feedback about the new CWI Compass Connect please contact CWI Marketing and Advancement at communications@cwi.edu.
Potential to Grow Scholarship Drive
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Advancement and Foundation teams are launching a Potential to Grow Scholarship drive. The drive is aimed at increasing the amount of funds the College has available to support students next fall and will run now through February.
Scholarship funds are important to the success of CWI students and have helped hundreds achieve educational goals that would not have otherwise been accessible. Last year the College had more than 4,000 students apply for CWI Foundation scholarships and CWI awarded 331 totaling $230,000. This need is expected to continue to increase as 72 percent of the student population receives some form of financial aid.
A variety of marketing activities will be occurring over the next month to support the drive including targeted phone calls and mailings, and mass promotion in a few key media markets.
How can you help?
- Spread the word to everyone you know
- Let the Advancement staff or Foundation know if a personal call or visit can be made to someone,
- Personally contribute to the fund,
- Simply let Advancement or the Foundation know about other opportunities to spread the word.
A special web page has been established at cwi.edu/opendoors.
Thank you for your continued support of CWI students!
New Career Focus Magazine Released
The spring 2014 edition of College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Career Focus Magazine is now available online after nearly 140,000 copies hit Treasure Valley mailboxes in December. The magazine can be viewed online at cwidaho.mycareerfocus.org. Please email communications@cwi.edu for hardcopies.
CWI Culinary Instructor Publishes Article
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Culinary Arts Chef Instructor, Nick Duncan, has been published in the winter 2013 edition of Edible Idaho South, a local magazine that celebrates the food culture of southern Idaho. Duncan’s article, which references his work at CWI, discusses a new concept of pairing wine with spicy foods from non-wine regions. To read the article, see Pages 14-15 of Edible Idaho South.
Dental Assisting Program Chair Named Faculty of Distinction
Elaine Laursen has been named College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Faculty of Distinction for December.
Laursen has been a dedicated member of the CWI Dental Assisting program for five years and was recently appointed Dental Assisting program chair. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm for Dental Assisting are contagious. She is creative and resourceful in her approach to teaching and leading her team. Students have said Laursen inspires them to be their best and she models professionalism in her communication and her practice.
Her dedication to the ongoing success of this program has been demonstrated repeatedly. Laursen has worked with her team to create increased community awareness of the Dental Assisting program’s current location, CWI at Boise State University. Meanwhile, Laursen has been instrumental in designing the new Dental Assisting lab at Ada County Center. She also championed the start of an alternate entry process, Dental Assisting Soft Start, allowing students to begin program specific classes while completing the general education prerequisites.
Her commitment to learning is evident as Laursen is just weeks away from being awarded her master's degree in Instructional Design. Please join in congratulating Elaine for her accomplishment of being named CWI December Faculty of Distinction.
