CWI Compass Connect - Nov. 17, 2020
News Highlights
CWI Welcomes New Trustees
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Board of Trustees welcomed three new trustees during their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Nampa Campus Administration Building.
Cherie Buckner-Webb, April Baylon-Mendoza, and Samantha Guerrero were sworn in by Interim Vice President of Finance and Administration, Cheryl Wright, during the meeting. Chairperson Molly Lenty, who was nominated to lead the Board during the Trustee Officer Election portion of the meeting, welcomed the new board members along with Trustee Annie Hightower. Additionally, Buckner-Webb accepted the nomination of Vice-Chairperson and Baylon-Mendoza will be the Treasurer and Secretary.
“I’m thrilled to welcome the new trustees who each come to the Board with a wealth of knowledge, diverse backgrounds, and enthusiasm to benefit CWI,” said Lenty. She added, “I am honored to have been selected by my peers to serve as Chairperson, and to know I'm following in the footsteps of great leaders who have served before me. The College is at an important moment as an organization, and I look forward to working with this new board to lead the way to further success."
CWI’s Board of Trustees is made up of five volunteers who are elected at large from within Ada and Canyon Counties for staggered, four-year terms.
“I’m excited to work with our new board members to find new and innovative ways to empower CWI students and the community,” President Bert Glandon said.
Spring 2021 Registration
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is excited to announce registration dates for the Spring 2021 semester. In addition, new options in course delivery will be available for Spring term. Students will have the choice to select a style that best fits their learning style and schedule. Learn more about options in course delivery styles prior to registering.
Continuing Students
Priority registration at CWI for the Spring 2021 semester begins Monday, Nov. 9. Priority registration allows continuing students a chance to enroll in classes ahead of open registration, helping students stay on track for graduation.
Following are some tips for current students:
- Be sure to meet with your Student Success Advisor prior to registering.
- Once advising is completed, students can register online any time on or after their assigned registration time.
- Assigned registration times
- Times are based on cumulative credits earned.
- Students can check myCWIand CWIemail for their assigned time.
- Continuing students are considered those who enrolled and attended classes any semester since spring 2019.
- Dual Credit students will register during open registration.
New and Returning Students
Open Registration for all students, including new and returning, begins Monday, Nov. 16.
- All new, degree-seeking students must participate in New Student Orientation prior to registering for classes.
Contact One Stop Student Services or visit us online to learn more about applying to CWI, orientation, and registering for classes.
Visiting Artist Series Welcomes Omer Halilhodžić
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Visiting Artist Series is proud to welcome Bosnian automotive designer, Omer Halilhodžić, for a virtual lecture and Q&A Nov. 20.
A graduate of the University of Sarajevo with a degree in industrial design, Halilhodžić is currently a member of the designer team of Škoda. His work prior to Škoda included being a member of the famous design team of Ferrari, the exterior chief designer for the European styling center of Mercedes-Benz in Germany, as well as work with Mitsubishi Motors and Volkswagen. Halilhodžić considers Leonardo da Vinci to be the greatest designer of all time and looks to nature for his inspirations. He was responsible for the styling of the 2004 Mitsubishi Colt and the concept cars which preceded it including the CZ2, CZ3, CZ3 cabriolet, and CZT. He has since penned the Mitsubishi Concept Sportback and the Mitsubishi Concept X, which presages the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X production car.
Plan to join us Friday, Nov. 20, at noon, for Halilhodžić’s lecture, hosted via Zoom, as he discusses his career as an automotive designer and the roll of drawing and sculpture in contemporary automotive design.
Zoom Link: Visiting Artist Series Welcomes Omer Halilhodžić
Password: 836931
CWI’s Visiting Artist Series is made possible through a grant from Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by National Endowment for the Arts. Visiting Artist Series workshops, featuring visual and performing artists, are free and open to the public.
Contact Goran Fazil at goranfazil@cwi.edu to learn more or with questions.
Nursing Program Receives New Simulation Labs
Three nursing students worked fast to stop the newborn mother's hemorrhaging, who just gave birth to twins. The students quickly stabilized the patient and stopped the bleeding when a woman's voice came over the intercom congratulating the team, but the voice was not a woman. It was Sean Muldoon, a Nursing Operation Specialist, who looks like a six-foot-tall linebacker, using a voice modulator in the College of Western Idaho's (CWI) new state-of-the-art simulation lab.
CWI recently completed a four-month project to add three, new simulation labs and debriefing rooms to the College's Professional Nursing program at the Canyon County Center.
"I feel very thankful. A lot of schools are struggling financially, but CWI has supported the program, and our students are going to be able to do up to 50% of their clinicals in these simulation labs," said Allison Baker, Department Chair of Nursing. "This is great because our clinical placements out in the community are not guaranteed with coronavirus."
Additionally, the depth and breadth of student training has increased with the new labs.
"The clinical experience for our students has been enriched and enhanced by simulation and virtual simulation," said Cathleen Currie, Dean of Health.
The manikins are incredibly lifelike in appearance, and they were cast from real people to make the students' training more realistic.
"We have stethoscopes that are paired to a device to simulate a person having an asthma attack. It is stuff you can't plan for in a hospital – if you want your student to know how to handle a seizure, you can give your manikin a seizure; you can't do that in real life," she said with a smile.
The new technology delivers a more realistic training scenario.
Our previous manikins felt like you were talking to a large plastic doll – with these new manikins, it feels like you're talking with a real person, and you can hear people talk back through the audio system," said Jen Mimish, Assistant Professor in the Nursing program.
Special attention was also placed in the design of the rooms to give a realistic feel to a medical facility.
"The new rooms feel like a real hospital room, and that really changed the experience of students to help make the rooms feel like the hospital instead of a classroom," Mimish continued.
CWI Nursing students have a great success rate with a 96.5% pass rate from NCLEX-RN exam, and these new labs will continue to help students excel in the program.
"It's very exciting, this is really a place where you see those light bulbs come on – you really see students connecting what's happening, so it's very rewarding to see what happens in here," said Mimish."
Scholarships Open for 2020-2021 Academic Year
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Foundation scholarships application period opens Nov. 1 for the 2020-2021 academic year. One application makes applying for scholarships at CWI easy and provides students with a number of scholarship opportunities in the College’s academic and career-technical programs. More than 300 students received scholarships through the Foundation during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Students interested in applying for scholarships must have the CWI admission application completed, be accepted, and have myCWI login information. The application closes Nov. 30, 2020.
Visit the Grants and Scholarships page to learn more or apply.
Shop Amazon, Help Students!
Did you know when you shop on Amazon, you can also help College of Western Idaho (CWI) students? Through AmazonSmile, 0.5% of your eligible Amazon purchases will be donated to student scholarships at CWI at no cost to you!
Contact the CWI Foundation at foundation@cwi.edu to learn more or with questions.
Nursing Chair Participates in National Webinar
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Department Chair of Nursing, Allison Baker, participated as a panelist during a webinar hosted Oct. 15, 2020, by the American Journal of Nursing and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
Baker, joining panelists, Madelyn Bodin, a Nursing student from The University of Iowa; Michelle Buck, a Senior Policy Advisor at NCSBN; and Carrie McDermott, from Emory Health Care, had the opportunity to share how CWI’s Nursing department has taken advantage of a recent shift in fulfillment of clinical hours for students.
“Clinical hours are critical in nursing programs and allow students to apply the theory they learn in class and apply it to real-world situations,” said Baker. “Our students are required to complete 400 clinical hours in order to graduate.”
This past spring, due to COVID-19, many of CWI’s Nursing students were removed from clinical opportunities. To offset this, the Idaho Board of Nursing offered an option for students to fulfill clinical hours working as a Nurse Apprentice or with a New Graduate Temporary License.
“As missing clinical hours is detrimental to meeting program and course outcomes, this was a great alternative for our students to fulfill the clinical hours required to successfully complete the program and graduate this past spring,” added Baker.
The webinar, “Practice/Academic Partnerships in the Age of COVID: You Can Do This!”, was viewed by nearly 1,000 educators and individuals from private practices from across the United States.
Watch the Webinar: "Practice/Academic Partnerships in the Age of COVID: You Can Do This!"
Beta Sigma Pi Chapter Inducts New Members
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the Beta Sigma Pi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) inducted a new group of students. Forty members were in attendance for the virtual induction, but over 250 new members were on the induction list, earning membership from Spring 2019 through Spring 2020. Speakers included President Bert Glandon and former Beta Sigma Pi members Jason Ward and Elizabeth Carter. The ceremony was led by the officer team of Jody Ayers, Beka Shelman, and Jackie Romero.
PTK is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges.
For more information on membership or involvement, please email ptk@cwi.edu.
CWI Board Names Vice President of Finance
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Board of Trustees are excited to announce Karl Spiecker as the College’s new Vice President of Finance on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Spiecker will be the chief financial officer and the primary financial strategist to the President, Administration, and the Board of Trustees. He is responsible for directing and managing CWI’s financial affairs and ensuring that the organization makes sound decisions on the application of its financial resources. Spiecker will report directly to President Bert Glandon and play a pivotal role within the executive management and senior leadership teams.
"I am thrilled at the opportunity to be affiliated with the College of Western Idaho,” said Spiecker. “I have been impressed with everyone I have interacted with throughout the selection process. The College has a fantastic mission and provides outstanding opportunities to students. It is a great asset to the community.”
Spiecker comes to CWI with more than 20 years of finance experience in the public sector and higher education. Most recently, he was the Vice President of Finance and Administration at Colorado State University – Pueblo, and he has a master’s in public policy and science.
“Karl will be a great addition to our leadership team and I’m happy to welcome him to the CWI family,” President Bert Glandon said.
McNair Scholars Program: Dream, Prepare, Achieve
College of Western Idaho students looking for opportunities to enhance their personal and professional development in preparation for graduate school, may want to look closely at the McNair Scholars Program.
The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is one of eight TRIO programs federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Designed to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds, the McNair Program is the only TRIO grant focused on helping college juniors and seniors prepare for admission into graduate schools and successfully attain advanced degrees.
Paired with faculty mentors in their field of study, McNair Scholars design and implement an independent research project for presentation at regional, or national conferences. Other benefits to participation include:
- $2,800 stipend to support research internship during at least one summer
- enhanced career planning and personal guidance from McNair staff
- paid tuition of McNair courses
- scholarship application assistance
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) preparation courses and exam fee reduction waivers
- assistance in applying to graduate schools along with cost offsets
- funded travel to regional and national research conferences
- paid travel to visit prospective graduate schools
- graduate school funding offered by several institutions specifically for McNair Scholars
The McNair Scholars Program is a unique learning opportunity for students who fit the eligibility criteria and are highly motivated to achieve success in their doctoral studies. Anyone interested in gaining a competitive advantage in their academic and professional careers should seize the opportunity. Application deadlines generally fall in October for the spring semester, and in February for the fall semester. However, dates are discretionary with some universities accepting applications on a rolling basis. It is important to track each school’s policy as qualified students who meet priority deadlines are given the most consideration.
Eligible participants must be low income, AND first-generation, OR come from communities historically underrepresented in higher education (African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, or Pacific Islander). Transfer students planning to attend Boise State University, Idaho State University, or the University of Idaho can find additional information, instructions, and applications on their respective McNair Scholars pages. A list of all 187 universities currently partnering with the McNair Program can be found on the U.S. Department of Education Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program website.
Written by Lesah Ashton, a current CWI student who plans to graduate in May 2021.
