CWI Compass Connect - September 29, 2021
Presidential Search Update
Greetings,
I am writing to you with an update on our presidential search process. The application date has been reached, and the search committee is very pleased by the strong response from a variety of well-qualified candidates who represent diverse backgrounds, geography, and areas of expertise. The committee will be evaluating candidates over the next few weeks prior to inviting selected semifinalists for virtual interviews with the committee in mid-October.
With over 70 applicants in the candidate portal, it is apparent this is a highly sought-after position, illustrating the appreciation for all College of Western Idaho (CWI) has accomplished and awareness for the limitless opportunities ahead. I look forward to working alongside the highly-engaged search committee to review ratings, discuss candidates, and select semifinalists as we move through the search process.
Please watch for future communications inviting internal and external stakeholders to participate in open forums in November to meet final candidates – ahead of the committee finalizing their recommendation to the Board of Trustees.
The presidential search page continues to be a great source to find information and updates related to the search for CWI's next president.
Respectfully,
Molly Lenty
Chair, CWI Board of Trustees
News Highlights
2021 Opening Doors Benefit Event
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Foundation will host its eighth-annual Opening Doors Benefit Event. Plan to join the CWI community as we raise money for student scholarships.
This year’s event will kick off with an online auction. Bidding for the auction opens Wednesday, Sept. 29. In addition to the auction, the CWI Foundation will host a livestream event Wednesday, Oct. 6, from 7 – 8 p.m., which will recognize donors and scholarship recipients, highlight programs at the College, and feature a message from special guest, Tommy Ahlquist.
Registration is now open! Register early to be entered into prize giveaways, view and bid on auction items, and receive updates. This year's auction includes skiing in Sun Valley, a cruise to Alaska, a trip to Ireland, and more!
Contact the Foundation at 208.562.3159 or foundation@cwi.edu for more information and ways to get involved!
Bridge Program Gives Students a Competitive Edge
A primary goal of the Psychology program at College of Western Idaho (CWI) is to help students have a successful transfer experience upon graduation. Through communication with transfer partners, the College has identified research skills and connection to a research lab upon transfer to a four-year institution paramount to ensure students can develop research skills to make them competitive for graduate school and job opportunities upon graduation. To address this, the Psychology Research Bridge Program between CWI and Boise State University was created.
Students currently enrolled at CWI who plan to transfer to the Psychology program at Boise State can apply to be part of this esteemed program. Selected students participate in a year-long research program which includes creating research questions and hypotheses, designing a methodology to test hypotheses, data collection and analysis, and research dissemination in the form of conference posters and papers. Participants are mentored through the process by Dr. Mary Pritchard from Boise State, Professor Heather Schoenherr at CWI, and current Boise State student research assistants. The bridge program allows CWI students to gain invaluable research skills, making them competitive for research assistantships upon transfer and facilitates connections to both Boise State faculty and students.
This year’s Psychology Research Bridge Program team consists of four students from CWI. Timothy Buckles and Meira Vaid, 2020 Psychology graduates, are from the previous cohort and now serve as peer mentors for the incoming research assistants, Kylee Malouf and Mercades Nelson. The research project aims to understand the impact of social media on mental health, with the goal of better understanding best practices for using social media.
For more information on how to become a research assistant in the Psychology Research Bridge Program, contact Professor Heather Schoenherr at heatherschoenherr@cwi.edu or Dr. Mary Pritchard at marypritchard@boisestate.edu.
Interested in participating in the team’s current study? Want to win one of four $25 Amazon gift cards? Currently enrolled college students 18 and older are invited to participate in a research study on social media use, mental health, and social support in college students. The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.
Participate in the Study: Social Media Use and Mental Health
CWI to Host COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics
Free, mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be available at College of Western Idaho (CWI), in partnership with Saint Alphonsus and Micron, during the month of October. The clinics will be open to students, employees, and members of the community ages 12 and over.
Monday, Oct. 4
Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NMEC), Main Lobby
7 – 10 a.m.
Register for the Monday, Oct. 4 Clinic
Wednesday, Oct. 6
Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB), Room 122
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Register for the Wednesday, Oct. 6 Clinic
Tuesday, Oct. 19
Ada County Campus Pintail Center (APIN), Common Area
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Register for the Tuesday, Oct. 19 Clinic
Tuesday, Oct. 26
Canyon County Center (CYNC), Main Lobby
9 – 11 a.m.
Register for the Tuesday, Oct. 26 Clinic
Those interested in receiving a vaccination are encouraged to pre-register, however, walk-ins are also welcome. Micron is providing $25 gift cards to the first 50 who pre-register and receive a vaccination at each location.
CWI employees wishing to participate in the clinics are asked to communicate with their manager for pre-approved release time.
According to guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 vaccines are effective at helping protect against severe disease and death from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, including the Delta variant. To learn more about COVID-19 and the vaccine, visit the CDC site.
Contact CWI Dean of Students, Chad Trisler, at chadtrisler@cwi.edu with questions or to learn more.
Psi Beta Members Awarded for Excellence in Research
Congratulations to Sunny Braithwaite and Julie Meyer, members of College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Psi Beta Honor Society, who recently received the prestigious Emerging Researcher Award from the Psi Beta National Office. Recipients of this award have shown evidence of research skills early in their college careers. These skills include conduction research and research ethics, communication, and service.
“This award not only recognizes excellence in student scholarship,” said Professor of Psychology and Psi Beta advisor, Heather Schoenherr, “but highlights the strength of CWI’s Psychology program in preparing students for research.”
In addition, CWI’s Psi Beta chapter received the Chapter Excellence Award, an award given to chapters that excel at meeting each component of Psi Beta’s mission: leadership, scholarship, community service, and research.
To participate in Psi Beta, students must be interested in psychology, have completed 12 college credits and one psychology course with a B or above, and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. For more information about joining Psi Beta, please email heatherschoenherr@cwi.edu.
