CWI News—April 29, 2022
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho’s annual Connections Project recognized student excellence during an awards ceremony at the Nampa Campus Academic Building, April 28. Congratulations to winners of this year’s Connections Logo Contest, Juried Art Exhibition, President’s Writing Awards, and Connections Excellence Awards!
President's Message
This was a special week to be back on campus. One highlight was attending the Connections Project. I truly enjoyed being a part of the awards ceremony. In addition, I loved reviewing the artwork and posters submitted by students and displayed at the Nampa Campus Academic Building. I want to thank the faculty and staff who worked on this event. The energy and excitement from attendees and award recipients was refreshing. It felt great to be together again celebrating student success at CWI.
Spending time on campus is always invigorating. An interesting thing I learned this week is CWI serves one in five undergraduate and CTE students in the state. This is a point of pride – what a special obligation we carry. As the Treasure Valley continues its record growth trajectory, it is essential CWI continues to grow. We need to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our community and empower students. Part of this objective was the establishment of a Revenue Task Force to explore and optimize activities at the College. We are not in a place to wait until tomorrow to start thinking, equipping, and acting to meet this challenge. I encourage all of you to review the message sent from the President’s Office earlier today, April 29, to learn more about the Revenue Task Force.
On a final note, the countdown to graduation continues with just two weeks until commencement, and I appreciate all you are doing to help our students finish the semester strong.
News Highlights
Annual Connections Project Honors Student Achievements
College of Western Idaho’s Nampa Campus Academic Building was full of excitement, Thursday, April 28, as the campus community came together for the seventh-annual Connections Project, an annual event showcasing the hard work and accomplishments of students. Kevin Chase, a Political Science major and member of ASCWI and the College’s Speech and Debate team, presented winners of this year’s Connections Excellence Awards during an awards ceremony. Finalists were determined by a panel of judges and each received $100 and $150 prizes.
Congratulations to this year’s Connections Excellence Award Winners:
Live Mini Talks
Connect Category
- 1st Place – Craig Peterson, Speak Up Ink Up Charity Event
Inspire Category
- 1st Place – Sawyer Ellis, Google Vision AIY
- Runner-up – Mercades Nelson, Is Social Media Compromising Our Self-Regulating Behaviors?
- Runner-up – Kennedy Cole, Growth and Fixed Mindset: A Survey About Mindsets and Their Relationship to Symptoms of Mental Illness, the Internalization of Problems, and Emotion Regulation Strategies
Recorded Mini Talks
Connect Category
- 1st Place – Bryce Thompson, Extroversion & Shyness During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Runner-up – Zane Cooper, Redlining in America
- Runner-up – Hallee Barney, Group Dynamics
Inspire Category
- 1st Place – Logan Adams, The Struggles of Life at the Minidoka War Relocation Center; Zane Cooper, Plato’s Virtues & the Tripartite Soul
- Runner-up – Andison Fluckiger, The Republic of Plato Poetry and Imitation
Posters
Connect Category
- 1st Place – Mercades Nelson, Is Social Media Addiction Compromising Our Self-Regulating Behaviors?
- Runner-up – Kaw Paw, Karen People of Burma
- Runner-up – Angie Apreotes, MRSA: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureaus
- Runner-up – Anna Miles, Development of Early Detection Technology of Botulism
Inspire Category
- 1st Place – Lia Montes & Natalie D’Agostino, PTK Latinx Postcards
- Runner-up – Alana Stewart, Resistance of Mycoplasma pneumonia to Macrolide antibiotics
- Runner-up – Kennedy Cole, COBS Community Outreach Behavioral Services Raising Awareness About Human Trafficking and Providing Resources to Its Victims
- Runner-up – Brittany Jamison, Greater Than, Less Than and Equal to for 1st Grade
Thank you to the judges, instructors, and participants of this year’s Connection Project, and congratulations, again, to the winners!
Students Present Research at Annual Psychology Conference
Current and former College of Western Idaho (CWI) Psychology students represented the College at the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association (RMPA) Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 7 – 9. The theme for this year’s conference was Moving Forward Together in a Changing World.
During the conference, Mercades Nelson and Heather Schoenherr presented on the history of CWI’s Psychology department. Representing the youngest institution in attendance, their presentation emphasized the growth of the program in terms of faculty and students pointing out the increase in Psychology majors at CWI from 31 to 259 since the first year. Student success within in the department through programs such as the Psychology Club, Psi Beta, and various awards was also highlighted.
Pia Salathe presented her research on Attachment Theory exploring attachment stances and their relation to personality patterns. Research was based on analyzation of a data set provided by Salathe’s faculty advisor, Kevin Carlson.
Timothy Buckles, Kylee Malouf, and Mercedes Nelson presented about the impact of social media on mental health. Students are members of the Psychology Research Bridge, a program connecting CWI students to psychology research opportunities at Boise State University coordinated by Heather Schoenherr and Mary Pritchard of Boise State.
Congratulations to Timothy Buckles, a finalist for the RMPA undergraduate research award. Buckles was selected for the overall quality and impact of his research in the field.
“Going to RMPA and having the opportunity to present my research and discuss similar research with my peers was an incredible experience,” said Buckles. “If you have the chance to go yourself, take it!”
In addition to presentations on their research, students had the unique opportunity to have their work critiqued and praised by world-renowned social psychologist, Roy Baumeister. Dr. Baumeister is known for his work on belongingness, which was a focus of their research. Students were also able to join more than 100 volunteers to support the local community at various women and youth centers to garden, clean, and sort clothing, supplies, and food.
2022 President’s Writing Awards
Congratulations to winners of the 2022 President’s Writing Awards, an annual competition recognizing excellence in writing at College of Western Idaho. Instructors throughout the College judged student writing from all disciplines and perspectives sending top submissions to Provost Denise Aberle-Cannata who determined the winners. President Gordon Jones presented the winners during the annual Connections Project Awards Ceremony, Thursday, April 28.
2022 President’s Writing Award Winners
Creative Nonfiction
- First Place – Alexandra Murphy
- Second Place – David Maryanski II
- Third Place – Rebecca Young
Critical Analysis
- First Place – Jacob Montana Keating
- Second Place – Rachel Roberts
- Third Place – Kevin Chase
Fiction
- First Place – Jayden Bryant
- Second Place – Anya Williamson
- Third Place – Ambrosia Shomaker
First-Year Writing
- First Place – Kenton Piper-Ruth
- Second Place – Devinne McCombs
- Third Place – Eli James Stoops
Literature Based Research
- First Place – Sawyer Ellis, Craig Petersen, Damien Perez, Monica Zumpano, and Gordy Brown
- Second Place – Jamie Hudson
- Third Place – Amanda Moorhouse
Original Research
- First Place – Sawyer Ellis
- Second Place – Kennedy Cole
- Third Place – Savanna Gerlach
Poetry
- First Place – Melissa Goldsmith
- Second Place – Isabel Foxcroft
- Third Place – Jack Dalton Marmor
Technical Writing Category
- First Place – Jamie Hudson
- Second Place – Trazelle Grover-Cooper
- Third Place – Ambrosia Shomaker
2022 Graduates – Let’s Celebrate YOU!
Congratulations, 2022 graduates! The time has come to celebrate your accomplishments and prepare to graduate! Gather your friends, family, and classmates, and plan to join us for a good time and good food as we kick off the countdown to College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) 2022 Commencement Ceremony with Grad Fest, Wednesday, May 4.
Grad Fest
Wednesday, May 4
4 – 7 p.m.
Nampa Campus Academic Building, west lawn
The event will feature:
- Food from BIG Daddy’s Barbeque
- Photo ops courtesy of Alpha-Lit
- Caps, gowns, and CWI swag for purchase from the CWI Bookstore
- Clothing consultations and coupons from Macy’s
- Giveaways and grand prize drawings
- Giant yard games and an obstacle course
- Music and a DJ provided by Rocky Mountain Roll
- and more!
We can’t wait to celebrate you and look forward to seeing you there!
New Narratives: CWI Capstone Collection
Celebrate the artistic and academic achievements of College of Western Idaho’s Studio Art graduates at the exhibit, New Narratives, on display beginning Saturday, April 23, Boise State University’s Student Union Building.
View New Narratives: CWI Capstone Collection
New Narratives features artwork by 2022 Studio Art graduates:
- Robert Blihovde
- Emilee Brugger
- Khanh Dang
- Clara Geise
- Cassima Grimes
- Ashley Hansen
- Matias Haramoto-Pete
- Miyuki Henry
- Jadon Hensley
- Donnie Charles
- Lizzy Martinez
- Mykayla Panchenko
- Angelika Papasodora
- Maximus Skeen
- Mikayla Telfer
- Scott Walker
- Bella Wildt
The exhibit will run through May 8 and can be viewed between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. In addition, students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to an opening reception Tuesday, April 26, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. The event is free, and light refreshments will be served.
Contact Goran Fazil at 208.562.2117 or goranfazil@cwi.edu to learn more about the College’s Studio Art program or this year’s exhibit.
Congratulations, 2022 Graduates!
College of Western Idaho (CWI) will celebrate its 2022 graduating class in a commencement ceremony Friday, May 13, at 7 p.m. The ceremony, held at ExtraMile Arena in Boise, will recognize degree, certificate, GED, and Workforce Development apprenticeship graduates. In addition to in-person attendance, the ceremony will also be streamed on the College’s website.
Graduates are encouraged to check their student email account, the CWI newsroom, the College’s social media channels, and the Graduation page regularly for announcements and up-to-date information. Please email registrar@cwi.edu with any questions.
Congratulations to all our 2022 graduates! You made it!
FY23 Open Enrollment
Open enrollment for medical, dental, and flexible spending accounts (FSA) will be held April 25 through May 13, 2022, for all benefit-eligible College of Western Idaho (CWI) employees. The new plan year begins July 1, 2022.
New premiums rates and summaries of benefits and plan types will be posted to the Office of Group Insurance website in the next week and will also be sent out via email.
Open enrollment is your chance to:
- Enroll or re-enroll in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for the 2023 fiscal year.
- FSA plans do not automatically renew year-to-year. A new form must be submitted to continue FSA contributions.
- Click here to learn more about Flexible Spending Accounts.
- Change your medical plan type (PPO, Traditional, High Deductible).
- Add dependents to dental care coverage.
- Switch premium deductions from post-tax to pre-tax or vice-versa.
- Newly enroll or decline medical and dental benefits without a qualifying life event. If you miss the deadline you will not be able to enroll or decline benefits until next Open Enrollment without a qualifying life event.
Open enrollment forms:
- Forms will be available Monday, April 25, on the Human Resources Employee Resources site on myCWI and will also be sent out via email.
- Forms can be signed electronically.
- Forms cannot be signed or submitted before April 25.
- Open enrollment forms will be due Friday, May 13, at 5 p.m., and will be accepted via email or in-person at the Human Resources office located at the Nampa Campus Administration Building.
- Exceptions will not be made for those who miss the May 13 deadline.
Have a quick question about your benefits?
During the open enrollment period, Human Resources will be holding drop-in Q&A forums via Zoom for those with questions about open enrollment and/or CWI’s benefits.
Save the date!
Learn more about the benefits available to you by attending CWI's Virtual Benefit Fair, April 25 – May 13. At the virtual benefits fair you can access updated plan and rate information for the new plan year, view informative videos, attend webinars, review FAQs, and access open enrollment forms.
Contact Human Resources at HRBenefits@cwi.edu with questions.
