CWI News—Aug. 27, 2021
In the Spotlight
CWI's Student Affairs team and volunteer faculty and staff stayed busy this week welcoming students back to campus with coffee, swag, and more than 500 donuts and bagels. Team members and volunteers could also be found on golf carts helping students get around. Ready or not, fall semester is in full swing!
News Highlights
CWI Students Move Forward Boldly During Conference
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) science legacy was on spectacular display last month at the Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research (ICUR) hosted by Boise State University. Several current CWI students presented the results of their research collaborations with university faculty from around the state. Topics were varied and ranged from biophysics to ecology to metagenomics. Whew, that’s sophisticated research! It’s also a testament to the rigor and standards used by CWI science faculty to prepare our students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities, careers in science and technology, and a future in the 21st Century. Another feather in CWI’s metaphorical cap came in the form of current student Marcus Emmen, a General Biology major, who was selected to present a three-minute lightning talk, one of only seven students from this year’s symposium to be so honored. Well done, Marcus!
In addition to these amazing undergraduates, over a dozen former Otters, and Bridges to Baccalaureate (B2B) Fellows, presented their research at ICUR this year. Examples of the pioneering work the B2B program connects students with can be viewed below.
In this, our final, year of the Southwestern B2B program, it’s great to look back and reflect on all the successes accomplished by these talented young scientists. It’s a tribute to the CWI faculty and staff who mentored and prepared these students for this moment. It is not trivial our students, through the B2B program, are participating in avant-garde research in the biomedical sciences. It is, in fact, quite an accomplishment, and I’m grateful for every faculty member, student-success coach, and student services team member who encouraged one of these students to take that first step and apply to the program.
Our current and former science students continue to impress and, more importantly, continue to make real contributions to the advancement of knowledge in Idaho and beyond. Congratulations to all Otters, current and former, on their ICUR presentations. We couldn’t be prouder of you!
Schoenherr Named 2021 Faculty of the Year
Congratulations to Heather Schoenherr, Professor of Psychology, who has been named College of Western Idaho’s 2021 Faculty of the Year. The College’s Faculty of Distinction for March 2021, Schoenherr is recognized as an engaged faculty member who always strives to provide the best opportunities for her students.
“It is an honor to be a recipient of this award,” she said. “I am fortunate to be surrounded by colleagues who push me to better my craft and students who inspire me to try harder.”
Read more about Schoenherr
Watch: 2020-2021 CWI Employee Recognition Video
Manzo Named 2021 Staff of the Year
Congratulations to Juanita Manzo, Project Manager for Instruction, who has been named College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) 2021 Staff of the Year. The College’s Staff of the Month for November 2020, Manzo is recognized for her professionalism, attention to detail, and excellence.
“CWI’s innovative spirit has always inspired me, and this past year it showed up in new ways,” she said. “In order to navigate brand new challenges no one could have predicted, CWI continued to innovate to meet them with resilience, compassion, creativity and purpose. Therefore, our students were able to continue to work toward their dreams. I am proud to be a part of the CWI community.”
Read more about Manzo
Watch: 2021 Employee Recognition Video
Walk Into Fall Wellness Challenge
The start of fall semester also means the beginning of a new round of 21-day challenges for College of Western Idaho (CWI) employees. Begin the 2021-2022 academic year on the right foot by signing up to participate in September’s wellness challenge, Walk into Fall. The goal of this challenge is to walk as much as possible for 21 days, Sept. 1 – 21.
September is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Idaho weather. This challenge is a perfect reason to step away from your computer between meetings or classes for a quick walk. Maybe you have a friend or family member you can catch up with as you walk together, or, perhaps, you have a pet who would love some extra walking attention. Whatever the motivation, we invite you to join us as we Walk into Fall!
Sign up to participate by Wednesday, Sept. 1. Visit the Culture and Employee Engagement Committee site on myCWI for all the details including:
- How to sign up
- Participation requirements
- Tracking resources
- Submission information
- Valuable tips and inspiration for adding more steps into your day
Submit your participation by Thursday, Sept. 30, for your chance to win some awesome prizes!
Employee Email Signatures
Employee email signatures displaying the College’s new brand are looking great! Please take time to review the following important tips related to best practice for email signatures.
- It is important to stay consistent with the template provided – this ensures the brand is accurately represented.
- Standard signatures help validate authenticity of email, representing official institution communication. Two (2) logo options are now available for the graphic.
- Email is an official use of your College account and needs to follow policies in place for communications, use of email, and messages.
- Follow Brand Guidelines and refer to the guidelines when in question or uncertain on do's and don'ts.
Below are a few frequently asked questions about the email signature template:
- How does a standardized email signature help with security of an email?
Branded signatures can assist in ensuring emails are safe and valid, especially to your regular contacts. Bad actors usually do not include your branded signature when spoofing email addresses, and your contacts should be able recognize the email did not actually come from you.' - Do we have to use the graphic provided?
No, the graphic is optional. Please note – an additional graphic of just the CWI logo has been added as an option. All available email signatures and instructions on how to add signatures to your account are available on myCWI. - I don’t like the font. I want to use something different.
This is a College email account and must align with CWI’s brand. Therefore, using the template provided with the fonts, sizes, colors, and layout is required. Changing any part of the signature template diminishes the legitimacy of our emails as people may confuse it as being spam or from an outside party. You can select a font for the body of your email. - Instead of a logo or pictures, can I still put a quote at the bottom of my signature?
As an official business account, individuals need to make sure their signatures are not tied to any personal beliefs, political interest (HR 250 - Policy), or any other statements and/or quotes. Please make sure these are not included in your signature. - This template provided doesn’t match the background I use.
Do not set a background in your emails. Having one is not part of the College’s template, and it will also cause external companies to block your account as it may be read as spam. - The template provided is too long and takes up too much space. I like the version I’ve created with the same fonts, colors, and logo.
This is a College account, and the template provided is the approved email signature for CWI communications. Shortening your replies with a condensed version of the template is okay, but do not modify the original, portrait version of your primary signature. - The graphic is too big. Can I make it smaller?
Remember, the graphic is optional, and an alternate option is available on myCWI with just the logo. Graphics are sized to maximize clarity of lettering and the artwork while still maintaining a small size that pairs well with the dimensions of CWI’s email signature block. Any rescaling of the graphic will alter the graphics quality, legibility, and effectiveness. Please keep the image in your signature at its current dimensions or remove.
Included below is the original email releasing CWI’s current signature block and links to Resources on myCWI as well as some signature style examples that do not follow the guidelines listed above. We appreciate the creativity and excitement but ask everyone to update their signatures with the template provided. If you have questions not answered above, please reach out to Communications and Marketing at communications@cwi.edu.
CWI Introduces New Mobile App
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is excited to announce the release of a new mobile app with updated features including optimized Blackboard performance.
Put CWI in your pocket – use the app to help you navigate campus locations, view your schedule, receive important notifications from the College, and learn about news and events on campus. A highlight of the new app is its ability to better serve students and faculty with improved functionality with Blackboard, creating a better mobile experience. Once you download the app, follow the link, and enter to win an iPad or a pair of AirPods Pro. The giveaway runs until Sept. 6, 2021.
Additionally, the app includes a link to our Be Safe webpage for up-to-date information related to COVID-19 procedures and guidelines, campus safety measures, student services availability, and resources.
Already have the app? You still need to download the new version from the App Store or Google Play, and delete the outdated version from your mobile device.
