CWI News—Feb. 25, 2022
In the Spotlight
To honor and celebrate Black History Month, Student Engagement and Latinx Student Services took students on a trip this week to the Black History Museum in Boise. Students learned about Black history in the state of Idaho and in the nation and enjoyed discussion on the topic during lunch together.
President's Message
I would like to thank all of the faculty, staff, and students who have sent me kind messages and shared encouraging stories as I approach the end of my second month on the job.
I’m enjoying the opportunities to meet and talk with a fantastic team at the College. Earlier this month, I had a chance to speak with Business majors during the Local Speaker Series. I was so impressed with the students’ commitment to their education and their questions – and as I have said before, you can match the work ethic of Idahoans to anyone in the country.
Our commitment to delivering high-quality and affordable educational opportunities makes CWI a valuable member of our community, and I am incredibly proud to work with all of you in the endeavor to empower students.
Additionally, we also see encouraging signs on the COVID-19 health front. Still, I would like to remind all of you to take care of yourself and your families as we continue to navigate the pandemic and focus on both your mental and physical health.
I’m excited, and I continue to look forward to meeting and connecting with more of you on campus in the upcoming months – our students plus CWI equals a bright future for our community.
News Highlights
CWI Launches Work-Based Learning Center
College of Western Idaho's (CWI) new Work-Based Learning Center is an exciting resource connecting students and the business community to combine classroom learning with hands-on work experience.
"This is such a great opportunity for the CWI student population," said John Russ, Director of the Work-Based Learning Center. "Students feel supported, encouraged, and are able to see how their education connects directly to career opportunities. I’m excited to lead the vision of the Work-Based Learning Center and look forward to students and employers benefiting from the Center.”
The Work-Based Learning Center offers a connection between students and employers by combining instruction with practical work experience. Students choose the correct academic pathway to support their goals by working with staff through one-on-one assistance, finding hands-on internships, job shadowing, apprenticeships, and providing employers with tools for financial assistance.
"I can't thank the staff enough at the Work-Based Learning Center for all their encouragement and wonderful resources," underscored CWI Biology graduate Rachel Pender, who recently accepted a full-time position in the anatomic cytology lab at St. Luke's as an apprentice. "It's made this whole process so much more enjoyable, feeling like I have people rooting for me."
Assistant Vice President of Economic Development, Christi Gilchrist adds, "Students succeed when the classroom learning experience connects to employment and career opportunities. With faculty busy teaching and businesses busy running their businesses, the Work-Based Learning Center is the connector for students and employers. The center would not be possible if the Idaho Workforce Development Council had not engaged in a statewide endeavor to focus and define Work-Based Learning."
The development of this center illustrates CWI's commitment to empowering the community by providing this student and employer centric center focusing on connecting CWI students to employers in key sectors of the economy.
Russ added, "The creation of the Work-Based Learning Center, will also strengthen CWI's impact on the local economy, employment and community engagement. Employers are excited to have a single point of contact with the College to get the word out about the many opportunities they have to offer."
Visit the Work-Based Learning Center online, or call 208.562.2562 to learn more.
Business Students Meet President Jones
College of Western Idaho (CWI) President Gordon Jones had the opportunity to speak to 80 students Wednesday, Feb. 9, as part of the Business department’s Local Speaker Series. President Jones answered questions from students attending in-person and via Zoom about his background and path to CWI and posed the question, “What’s your why for CWI?”
“What an incredible opportunity this was to connect with students and hear from the new leader of our vibrant community here at CWI,” said student, Flora Koenig.
Next up in the Local Speaker Series is Adam Haynes of Rolling H Cycles who will speak to students Wednesday, March 2.
CWI Food Pantry Heroes
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) food pantries are a vital source of support for our campus community. As our students may know, focusing on your studies while wondering where your next meal is coming from is difficult. In 2019, a CWI survey revealed that 40% of our students have experienced food insecurities, which negatively impacts student success.
The CWI food pantries are stocked on a volunteer basis, and for this reason, it is not always easy to keep them filled. Fortunately, ours is a generous community. A number of students, faculty, and staff have generously given from their hearts and their wallets to help ensure students have the food and hygiene items they need.
Recent CWI food pantry heroes include:
- Courtney Santillan
Dean of Social Sciences and Public Affairs
At the beginning of Spring 2022 semester, Courtney donated $250 worth of food and hygiene goods to help us kick off the new year with full pantry shelves.
- Jaime Barajas
Assistant Director, Admissions and Recruitment
Jaime’s family buys noodle cups and ramen each time they go grocery shopping and collect them in a box at home. Once the box is full, they donate it to a shelter. This past fall, they chose to donate to the CWI pantries.
- Joe Welker
Associate Professor, Accounting
Joe holds food drives in his classes every semester. He and his students have donated many bags of goods to the pantries.
- Steven Fairweather
Security Guard, Canyon County Campus
Steven and his wife watch for sales and regularly buy an extra case or two of canned goods to share with CWI students.
- Kory Sparks
CWI Graduate, Professional Nursing
Last semester, Kory was looking to complete a community health project assignment for one of her nursing classes at Boise State. Lucky for us, she decided to partner with CWI’s Student Nurses Association to coordinate a food donation competition between the two nursing cohorts, faculty, and staff. The competition resulted in close to 500+ food and hygiene items for our pantries.
- Stephanie Ritchie Breach
Former CWI faculty and Faculty Senate President
During the holiday season, Stephanie and her family created and donated approximately 100 hygiene kits filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving products, soap, and shampoo.
We want to shout a loud and grateful THANK YOU to these members of our CWI com
munity and many others who privately add items to the pantry shelves, care about our students, and help where they can. Your donations do not go unnoticed, and we appreciate you!
Those wishing to donate to the CWI food pantries, please do! Grab-and-go lunch items and snacks are the most utilized items. Canned vegetables, pastas, sauces, and other items a person might take home to make a meal do not move as quickly through our pantries. Please be sure to check expiration dates on donated items.
The College is actively seeking local businesses and organizations who might want to sponsor the pantries for a month. If you know of a potential sponsor, please contact Christy Babcock in Counseling and Wellness Services at christybabcock@cwi.edu or 208.562.2371.
Summer 2022 Registration
Registration for new, continuing, and returning students for College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Summer 2022 semester is now open! Summer classes begin Monday, June 6.
Summer classes are only eight weeks and earn the same credits as a full Fall or Spring semester class. Students have many reasons for taking summer classes including completing their core classes, getting ahead in their degree plan to graduate early, and allowing them to take fewer classes in the Fall and Spring.
Important Dates
Admission Deadline May 28
Registration Deadline June 3
Classes Start June 6
Continuing and Returning Students
Course offerings can be viewed in SelfService which is accessible through the Toolkit on myCWI.
New Students
New to CWI? New, degree and non-degree seeking students need to apply to CWI prior to registering for classes. Visit Applying to CWI for a complete list of steps to get started.
Non-Degree Seeking
- Upon completion of the application process and once accepted to CWI, new, non-degree seeking students can immediately register for classes.
Degree Seeking
- Upon completion of the application process and once accepted to CWI, new, degree-seeking students must participate in New Student Orientation prior to registering for classes.
Financial Aid
Contact Financial Aid at financialaid@cwi.edu to learn more about options available for students in need of financial assistance.
Students are encouraged to contact One Stop Student Services or their Student Success Advisor with any questions or concerns. Registration for summer will be open through Friday, June 3.
Register for Summer 2022 Classes
2021-2022 Academic Calendar
Springtime Greens Time 21-Day Challenge
Are you eating the recommended amounts of vegetables and fruits? Sign up to participate in March’s Employee Wellness Challenge, Springtime Greens Time, by Monday, Feb. 28! As a participant of this challenge, your goal will be to eat the daily amounts of vegetables and fruits for 21-days as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Using the FDA’s MyPlate app or tools available on the MyPlate website, participants can create a personalized plan for these amounts. Additional instructions on utilizing MyPlate to create a plan for your daily amounts of vegetables and fruits can be found in the Resources section on the challenge webpage.
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, information, and resources to get you started
Submit your participation data by Thursday, March 31, for your chance to win some awesome prizes, including meal preparation containers and cookbooks.
Join CWI in Celebrating Women’s History
College of Western Idaho’s Student Affairs and Latinx Student Services invite you to celebrate Women’s History Month in March.
Learn about the history, achievements, and strength of women by watching the following films, available March 1-31 for free using your CWI login:
She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry
Then, plan to join Poder of Idaho and guest speaker, Estefania Mondragon, March 29, as she shares stories and experiences of migrant women with toxic masculinity and assaults.
Women's History Guest Speaker – Tuesday, March 29
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Nampa Campus Academic Building, 2nd Floor Atrium
Contact Student Engagement and Programs Coordinator, Natalia Rojas, at nataliarojas@cwi.edu with questions or to learn more.
CWI eSports Team Looking for Gamers
Have you ever considered joining an eSports team? College of Western Idaho’s Gaming Club is looking for students to join the College’s new eSports Team. Students interested are encouraged to attend an open house, Friday, March 4.
eSports Open House
Noon – 4 p.m.
Ada County Center Pintail Building, Rooms 1211 and 1230.
Join the Gaming Club on Discord for information about the team and to attend the open house virtually. Following the open house, the Club will be sorting teams, so don’t miss out!
Contact Rick Del Vecchio at rickdelvecchio@cwi.edu with questions.
Professional Development Opportunity for Employees
Center for Teaching and Learning is excited to welcome Dr. J. Luke Wood as this year’s keynote speaker for College of Western Idaho's (CWI) annual faculty professional development event. All CWI employees, including staff, are invited to participate in this virtual professional development opportunity, via Zoom, on Friday, March 4, from 9 – 11 a.m.
Dr. Wood is Vice President of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity and Dean’s Distinguished Professor of Education at San Diego State University. As the Co-Director of the Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL), a national research and practice center that partners with community colleges to support their capacity in advancing outcomes for underserved students of color, he will be presenting on "Underserved Students in Community Colleges: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities."
Underserved Students in Community Colleges: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities
Friday, March 4
9 – 11 a.m.
Zoom Meeting ID: 978 3572 8368
Passcode: 188332
Presentation Summary: While community colleges have served as the primary pathway to postsecondary education for students who have been historically underrepresented and underserved in education, outcome gaps between these students and their peers persist. Thus, improving student success outcomes for underserved students and closing long-standing equity gaps are essential to meeting the nation’s goal of increasing the proportion of Americans who hold college degrees or certificates. This workshop unpacks societal and institutional factors that influence belonging, welcomeness to engage, and success for underserved students. Institutional actions for serving these students equitably and responsibly will be proposed and discussed.
Contact Casey Brown at caseybrown@cwi.edu with questions or to learn more.
Spring 2022 Job & Career Fair
Looking for employment? Join College of Western Idaho March 9 and 10 for the Spring 2022 Job & Career Fair to meet with employers from across the Treasure Valley who are ready to put your skills to work! Employers are looking for office managers, CNAs, social workers, construction workers, equipment operators, mechanics, and more.
Wednesday, March 9
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Ada County Center Pintail Building
Employers:
- Boise Centre
- Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity
- Busy Excavating and Landscaping
- Girl Scouts of Silver Sage
- HumanGood
- Idaho State Department of Agriculture
- KPFF Consulting Engineers
- The Blower Shop
- Transit Management of Ada County
- Williams Energy Companies
Thursday, March 10
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Nampa Campus Academic Building
Employers:
- Boise Centre
- Boise Daycare & Learning Center
- Boise State University
- Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity
- Girl Scouts of Silver Sage
- Idaho State Department of Agriculture
- Impact Cleaning Solutions
- KPFF Consulting Engineers
- Terra Nova Technologies
- Terry Reilly Health Services
- The Blower Shop
- Transit Management of Ada County
- Valley County
- Valvoline
- Williams Energy Companies
- and MORE!
Contact Amber Eubanks, Assistant Director of Student Engagement, at ambereubanks@cwi.edu with questions or to learn more.
Employee Training Opportunities: March 2022
The beginning of 2022 marked the launch of College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Virtual Learning Center (VLC) for employees. In addition to mandatory trainings, employees are encouraged to take part in optional, professional development opportunities offered each month through the VLC. Below is a preview of trainings available in March.
Coaching & Development: How to Have Difficult Conversations for Managers
In-Person or Online, via Zoom
Learn how to manage performance when an employee is not meeting expectations. This training will cover when coaching/corrective action is appropriate, how to use CWI coaching/corrective action tools when addressing ineffective behavior, and how to have effective coaching and performance management conversations.
- Wednesday, March 9
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Nampa Campus Micron Education Center, Room 1701 A
Sign up for this training and more by visiting the VLC accessible through the PageUp User Dashboard under "My Community". Please share this opportunity with members of your teams and departments. Contact Human Resources Business Partner, Casey Brown, at caseybrown@cwi.edu with questions.
