CWI News – Feb 28, 2025
News Highlights
Every Drop is a Lifeline: Join the Blood Drive
There's a critical need for blood donors! To provide lifesaving support for those most in need, the Student Nurses Association (SNA) at College of Western Idaho (CWI) and the American Red Cross are teaming up to host a Blood Drive.
Blood Drive
Friday, March 7
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Canyon County Center (CYNC), Room 220
Those willing to donate are asked to sign up prior to the event. People can schedule a time to donate on the Red Cross webpage.
An Event-Full March at the CWI Entrepreneur Lab
March is packed with events hosted by College of Western Idaho's (CWI) Entrepreneur Lab, designed to spark your entrepreneurial spirit and equip you with valuable knowledge. Get ready for a month filled with exciting opportunities to learn, connect, and grow your business!
Idea, Set, Go
Have a new business idea but unsure where to start? Join our Idea, Set, Go cohort! Over 4 weeks, we’ll help you validate your business idea through experiments and research to determine if it’s ready for launch. Don't spend valuable time and energy without a solid plan—let us guide you to success!
Next-Level Accelerator
Already have a business in motion? Take it to the next level with our Next-Level Accelerator. This 8-week program will provide you with the tools and support to refine your value proposition, dig deeper into your business’s details, and execute hands-on experiments that’ll elevate your business to new heights.
First Steps
Wednesday, March 12
Noon – 1 p.m.
Nampa Campus Micron Education Center, Room 100B
Register for First Steps
Ryan Stewart will be our featured speaker this month. He’s a seasoned entrepreneur from Middleton, Idaho, who has built a diverse business portfolio, including a franchised tire shop, car washes, and a Moxie Java franchise, all while balancing family life with his wife and three sons.
Business Basics
Wednesday, March 19
3 – 4 p.m.
The Idaho Hispanic Community Center
Register for Business Basics
Christina Reyes will deliver her presentation titled, “Empowering Minority Entrepreneurs: Access to Financing and Support for Minority Business Owners.” In it, she will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing minority entrepreneurs, focusing on access to financing and community support.
Field Trip: Unbound at Meridian Library
Friday, March 21
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Meridian Library – Unbound
Register for the Field Trip
Join us for this exciting field trip to Unbound at Meridian Library where we explore cutting-edge tools and skill workshops on marketing, coding and business.
Don’t miss out on these incredible opportunities to learn, connect, and grow your business! Stay tuned for more updates and details on upcoming events.
Smith Wins 2025 Connections Project Logo Contest
College of Western Idaho (CWI) student Megan Smith’s artistic vision will take center stage at this year’s Connections Project. Smith, a Studio Art student, was selected as the winner of the 2025 Connections Project Logo Contest, an annual competition inviting students to create a design representing CWI’s annual academic and creative showcase.
Smith, who earned her first Associate of Arts degree in Studio Art from CWI in 2024, is currently working toward a second Associate of Arts degree in Elementary Education. She plans to transfer to Boise State University (BSU) to complete a bachelor’s degree. When she learned about the contest through art classes, she saw it as an opportunity to challenge herself.
“In at least two of my classes we had the option to submit something for extra credit,” Smith said. “I did it for the class at first and didn’t think too much about it, but then an idea popped into my head, and I got excited.”
To develop her concept, Smith explored the Connections Project website and consulted with her professor, April Vandegrift. She was inspired by the event’s mission to highlight student talent across disciplines.
“My original idea featured a plant with leaves and people climbing them,” Smith shared. “After working through different concepts with my professor, we decided this version was the strongest.”
A passionate artist from a young age, Smith enjoys working with oil paints and charcoal but has recently explored digital and graphic art. She found creating the winning logo to be a satisfying experience and a new way to express her creativity.
For Smith, CWI has been an ideal place to pursue her education.
“I’ve been paying for college out of pocket and taking as many classes as I can each semester,” she said. “CWI was the best option for me in high school, even compared to other schools that offered scholarships. I’m sad to leave soon because it’s been such a great experience.”
The Connections Project, set to take place in spring 2025, celebrates student achievements in research, creative work, and innovation across multiple disciplines. The annual showcase invites students, faculty, and the community to explore and engage with CWI’s vibrant academic and artistic community.
Smith’s logo will serve as the official branding for the event, appearing on promotional materials, event signage, and more.
Visit the Connections Project page for more information and to learn how to participate.
February Highlights from the Entrepreneur Lab
February was a busy one at the College of Western Idaho Entrepreneur Lab! Here’s a recap of some news in case you missed it.
Business Basics: Building Your Business Blueprint
In February, we hosted another valuable Business Basics event, where Joe Welker, associate professor at College of Western Idaho (CWI) and owner of a CPA firm, shared his extensive knowledge on laying the foundation for a successful business. Joe, with years of experience in business structure, record-keeping, and tax filing, guided attendees through the crucial early steps of entrepreneurship.
Unable to attend? Don't worry! The video recording is available for you to watch at your convenience.
Our next Business Basics event will take place on March 19, where we’ll dive deeper into the essential tools and strategies for building a thriving business. Don’t hesitate to register on our website, we can’t wait to see you there!
Entrepreneur Lab Space Makeover
In case you haven’t noticed, the Entrepreneur Lab space has gotten a makeover! We’ve added some vibrant new colors and designs to our windows and walls, all thanks to the talented folks at Trademark Designs. We hope our theme “Experiment with Entrepreneurship” is inspiring and captivates the space, providing you with a place to brainstorm new innovations.
Come check out the new decor and enjoy the refreshed atmosphere that makes this such a dynamic think tank for all things entrepreneurial!
That’s a wrap for February! Stay tuned for more exciting updates and upcoming events.
For those passionate about business, the Entrepreneur Lab are ready to help you launch.
CWI Launches Public Phase of $138 Million Powering the Treasure Valley Campaign
College of Western Idaho (CWI) has taken a significant step toward shaping the future of education in Idaho with the launch of the public phase of its $138 million Powering the Treasure Valley campaign. This ambitious initiative is designed to expand student scholarships, enhance academic programs, and fund critical capital projects to support workforce development across the region.
With 89% of the campaign’s funding already secured, CWI is now inviting the community to play a role in shaping the future by contributing to the final $13.1 million needed to reach its goal. The campaign’s public phase was announced following the recent groundbreaking of the CapEd Student Success Center, a cornerstone of the initiative on CWI’s Nampa Campus.
“This campaign is about more than just building facilities—it’s about building futures,” said Mark Arstein, Vice President of Advancement at CWI. “We are calling on the community to partner with us in empowering students and strengthening the economic foundation of the Treasure Valley.”
The Powering the Treasure Valley campaign prioritizes projects that will expand access to education and provide state-of-the-art learning environments to meet the region’s growing needs. Key initiatives include:
- CapEd Student Success Center – A dedicated space to support students in achieving their academic and career goals.
- Health and Science Building – Modern facilities to train students for in-demand careers in healthcare and medical sciences.
- Agricultural Sciences Complex – Innovative learning spaces to support Idaho’s critical agricultural industry.
- Boise Campus Expansion – A flexible learning hub for programs such as Information Technology, Business, and Adult Education.
Beyond these capital projects, the campaign will also increase scholarships and strengthen academic programs to ensure students have the support they need to succeed.
CWI’s initiative is not just about expanding its physical footprint — it’s about fostering economic growth by aligning education with the evolving needs of local industries. By providing affordable, high-quality education, CWI is preparing students for careers that will drive the future of the Treasure Valley.
The College encourages individuals, businesses, and organizations to contribute to this transformative effort. With community support, CWI can create a lasting impact on students, businesses, and the region.
To learn more about the Powering the Treasure Valley campaign or to make a donation, visit CWI’s website.
Ordering Promo Items Just Got Easier
College of Western Idaho's (CWI) Marketing department is working to empower departments to reach out directly to vendors for promotional item orders. To help uphold the College's brand, and allow departments to collaborate with vendors more easily, Marketing has created the CWI Logo Usage Guide for Vendors along with a useful list of approved those companies that CWI works with. All this information can be found for ongoing reference under Employee Resources > Communications & Marketing on my.cwi.edu.
PLEASE NOTE:
- As a standard practice, Marketing works directly with vendors regarding the sending and use of CWI logo files and does not share these design files internally.
- Marketing will still need to be involved in the review and approval process for items requested by departments (see more details on the order workflow in the Usage Guide).
- At this time, this guide is exclusive to our Institutional brand. Coming soon will be a supplemental guide for our new mascot, the Otter. If you want to include the Otter before Marketing sends the guide and assets to vendors, you will need provide details about the item (color, imprint size, imprint colors, etc.) to Marketing in order to send the vendor appropriate file(s).
Don't hesitate to reach out to communications@cwi.edu if you have any questions.
