CWI News – Jan. 24, 2024
In the Spotlight
Students and faculty from the Agricultural and Horticultural programs participated in the Idaho Horticulture Expo at the Boise Centre from Jan. 22 – 24. During the event, four scholarships (three $1000 and one $1500) were presented by Idaho Nursery & Landscape Association. All four went to CWI students!
News Highlights
What's Happening With AI at CWI: From Adoption to Adaptation
Colleges and industries across the nation and globe are all talking about AI and its impacts on education and the workforce. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is compelling College of Western Idaho (CWI) to recognize these seismic shifts, join conversations, and position the College to adapt successfully in meeting the needs of students, faculty, staff, and ultimately the communities we all serve.
AI’s Major Impact
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being adopted at unprecedented rates (St.Louis Fed, 2024). There is no doubt that students are using it, and many will need AI literacy to be competitive in the workplace. “More than half of the students surveyed worried about AI’s impact on them achieving their college and career goals," and “65% said they would like the curriculum to include AI training to help better prepare them for their future careers.” (Inside Higher Ed, 2024) According to a National University 2024 study, 77% of companies are either using or exploring AI usage in their businesses.”
“To fulfill CWI's mission, it's essential that we actively embrace the opportunities and challenges presented by Generative AI in teaching, learning, and student support," said CWI President Gordon Jones. “By equipping our students with the skills and education to use AI tools, we enhance their employability and prepare them for the workforce."
In response, members of the President’s Cabinet approved the creation of CWI’s AI Committee in Summer 2024. This cross-institutional group focuses on supporting CWI’s needs in various areas of this fast-evolving AI landscape, such as planning, communication, and policy updates.
View Charter Members & Learn More
Department Updates
Launching Spring 2025 semester are significant developments in CWI’s use of AI. Watch for more details on these in the coming weeks:
- Credit Instruction has secured an enterprise-level contract with local startup Guardrailz, which provides secure access to multiple GenAI models (such as ChatGPT) to all faculty and students.
- Workforce Development is launching a non-credit course in partnership with Guardrailz that teaches participants about AI tools and how to have the best results through effective prompt writing. This course will be available for free to any CWI staff or faculty.
- The Writing Center is opening the inaugural AI Literacy Center as the college-wide source for providing all students with support in AI. This includes navigating AI policies and assignments, ethical approaches, concerns and ideas, all with a focus on developing students’ essential AI literacy. The AI Literacy Center is set to open week 3 of spring semester.
Community & Training Opportunities
The AI Committee encourages you to join in the exploration of GenAI and how it’s changing teaching, learning, operations, and the student experience. All perspectives and experience levels are needed and welcome.
AI can be an overwhelming topic! If you are not sure where to start, we recommend:
- Watching this 20-minute video that explains AI in practical terms: Generative AI in a Nutshell - how to survive and thrive in the age of AI.
- Just trying it! Put an email you are struggling to write into the Copilot chat. Prompt it to revise it to be more concise, professional, kind, etc. See what it can do for you. (See the instructions on accessing Microsoft Copilot below.)
- Reaching out to a committee member from your division/department to discuss how they are exploring and thinking about the use of AI.
Additional Resources & Fun Things to Explore
Ongoing, Informal Conversation, & Support
- Request to be added to the chat, CWI AI Learning Community, on Teams.
- Join weekly AI drop-in sessions focusing on updating assessments hosted by CWI faculty, Liza Long on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. on Zoom.
- Attend OSBE Statewide Generative AI Drop-In Sessions: Noon – 1 p.m. on Jan. 23, Feb. 27, and April 24. Join Zoom at this link. See all Spring Office of the State Board of Education events here.
Teaching & Learning Resources
- CWI CTL SharePoint: AI at CWI resources for faculty
- State of Idaho AI Resource Guide: A Guide to Teaching and Learning with Artificial Intelligence
- Student Resources
- Ethical use and classroom guidance for students in this chapter from CWI 101 OER textbook, “Principles for Using AI in the Classroom and Acknowledgement Statements” by Joel Gladd and Liza Long
- Interactive badge in MyCommons: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Basics Badge
Free, Self-Paced Online Courses
- Generative AI for University Leaders | Coursera; 1-4 hours
- AI for Educators: Offered by Microsoft, free, 3 hours
Most recommended book: Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, Mollick, Ethan
Tool Tip
Did you know all CWI staff, faculty, and students have free access to Microsoft Copilot? This GenAI tool does not use or share data entered it if you are logged in to your CWI account. However, you should still never put students’ Personally Identifiable Information (PII) into any AI tool.
- To access Copilot, log in to your CWI account, open up your browser using Microsoft Edge, and click on the Copilot icon.
- A new tab will open. Double check that your name is in the upper right corner to ensure the Enterprise data protection applies to the chat.
- Start a new chat!
- Confirm your conversation is protected by checking for the green shield near the top right.
For more information on Co-Pilot for Enterprise, read more here:
Meet your AI assistant for education: Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft Education Blog
Giving Tree Results: Your Generosity Made A Difference!
During the Fall 2024 semester, a range of College of Western Idaho (CWI) organizations, including the Psychology Club, Psi Beta, Student Nurses Association, Social Work Club, Business Program, and Campus Safety and Security partnered with CASA of Southwest Idaho, an independent non-profit organization representing the best interests of children in foster care, to conduct the Giving Tree toy drive. The CWI community's active participation led to an impressive collection of over 400 presents as well as $300 worth of gift cards, and we want to share our thanks with the CWI community.
Stephanie Mitchell, Grant & Gift Manager with CASA of Southwest Idaho, echoed this appreciation. “We express our deepest gratitude to the College of Western Idaho community for their generous donations of striking and stimulating gifts for the local children who have suffered abuse, neglect, or abandonment and are subsequently placed in the foster care system. As a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), we are privileged to champion the best interests of each child throughout their child protection proceedings. Armed with your contributions, we ensured that the children under our care received an age-suitable Christmas present - something novel they can claim as their own. Your assistance enabled us to sprinkle some Christmas enchantment on these vulnerable local children. We are indebted to you for your collaboration. Thank you, CWI!"
A Surgical Success: How Nichelle Boyce Achieved Her Dreams With CWI
Resilient and determined, Nichelle Boyce, a graduate of College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Surgical Technology program, has turned challenges into opportunities. From teen motherhood to a thriving career, her journey is a testament to perseverance and the power of support in achieving dreams.
Boyce's drive to forge her own path, graduate ahead of schedule, and begin her journey into higher education was discovered as a teenager. At age 15, she discovered she was pregnant — a significant life change at any age, but especially so for one so young. Rather than being daunted and delaying her educational plans, Boyce did the opposite by moving her timeline up and heading off to college early.
A Rocky Beginning
Her first year was marked by rocky challenges — from being a mother amidst thousands of traditional freshman students to two hospital visits during final exams week — resulting in an incomplete semester and student loan debt.
“It was hard in lots of ways, including with friends. They’d want to go out and do things that I just couldn’t because I needed to be home with my kids,” Boyce said. “In addition to that, the relationship I was in had become very unhealthy. By the time I decided I needed to leave [the university], I had two children.”
Rather than completely giving up, Boyce reoriented and chose to attend CWI — looking back she believes this was the best choice she could have made. Not only did she find high-quality, caring faculty, but tuition was more affordable and access to scholarships and online classes helped her to be flexible.
Another differentiator between CWI and her previous university was the student body, many of whom were also “untraditional,” with differences in age, culture, life experiences, and socioeconomic status. “Because there is such a good mixture of students at CWI, there weren’t cliques like there can be in traditional institutions,” said Boyce. "If someone was struggling, almost everyone was willing to sit down and help them figure it out, and that was true in most of the classes.”
Support & Sacrifice
To make her educational aspirations a reality, Boyce balanced multiple jobs — all while being a single parent. In addition to hard-earned income, help also came in the form of the LTH Don’t Give Up Scholarship. Established by former CWI employee, Nikki Irving, its purpose is to help single parents achieve their dreams of going to college.
Boyce says because of scholarships like this she was able to remain debt-free. “I was able to get to where I wasn’t just surviving, but also even thriving. I could start to clear my mind and focus on being a mom and reaching my goals.”
Her path, however, had never been without sacrifice and her two young children were along for the ride. She remembers telling them, “I know you guys are sick of not being able to do so many things, but we still have a lot of goals to accomplish. How about when I’m done with school, we start saving for a trip to Disneyland?” The kids were all in!
Education Leads to Job Offers
After working through CWI’s Surgical Technology program, it came time for Boyce to start clinical rotations at local hospitals for on-the-job training. “I went to several different hospitals, and every single one of them offered me a job. I was able to start working before I even graduated.”
Now with the job that she had worked so hard for, it also came time to save. To help the kids see how they were progressing towards their Disneyland trip, she printed a simple chart for them to track progress. Every time they saved $100, her children would color in one of several pictured Disney characters.
“The kids kept at it. Finally, we got them all filled in and went to Disney! It was surreal because I never thought I'd be able to take my kids to do something like that,” she said.
For Boyce, another poignant moment came a few months after starting her career as a Surgical Technologist at a Boise hospital. “It took me a while to really comprehend everything that happened. I remember I was sitting there in my living room, and I was like, I can't believe that I can finish my shift, drop the kids off at school, and come to a home that’s ours and where all our stuff is,” said Boyce. “I don't have to worry about anybody hurting us and it feels safe. I feel safe, and I couldn’t believe I’d taken my kids to Disneyland!
Still Dreaming
On the College’s Nampa Campus, construction of the new Health and Sciences Building is well underway as the College expands to meet growing demand. At a ceremony marking the “topping off,” or placement, of the final metal beam, Boyce was invited to attend as an honored guest. Along with her two children, they had an opportunity to sign their names before the beam was lifted by a crane and secured into place. It was a significant moment for program faculty, state and local officials, and students alike, but especially so for the young surgical technologist and her children.
Boyce has long advocated for the education and experience available at CWI. Now, with her natural enthusiasm for surgical technology and the tools she prepares daily for life-saving surgeries — not to mention her gritty tenacity — her story is being featured for the trauma hospital, Saint Alphonsus.
Passionate about continuing to develop her education, her desire to dream big continues; “I’m thinking about going back to school for biomedical or mechanical engineering.” While she contemplates returning to school, hopefully she and her children also get to return to Disneyland.
Interested in a career in healthcare? Investigate opportunities through CWI’s Health Programs.
Cyber Newsletter: Popular Cyber Scams Series 4
“Individuals Posing as Employees of a Company”
Fraudulent individuals posing as an organization’s associates often call the customers requesting credit card information. Please note that these calls are fraudulent. Organizations will not call or email customers asking for account or credit card information.
If you receive a call claiming to be from an organization that you do business with and requesting your credit card number to charge you a small fee to resolve a technical issue, please hang up immediately and contact the Federal Trade Commission to report the fraudulent call at DoNotCall.gov.
If you need to make any changes to your account, please login to your account online.
Essential tips to help avoid falling victim to online phishing and phone scams:
- Stay Alert: Be cautious of unexpected emails, texts or calls requesting personal or financial information. Always verify the sender's identity before sharing any sensitive details.
- Verify Requests: If you receive a suspicious message or call claiming to be from a trusted organization, independently verify the request through official channels.
- Protect Personal Information: Avoid sharing sensitive information like passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers over the phone or online unless you initiated the contact and are certain of the recipient's authenticity.
- Use Security Software: Install reputable antivirus and anti-malware software on your devices to help detect and prevent phishing attempts. Keep your software up-to-date to ensure optimal protection.
- Educate Yourself: Stay informed about the latest phishing and phone scam tactics. Be wary of common techniques such as urgent requests for money, threats of legal action, or offers that seem too good to be true.
- Report Suspicious Activity: If you suspect you've encountered a phishing attempt or phone scam, report it to the appropriate authorities, such as your bank, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or local law enforcement.
For more information about CWI’s organizational security please contact Michael Wilson at michaelwilson1@cwi.edu
For more information about cyber awareness or cybersecurity, you can either contact Michael Wilson or Sara Hoyt at sarahoyt@cwi.edu or cyberdefense@cwi.edu. Or visit the Cyber Defense Center website
To report a possible cybersecurity issue, please submit a help desk ticket to IT.
Explore Your Options Like Never Before with CWI’s New Program Search
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is revolutionizing the way students explore educational opportunities with the launch of a new program search tool on cwi.edu. Designed to empower students and simplify their journey, enhanced search features will be a game-changer in connecting students with their future.
Developed in collaboration with a leading higher education search platform vendor and shaped by valuable input from stakeholders, program search brings innovation and precision to the digital experience to ensure students have access to a streamlined, personalized, and efficient way to find programs that align with their goals.
An Intuitive, Student-Centered Experience
Program search’s intuitive, student-focused design makes finding the perfect program effortless.
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Students can explore by program, interest, or pathway and refine their search using filters tailored to their individual preferences, including degree or certificate type, program length, transferability, and course delivery style. Whether students know exactly what they want to study or are exploring their options, the tool adapts to meet their needs.
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Dynamic search capabilities continuously improve and personalize results, ensuring every user finds information relevant to their unique journey. This is more than a search tool — it’s a personalized guide to educational discovery.
Guided Pathways for Success
As an upgrade to the previous Programs & Degrees page, program search introduces expanded features, including academic and career pathways.
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These pathways group related programs together, helping students uncover connections between their interests and future careers.
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Each pathway is complemented by dedicated landing pages that showcase similar programs, offering deeper insights and a clearer roadmap for students to follow.
Experience the future of academic exploration with CWI’s new program search. Try it today to see how it can elevate your journey! For questions or feedback, please email communications@cwi.edu.
Beat the Winter Chill: Heating Assistance Available at CWI in partnership with WICAP
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is committed to supporting its community through meaningful partnerships and initiatives. This winter, CWI has joined forces with Western Idaho Community Action Partnership (WICAP) to offer heating assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This program provides vital financial aid to individuals and families struggling to manage the rising costs of home heating.
WICAP representatives will be available to assist eligible individuals on campus at two locations:
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Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NMEC)
Tuesday, Feb. 4
9 a.m. – noon
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Ada County Center Pintail Building (APIN)
Wednesday, Feb. 5
9 a.m. – noon
How to Prepare
This program is open to those who meet specific income eligibility requirements. Participants are encouraged to come prepared with the necessary documentation to expedite the application process.
- Social security cards for all household members
- Last month’s paystubs for all employed household members
- Social security award letter/bank statement if you receive SS, SSI, SSDI
- Both Intermountain Gas and Idaho Power bills (unless you only have one vendor)
- For oil/propane/wood vendors – bring invoice/proof of heating account and Idaho Power bill
Walk-ins are welcome, appointments are available for added convenience and can be scheduled through the CWI Food Pantry by emailing cwifoodpantry@cwi.edu or using YouCanBookMe.
Whether you are a student, faculty, or staff member, take advantage of this valuable resource and help spread the word to others who may benefit. Stay warm and secure this winter season by applying for heating assistance.
For more information, contact the CWI Food Pantry or visit the WICAP website.
CWI Entrepreneur Lab Kicks Off Spring 2025 with Exciting Events
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Entrepreneur Lab is kicking off the 2025 spring semester with a series of inspiring events designed to ignite entrepreneurial passion and equip participants with the tools needed to succeed. Whether you’re exploring the world of entrepreneurship for the first time or looking to expand your skills, February is packed with opportunities tailored for everyone.
With two incredible events scheduled, and available virtually, you can join the action from wherever you are. For more information or to sign up for these events, visit the Entrepreneur Lab. Don’t miss your chance to explore, connect, and take your ideas to the next level. Bring your curiosity, creativity, and big ideas — CWI will provide the rest, including the pizza!
Here’s what’s coming up at the Entrepreneur Lab:
First Steps
Friday, Feb. 7
3 – 4 p.m.
Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NCAB), 100B
This monthly session lays the foundation for turning ideas into reality. Whether you are curious about starting a business or ready to take the leap, this event will inspire you to take your first steps.
Speakers Jimmie and Sheryl Wisler, owners of International Minute Press in Nampa, will share their entrepreneurial journey. Since purchasing their print shop in 2021, they have grown the business by an impressive 70%. With backgrounds in operations, marketing, and management, their story is one of persistence and success, packed with insights to motivate your entrepreneurial aspirations.
Business Basics
Friday, Feb. 14
Noon – 1 p.m.
Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NCAB), 100B
For aspiring entrepreneurs looking to build a solid foundation, this session is all about mastering the essentials. From business setup to record keeping and tax filing, guest speaker Joe Welker will guide you through the key strategies to help your business run smoothly.
This is your chance to gain actionable advice to ensure your entrepreneurial journey gets off to the right start.
Entrepreneur Lab Showcase & Competition
Thursday, April 24
2 – 7 p.m.
Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB)
CWI’s Entrepreneur Lab is joining the annual Connection Project, providing participants the chance to present their business ideas, gain valuable exposure, and compete for prize money. Request your spot now to be included! This dynamic event is the perfect opportunity to showcase your creativity, connect with other innovators, and take significant steps toward achieving your entrepreneurial dreams.
If you have any questions or need further information, reach out to entrepreneurlab@cwi.edu.
Mindfulness Mondays this Spring on Campus
Take a break from your studies, connect with fellow students, and discover the power of yoga at College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Mindfulness Mondays led by experienced instructors from 2C Yoga, a renowned local yoga studio. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to yoga, Mindfulness Mondays offer a supportive space for everyone to thrive.
Mindfulness Mondays are open to all CWI students, and there's no need to worry about bringing a mat — we've got you covered. These drop-in sessions are hosted nearly weekly so you can join any week that fits your schedule and experience the benefits of yoga in a welcoming environment.
Mindfulness Mondays with 2C Yoga
Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB)
Student Lounge, Room 122
Noon – 1 p.m.
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
| Jan 27 | Feb 3 | Mar 3 | Apr 7 | May 5 |
| Feb 10 | Mar 10 | Apr 14 | ||
| Feb 24 | Mar 17 | Apr 21 | ||
| Mar 31 | Apr 28 |
Thanks to our Student Engagement office for partnering with 2C Yoga and for providing this time for you to focus on your overall well-being.
