CWI News – June 16, 2023
News Highlights
Scholarships Open for 2023-2024 Academic Year
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Foundation scholarship application period for the 2023-2024 academic year is now open. Nearly 1,200 scholarships were awarded to students in both academic and career-technical programs at the College for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Scholarships are a great opportunity provided to students at CWI to help pay for their education.
- Scholarships are available for students based on a variety of criteria including, but limited to: fields of study, members of underrepresented groups, residency in certain areas, and demonstrated financial need.
- Typically offered through the College, CWI Foundation, State of Idaho, and other outside sources, scholarships do not have to be repaid.
CWI's scholarship application provides students with automatically-generated scholarship matches, including over 10,000 external scholarship opportunities, allowing students to self-select scholarships of interest.
When applying for a scholarship at CWI, students must answer a short list of questions. Students are then matched to scholarships for which they are eligible. Some scholarships require additional documentation such as an essay or letter of recommendation, while most are automatically matched to eligible students.
2023-2024 Scholarship Application Periods
Scholarships without an essay requirement:
- Open through Nov. 30
Scholarships with an essay requirement:
- June 1 – July 31
- Nov. 1 – Nov. 30
Students interested in applying for scholarships must have the CWI admission application completed, be accepted, and have myCWI login information. Visit the CWI Scholarships page to learn more!
Trades and Manufacturing Career and Job Fair
Calling all skilled workers, technicians, and tradespeople! Idaho Department of Labor and College of Western Idaho (CWI) are teaming up to host a Trades and Manufacturing Fair for those looking for opportunities in the trades and manufacturing industries Tuesday, June 20.
Participating Employers:
- Amalgamated Sugar
- Caldwell Transportation Company
- City of Boise
- City of Caldwell
- CS Beef Packers
- Das-Co
- DZ Grinders, LLC
- Guerdon, LLC
- Nucor Harris Rebar - Boise
- Sorrento Lactalis
- The Stow Company
- Western Heating and Air
- And more!
Idaho Department of Labor will also have personnel information on site for questions on funding services to support Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and academics:
- Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
- Idaho Department of Labor
- Equus Workforce Solutions
CWI Staff will be on hand to support students in the following departments:
- Dual Credit
- Advising
- Department heads and instructors
- Admissions and Enrollment
- Financial Aid
Nampa Campus Micron Education Center
For those with questions or in need of more information about the upcoming career and job fair, please contact CWI’s Work Based Learning Center at wblc@cwi.edu.
Visiting Artist Series Welcomes WEND
Join College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Visiting Artist Series in welcoming band, WEND, to Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB) on Friday, June 23, for a musical performance.
What started as the compositional musings of multi-instrumentalist Riley Johnson, WEND has grown into a collaborative ensemble whose songs emerge from playful improvisation and experimentation. With classical instrumentation nestled into a traditional rock ensemble, WEND uses soaring harmonies, polyrhythms, and meandering melodic motifs to create pieces that seem almost lost in time, being as much a nod to old-world folk as to contemporary psychedelic pop and progressive rock.
Please join us as WEND performs a number of songs, using vocals, harp, bass guitar, drums, synth, violin, viola, and cello, for our CWI community. Following the performance, WEND will open a question and answer session for audience members.
Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB), room 206
CWI’s Visiting Artist Series is made possible through a grant from the Idaho Commission of Arts, which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Visual Artist Series events are free and open to the public.
For those with questions or in need of more information, please contact Goran Fazil at goranfazil@cwi.edu.
McDaid Named April 2023 Staff of the Month
Congratulations to Industry, Engineering, and Trades Lab Manager, Kelly McDaid, who was selected as College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff of the Month for April 2023.
McDaid has been part of the CWI community for the last 14 years, where he came to the College as a Business student. He enrolled at the institution because he didn’t go to college after high school and had always wanted to see how he would do in school after 25 years out.
While McDaid came to the College looking to earn his associate degree, he also found a new path in life along the way — working at CWI. He got his start working in the Facilities department, then became a Shop Assistant for Powersports and Small Engine Repair Technology, and finally transitioned to his current role as Lab Manager. Some of McDaid’s responsibilities include taking care of the labs at Nampa Campus Micron Education Center, purchasing equipment for programs, supervising shop assistants, making sure the labs and equipment are up to date on safety for the students and faculty, and more.
One of McDaid’s other roles on campus is being the Advisor to CWI’s SkillsUSA team, a nationwide organization seeking to improve the quality of our nation's future skilled workforce through personal, workplace, and technical skills training. He began assisting the team while he was working in the Powersports and Small Engine Repair lab when a student won gold at the regional tournaments and went on to nationals. McDaid transitioned into the advisor and helped the club grow — up until the COVID-19 pandemic when things took an abrupt halt for a few years. This year McDaid and the team came back in full swing and are gearing up to send 10 students to Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia, June 19 – 23.
“This is not something I have done alone — it takes a pretty good team to achieve this,” said McDaid.
Watching students succeed and reach milestones is McDaid’s favorite part of the job. Working alongside a team of great individuals is a bonus for him.
“I like working here because our team is great to work with, the students are awesome to work with, and it is great to see the students succeed. I like to help them achieve what they are here for.”
Others at CWI feel the same about McDaid and enjoy how he goes above and beyond in his duties to make sure students and employees have the tools to be successful.
“Kelly is the go-to person for anything building or safety related at NMEC,” said CWI Dean of Industry, Engineering, and Trades, Pat Neal. “We can always rely on Kelly to take care of building-related issues. For instance, when something goes down in a lab, he is the first person the faculty call, and he usually remedies the situation quickly and efficiently.”
Neal added, “He has been instrumental in a reorg of the toolrooms in all the programs, this has involved new storage cabinets in the toolrooms and in some a complete remodel. This has allowed for cleaner-looking and more organized tool rooms. This has allowed the lab in each program to operate more efficiently, which is good for the students and the instructors.”
Outside of CWI, McDaid enjoys spending time with his wife, two daughters, and brand-new granddaughter. He also likes to be outside, whether that is fishing, hunting, or enjoying the great mountains of Idaho.
One Stop Student Services – Your Central Connection
One Stop Student Services is a central connection to assistance and support for students. An important element to this support is connecting students with the appropriate representative for assistance with admissions, cost and aid, registration and records, and billing and payments.
In an effort to streamline our services, in-person assistance at the Canyon County Center (CYNC) location will no longer be available beginning Monday, June 12. The One Stop Student Services team looks forward to assisting you by email, phone, or in-person at the Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NMEC) or Ada County Center Lynx Building (ALYN).
One Stop Student Services
208.562.3000
onestop@cwi.edu
View Locations & Hours
Volunteer and Attend a Summer Concert for Free at the Idaho Center!
Want to attend a summer concert at the Ford Idaho Center for free while supporting College of Western Idaho (CWI) students? We have the opportunity for you!
The Idaho Center has partnered with the College to support the CWI Food Pantry program. Food and monetary donations will be collected throughout the Idaho Center’s summer concerts, which spans from Sunday, June 4, through Tuesday, Sept. 26.
The Idaho Center has requested a minimum of two volunteers at each concert. Volunteers will work a two-hour shift to collect and assist guests with food donations onsite or monetarily through the CWI Giving website. After their shift, volunteers get to stay and enjoy the concert — free of charge!
Non-CWI friends and family are welcome to volunteer and enjoy the show, too. The maximum number of volunteers per show is four.
On the day of a volunteer shift, a representative from the Idaho Center will meet with volunteers as they arrive at the venue. More information about shifts will be sent to volunteers after they sign-up.
Volunteer Opportunities and Concert Shows:
Date | Concert | Doors Open | Volunteer Shift |
---|---|---|---|
Sunday, June 4 | Matchbox Twenty | 6:30 p.m. | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. |
Wednesday, June 14 | Dirty Heads | 6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Thursday, June 15 |
Barenaked Ladies |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Friday, June 23 |
Concierto de Estrellas |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Saturday, July 8 |
Slightly Stoopid and Sublime |
4 p.m. | 3 – 5 p.m. |
Friday, July 14 |
Hank Williams, Jr. |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Wednesday, July 26 |
X-Fest |
5:30 p.m. | 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. |
Thursday, July 27 |
Train |
7 p.m. | 6 – 8 p.m. |
Friday, July 28 |
Rain |
6:30 p.m. |
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. |
Saturday, July 29 |
Parker McCollum |
6:30 p.m. |
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. |
Tuesday, Aug. 1 |
String Cheese Incident |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Saturday, Aug. 5 |
Luke Bryan |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Thursday, Aug. 10 |
Dierks Bentley |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Saturday, Aug. 12 |
Michael Franti & Spearhead |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Monday, Aug. 14 |
Young the Giant |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Friday, Aug. 18 |
Godsmack |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
Monday, Aug. 28 |
Lindsey Stirling |
6:30 p.m. |
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. |
Saturday, Sept. 9 |
Steve Miller Band |
7 p.m. | 6 – 8 p.m. |
Tuesday, Sept. 26 |
Counting Crows |
6 p.m. | 5 – 7 p.m. |
For those with questions or in need of more information, please contact Jodi Hickenlooper at jodihickenlooper@cwi.edu or Christy Babcock at christybabcock@cwi.edu.
Trustee Steps Down from CWI Board
College of Western Idaho (CWI) Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of Annie Hightower as trustee for Zone 4 during the board’s monthly meeting on Thursday, June 8.
“Serving students while on the Board of Trustees has been a wonderful opportunity,” said Hightower. “However, for the well-being of my family, I have decided to step down from my role at CWI to spend more time with my children and husband.”
CWI is governed by a volunteer, five-member board of trustees. Trustees are elected at large from within Ada and Canyon Counties for staggered, four-year terms.
“Trustee Hightower has been an instrumental member of the Board for more than four years,” said Board Chair Molly Lenty. “Her leadership and commitment to the evolution of the college was key in updating policies and in supporting the campus visioning process as CWI grows to meet the needs of our thriving community. We will work hard over the following weeks to identify a qualified and dedicated leader to join the board on behalf of Zone 4.”
Persons interested in the open seat and who meet the trustee zone requirements should contact the board at trustees@cwi.edu or visit online for more information — applications with letters of interest and qualifications will be accepted until the vacancy is filled.