CWI News—June 17, 2022
President's Message
Last night, I had a fantastic time at the baseball park during our annual CWI Night at the Hawks! It was great to watch the Hawks' victory over the Rocky Mountain Vibes and see more than 210 faculty, staff, and students attending the game while supporting the SCORE Big Scholarship fund. I hope you were able to take pride in watching CWI student, Madigan Grigsby, receive a $2,000 scholarship on the field. What a great way to enjoy a game and celebrate one way CWI enables students to pursue their life goals.
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend the State Board of Education (SBOE) meetings in Pocatello. It was nice to be on Idaho State University's campus, especially since they are one of CWI's important transfer partners. During the meetings, all eight of Idaho's post-secondary institutions presented line items we will be requesting from the Idaho State Legislature this coming year. At the request of the SBOE, our primary focus areas were healthcare, cybersecurity, and student retention and graduation.
Lastly, a note on the local, national, and international events affecting all of us. These are turbulent times, and I want to acknowledge that our students, staff, and faculty are a diverse set of individuals who may be personally upset or challenged by news happening in our world. Please know you are not alone, and while you may have access to resources on your own, the College provides access to several resources and services to assist employees and students. In particular, if you would like to access counseling services, visit the Human Resources (HR) Benefits page on myCWI to learn about the Employee Assistance Program, contact HR directly, or speak with your supervisor for assistance.
Have a wonderful summer, and I hope you are enjoying time with family and friends.
Bold Appreciation
It’s time for another employee ticket giveaway!
Enter for your chance to win tickets to this year’s Boise Music Festival by entering a number between 1 and 500. Four employees closest to four numbers, chosen at random, will each receive four, general admission tickets to the Saturday, June 25, event. The employee closest to the first of the four numbers generated will receive a VIP package.
Entries must be received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21. Winners will be announced Wednesday, June 22.
Members of President’s Cabinet and the Executive Operations Team are not eligible. Limit one entry per CWI employee.
Email communications@cwi.edu with questions.
News Highlights
SCORE Big Hits It Out of the Park
College of Western Idaho (CWI) took over Memorial Stadium in a BOLD way Thursday, June 16, during CWI Night at the Hawks!
Kicking off the evening was 2022 CWI Social Work graduate, Craig Petersen, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch. During his time at CWI, Petersen raised nearly $11,500 for CASA of Southwest Idaho in support of local foster children.
“CWI is taking the lead when it comes to education in the Treasure Valley by creating an environment that encourages students to get out into the community and make a difference. CWI is a family, not just a college,” Petersen shared. “Having the honor to throw the opening pitch at CWI Night at the Hawks was pretty sweet. Not sure I am quite ready to hang up the social work degree and pursue a career in minor league baseball, but being out there on the mound in front of our community was indescribable and something I will carry with me forever. I feel so blessed and thankful for the opportunity.”
The CWI section along the third-base line was an incredible sight with students, employees, family, friends, and the community coming together to raise more than $1,000 through ticket sales for student scholarships.
"Last night's fun was a home run," said Student Success Advisor, Nikki Irving, who attended the game with her family. "Seeing the CWI crowd gathered in support of our students was impactful!"
Congratulations to Madigan Grigsby, winner of a $2,000 SCORE Big Scholarship awarded on the field during the game. Currently attending CWI, Grigsby is studying Animal Veterinary Science and Agricultural Business, Leadership, and Education.
“Receiving this scholarship is a great honor. It will allow me to continue my education as a full-time student while also working full-time, alleviating the financial stress of paying for my schooling out of pocket," she said. "Meeting all the people from CWI who facilitated this scholarship was amazing! It made me feel like I was part of the College more so than before. Being on the field with all the love and support for me and my educational journey was a great confidence boost. I will forever be grateful and appreciative for this scholarship. It was such a surprise and a blessing!”
Plan to join us for the next CWI Night – stay tuned for more information.
CWI Closed June 20 for Juneteenth
College of Western Idaho (CWI) will be closed Monday, June 20, in observance of Juneteenth.
Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865. Declared a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth represents a time to gather with family, friends, and the community to honor the present and reflect on shared history and tradition.
Although Juneteenth is celebrated each year on June 19, CWI will observe the holiday on June 20. Classes, campus buildings, offices, and services will resume Tuesday, June 21.
Visiting Artist Series Welcomes Kelly Cox
Join College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Visiting Artist Series in welcoming artist, Kelly Cox, to the Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB) Wednesday, June 22, for a lecture and workshop.
Cox received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics from University of Montana and Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts from Boise State University. She has taught ceramics, drawing, and other art courses at Boise State, College of Idaho, and the City of Boise art program.
Cox has exhibited her pottery, sculpture, and installations nationally at Blue Line Arts, NCECA, CCACA, Ming Studios, The Atlanta School, Surel's Place, Treefort, College of Idaho, The Clay Collective, Wildfire Ceramics Gallery, Carnegie Crossroads Art Center, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Pottery Northwest, Bradley University Galleries, and The University of Tulsa Oklahoma. Her work is about personal and social mythologies, collaboration, labor, and love. Through her collaborative studio practice with her partner, she seeks to reframe family identity as hybrid, fluid, and creative as opposed to gendered, individualistic, and hierarchical.
Join Cox face-to-face or online, via Zoom, as she discusses her ceramic sculpture and its progression over the last 10 years.
Wednesday, June 22
1 – 3 p.m.
NCAB, Room 206
Meeting ID: 92039356705
Passcode: 161462
In addition to her lecture, Cox will be facilitating a clay hand-building and botanical drawing demonstration covering basic strategies for transforming two-dimensional images into three dimensions, techniques for hand-building hollow forms, and a discussion of how to make and apply stencils for use with glaze or paint to create botanical and other painterly surfaces. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have a painted air-dry modeling project completed.
Participants joining via Zoom will need to have the following items on-hand:
- air-dry clay (Crayola brand preferred)
- a piece of butcher paper and/or a wooden board
- assorted modeling tools
- scissors
- pencil
- scratch paper
- acrylic paint
- assortment of paint brushes
CWI’s Visiting Artist Series is made possible through a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Contact Brenda Fisher at brendafisher@cwi.edu with questions or to learn more.
Mission Statement Updates Deadline Approaching
The deadline for updating all online and print publications with College of Western Idaho’s new Mission Statement, adopted by the Board of Trustees in January, is quickly approaching.
- Mission Statement updates on the College’s website must be completed by June 30, 2022.
- Mission Statement updates to print material must also be completed by June 30, 2022, or at the next, regularly scheduled printing of the publication.
Please refer to the article, College of Western Idaho Adopts New Mission Statement, for more information. Contact Alexis Malepeai, Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, at alexisrhodes@cwi.edu with questions.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Auction Items Needed for Annual Benefit Event
Do you own a business, have a service or hobby you can share, or know someone who does? We would love to connect with you!
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Foundation is currently looking for auction items for this year’s Opening Doors Benefit Event, an annual event to raise money for student scholarships.
Past auction items have included gift baskets, vacation stays, gift certificates, art, sculptures, sporting event packages, adventure experiences, etc. Items created or donated by students, faculty, and staff are always a highlight and are a great way to show off the amazing talent and skills we have at the College.
Please spread the word about this exciting opportunity – we would love to see the entire CWI community involved! Donate today by contacting the CWI Foundation at foundation@cwi.edu or 208.562.3100. All donations must be received by Aug. 31, 2022.
Steely Concludes Career at College of Western Idaho
Kelly Steely, Dean of Communication and Information Technology at College of Western Idaho (CWI), recently concluded her career at the College which spanned more than 13 years.
Steely's time at CWI included a variety of roles from Faculty to her current position as Dean. Multiple projects including the Onramp Program have benefited from her knowledge and experience. Though the College is sad to see Steely leave, we wish her the best in her future endeavors.
