CWI News – May 19, 2023

College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Registered Nursing program celebrated and honored its 2023 graduating class during a pinning ceremony at the Nampa Civic Center Thursday, May 11. Graduates were surrounded by family, friends, and their support systems as they marked the end of a chapter in their lives and began a new one.

Kicking off the ceremony, Department Chair of Nursing, Allison Baker, welcomed and congratulated graduates for getting to this point in their education and careers. She explained the ceremony gives faculty the chance to not only acknowledge the graduates’ hard work and perseverance over the last few years but to recognize them as peers in the field of nursing.

“Congratulations to each one of you. Nursing school is tough, and you did it,” said Baker. “The long hours of studying, practicing skills, and preceptorship have culminated into this moment. Your faculty and I are extremely proud of you for forging ahead and successfully completing this program. The determination and flexibility you’ve demonstrated during this time will serve you well into your careers.”

Following Baker, graduates and guests heard remarks from CWI Provost Denise Aberle-Cannata, Adjunct Faculty and CWI Nursing alumna, Jessica Watson, and graduating Nursing student, Cayla Butler.

Butler shared memories over the last two years, from the stress of applying and being accepted into the program to their early morning clinical times in their final semester. She thanked her and her fellow graduates’ loved ones and faculty for their support through it all.

Lastly, Butler shared her appreciation for “the best cohort ever.” While they may have started this journey as strangers, she is proud and happy to call them lifelong friends with whom she shared incredible memories with.

“It has been a privilege to do nursing school with this exceptional group of people,” Butler said. “Now that we have officially documented the last two years, we can officially say that we’ve done it. Congratulations Class of 2023!”

The ceremony then honored graduate, Stephanie Opper, as the winner of the 2023 Nightingale Award. Opper was nominated by classmates for depicting the best of the nursing profession in knowledge, professionalism, ethical behavior, compassion, and dedication.

Faculty then transitioned into the pinning portion of the ceremony, which symbolizes the nursing graduates’ hard work and dedication toward their education and profession. Forty-five graduates were honored during the pinning ceremony.

Upon the conclusion of the pinning, faculty, graduates, and guests held a moment of silence in remembrance of student, Margie Lluellyn, who passed away. Lluellyn began the Nursing program in 2021 with this year’s graduates.

Faculty then honored graduates with the traditional candle lighting portion of the ceremony. It commemorates Florence Nightingale, also known as the “lady of the lamp,” which referred to how she would carry a lamp at night to make rounds on the injured soldiers during the Crimean War.

“The lighted lamp came to symbolize a nurse’s dedication to caring for patients’ needs,” said Nursing Faculty, Jen Mimish.

To conclude the ceremony, Nursing Faculty, Balenda Snow, reminded graduates of the importance of the role nurses play in the lives of others.

“You are the frontline of healthcare,” Snow said. “You are the ones who will provide comfort, support, and hope to patients and their families in times of some of their most vulnerable and darkest moments. The wise Maya Angelou once said, ‘As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the mind, soul, heart, and body of our patients. They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.’”

WATCH: 2023 Nurse Pinning Ceremony 

Applications for CWI’s Registered Nursing program are open through Friday, May 19. For more information on the application process and requirements, please visit the Registered Nursing page, or contact Allison Baker at allisonbaker2@cwi.edu or 208.562.2307.

Congratulations to College of Western Idaho (CWI) English Department Chair and Professor, Joy Palmer, who was named Faculty of Distinction for May 2023!

Palmer has been part of the CWI community since Fall 2009, where she has since taught various classes such as English 101 (ENGL 101), Persuasive Writing (ENGL 201), Introduction to Shakespeare (ENGL 235), and much more.

For Palmer, teaching is a way for her to continue to learn — something she hopes to never stop doing. Whether it is from her students and what they are able to bring into the classroom or through assignments or from her colleagues around the College who share their time and resources with her. She also acquires knowledge every day through her job by reflecting on her own teaching and other work and seeking out information to help continue to better herself.

“I think even more importantly, I've learned so much about how I want to be in the world by seeing so many people, such as students, faculty, and staff, who are so remarkable and inspiring and caring, and they push me to be better,” Palmer said. “I teach because it is the most rewarding thing I've ever done.”

Approaching 14 years at CWI, Palmer chooses to continue to teach at the College because it provides affordable, accessible education to everyone — no matter their background. She also enjoys working alongside the faculty and staff who are dedicated to that mission, and supporting students working toward their educational goals.

“We talk about students learning how to learn, and I absolutely believe that is something we do and something of enormous value,” Palmer said. “But I think, more importantly, we help students bring their own expertise into the course content — to see themselves as people with something valuable to say. My goal is for students to leverage what they're already good at and find ways to transfer those strengths to new situations. If they make excellent TikToks, then they know about audience and genre, and those things are key to being a successful communicator in and out of academic settings.”

Being able to see students succeed and blossom in what they love is what fuels Palmer. One of her favorite memories at the College has been teaching and working alongside CWI alumna, Ana Karen Arizmendi.

“Ana Karen never chose easy topics or angles, but she was committed to doing excellent work; she dug deep for research, made multiple revisions to better meet audience expectations, and produced one of the most unique essays I've seen in 18 years teaching first-year writing,” Palmer said.

Palmer believes through the College she is able to help empower students to achieve their goals and help them become lifelong learners.

That love for teaching and helping students grow in their talents does not go unnoticed among Palmer’s peers. CWI Arts and Humanities Dean, Justin Vance, calls Palmer “professional” and “respectful,” and commends her ability to adapt to any environment to maintain focus on student success.

“Her work impacts not only the English department but the entire institution,” said Vance. “Of great significance, Joy is the leader of perhaps the largest department at CWI and performs that duty at the highest level. Largely due to her leadership and successful delegation of duties to her supervisees, about 70% of students complete a college-level English course within one year of enrollment.”

Outside of the classroom, Palmer enjoys spending time with her husband, Zeb, her eight-year-old son, Ian, and their Goldendoodle, Ruby.

She also likes to spend her free time knitting, crocheting, hiking, fishing, and reading (some of her favorite genres are science-fiction, fantasy, and romance). For the last four years, she has been taking music lessons for several different instruments such as violin, ukulele, piano, and guitar.

Thirteen College of Western Idaho (CWI) faculty members hold new faculty rank titles of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Like most colleges and universities, four full-time faculty ranks exist at CWI which include the previously mentioned titles as well as Instructor.

"It is with great pride that President Jones and I announce the promotion and rank of these faculty members, whose passion and commitment to CWI will continue to empower our students to reach their full potential,” said CWI Provost, Denise Aberle-Cannata. “Please join me in celebrating the exceptional achievements of our faculty members, who have reached this milestone.”

In addition to demonstrating excellence in teaching, institutional engagement, and professional development, faculty members must be recommended for promotion. Prior to applying for Associate Professor, faculty must teach for three years at the College as an Instructor, four years as an Assistant Professor before applying for Associate Professor, and five years as an Associate Professor before applying for Professor.

Amy Vassar – Spanish

Sabina Omair – Health Professions

Greg Wilson – Integrated Studies

The new title ranks are effective August.

We congratulate these faculty members on their well-deserved promotions. This achievement is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and talent. The College is proud to have them as members of our faculty.