CWI News—Oct. 22, 2021
In the Spotlight
Alex Beal, Department Chair of Diesel Technology, led a tour on Wednesday, Oct. 20, for legislators during a visit to the Nampa Campus Micron Education Center. The visit gave lawmakers an opportunity to explore programs offered at CWI and speak with all four community college presidents in Idaho.
News Highlights
Dickinson Named 2021 Innovative Educator
Congratulations to Charles Dickinson, Professor of Sociology at College of Western Idaho (CWI), who was presented a GEM award for Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing by the Idaho State Board of Education and CapEd Credit Union during the 2021 GEM Innovative Educator Awards ceremony Thursday, Oct. 21.
Professor Dickinson has taught Sociology at CWI for the past 13 years. His goal in teaching is to create courses that are transformative and help his students develop a better understanding of complex issues and their own assumptions and viewpoints. In class, his students work in teams, think critically as they evaluate information, form persuasive arguments, and learn to listen and communicate with one another. Dickinson encourages active dialog in a respectful and challenging way. He is fair and advocates for all students to receive the benefits of an education, regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, religion, or political views.
Students of Dickinson say his teaching is life changing.
“If we take what we learned in his class and make an attempt to teach it to others,” commented one of his students, “then perhaps our world will become less judgmental or kinder to one another.”
Discussing his view of success in higher education, Dickinson asserted, “If a student only completes one general education course, from any discipline, it will have a positive impact on their lives, making them a better person, a better neighbor, a better citizen – empowering them to engage in a world locally and globally. In short, one completed GenEd course improves us all.”
The GEM awards for General Education classes in higher education were initiated in 2017 by Dr. John Bieter at Boise State University and are endorsed and supported by the General Education Committee.
2021 Innovative Educator Award Winners:
Amy Minervini, Written Communications
Lewis-Clark State College
Andy Orr, Oral Communications
College of Southern Idaho
Cindy Dickinson, Math
College of Southern Idaho
Samantha Blatt, Science
Idaho State University
Fatima Cornwall, Humanistic and Artistic
Boise State University
Charles Dickinson, Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing
College of Western Idaho
CWI Needs Your Input!
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is excited to announce it has initiated a Campus Development, Visioning, and Planning process to inform, guide, and prioritize campus improvements to meet the needs of students and our growing community.
The College needs your input! As part of the assessment phase, it is crucial to obtain internal and external stakeholder involvement as part of the visioning process. An eight-question survey will help to capture this input. Please take a few minutes to participate in the survey. Your input is greatly valued and will help inform the future of CWI.
Information collected from the survey will assist a CWI Planning Team that has begun preliminary visioning work with Cushing Terrell, a local planning, architecture, and engineering firm. The Planning Team’s objective is to provide a recommendation to the CWI Board of Trustees and receive approval of strategic direction and priorities for campus development and capital projects. Recommendations will include programming priorities, space requirements, campus focus areas, funding sources, and timelines.
Visit CWI’s Campus Development Visioning & Planning webpage to learn more.
Thank you for completing the survey by the deadline on Nov. 15, 2021.
Drug Take Back Day at CWI
Did you know unused and expired prescription medications are a public safety issue which could lead to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse?
As part of National Drug Take Back Day, College of Western Idaho’s Student Affairs team has partnered with the Nampa Police Department to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription drugs. Plan to attend the drive-through, drop-off event hosted at the College’s Nampa Campus Micron Education Center parking lot on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Acceptable Items:
- all solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers
- liquid products, such as cough syrup, sealed in the original container
Unacceptable Items:
- Intravenous solutions, injectables, inhalers, syringes, chemotherapy medications
vaping devices with batteries that cannot be removed
medical waste
Contact Amber Eubanks at ambereubanks@cwi.edu to learn more or with questions.
Access to Booster Vaccines for Higher Education Employees
COVID-19 booster vaccines are now available for higher education employees who have completed their initial series of vaccines at least six months ago.
In partnership with Saint Alphonsus and Micron, College of Western Idaho is hosting free, COVID-19 vaccination clinics on campus as outlined below.
Tuesday, Oct. 19
Ada County Campus Pintail Center (APIN), Common Area
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Register for the Tuesday, Oct. 19 Clinic
Tuesday, Oct. 26
Canyon County Center (CYNC), Main Lobby
9 – 11 a.m.
Register for the Tuesday, Oct. 26 Clinic
Those interested in receiving a vaccination are encouraged to pre-register, however, walk-ins are also welcome. Micron is providing $25 gift cards to the first 50 who pre-register and receive a vaccination at each location. CWI employees wishing to participate in the clinics are asked to communicate with their manager for pre-approved release time.
According to guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 vaccines are effective at helping protect against severe disease and death from variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, including the Delta variant. To learn more about COVID-19, the vaccine, and benefits of receiving a booster shot, please visit the CDC site.
Blood Drive – Oct. 27
Give the gift of life, and donate blood during a blood drive hosted at College of Western Idaho in partnership with the American Red Cross.
The drive will be held Wednesday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the College’s Nampa Campus Academic Building in Room 122. Schedule your appointment online at redcrossblood.org using the sponsor code, “CWI”.
CWI Trunk-or-Treat Oct. 28
Looking for some fun this Halloween? College of Western Idaho (CWI) students, employees, and their families are invited to participate in a Trunk-or-Treat at the Nampa Campus Academic Building parking lot on Thursday, Oct. 28, from 5 – 7 p.m.
The event, put on by the College’s Student Engagement team, Culture and Employee Engagement Committee (CEEC), and ASCWI, is currently looking for groups to host a trunk! Get together with your, department, club, coworkers, and/or classmates to host a trunk or table and pass out candy and treats at this exciting event. Each participating group will be provided with small decorations and candy, however, going above and beyond and all out with trunks and treats is certainly welcome and encouraged!
Sign up to participate by Monday, Oct. 25, to secure your spot! Visit the CWI Trunk-or-Treat Event Page to learn more, or contact ceec@cwi.edu with questions.
Visiting Artist Series Welcomes Norma Pintar
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Visiting Artist Series is proud to welcome Traditional Mexican Dancer and Teaching Artist, Norma Pintar, to campus Friday, Oct. 29. Participate in a folkloric dance workshop, engage in live demonstrations, and learn how to build an altar for Dia del los Muertos as Pintar shares her Mexican culture through history, music, and costume.
Pintar was born and raised in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and moved to Boise, Idaho, in 1996. She began dancing at the age of five and has been dancing professionally throughout North America for over forty years, conveying the spirit of centuries-old customs through dance. Pintar’s expertise is concentrated on traditional Mexican folklore, modern rhythmic gymnastics, and contemporary dance. She received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Folk and Traditional Arts, several grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, and is one of the founders of the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho. Pintar has trained six apprentices through the Folk and Traditional Arts program and is a recipient of the Idaho Commission on the Arts 2021 Folk and Traditional Arts Fellowship.
Friday, Oct. 29
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Nampa Campus Academic Building, Room 206
Can’t make it in person? Join us on Zoom!
Meeting ID: 98466110202
Passcode: 642963
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 Goran Fazil at goranfazil@cwi.edu with questions or to learn more!
2021 Halloween Costume Contest
Something is brewing! It is time to showcase your creative costuming and spooky talents by participating in College of Western Idaho’s Culture and Employee Engagement Committee’s annual Halloween Costume Contest.
Contest categories are:
- Best Group Photo
- Best Individual Costume
- Best CWI Team Spirit Costume – You “otter” do this one!
- Best Dressed Pet
- Most Creative Zoom Halloween Story
To enter, send your photo(s) along with the category you would like to enter to ceec@cwi.edu by end of day Thursday, Nov. 4. Employees will be given the opportunity to vote for their favorites!
Cybersecurity Awareness: Secure Emails
If you are required to send educational records protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) or personally identifiable information (PII) in an email, ensure you send it securely. If unsure, send it secure.
Contact Mike Wilson at michaelwilson1@cwi.edu or 208.562.3193 with questions or for more information.
