CWI News—Sept. 24, 2021
In the Spotlight
CWI celebrated all things Latinx this past week in honor of Latinx Heritage Month. Highlights of the week included presentations by faculty members, Charles Dickinson and Nikki Gorrell; line dancing taught by Latinx Student Services Coordinator, Bibiana Ramirez; a fun and interactive game of Loteria; and a keynote presentation by 2018 graduate and Heavy Duty Truck program instructor, Marcos Serratos-Garcia.
Presidential Search Update
Greetings CWI Community,
I am writing to you with an update on our presidential search process. The application date has been reached, and the search committee is very pleased by the strong response from a variety of well-qualified candidates who represent diverse backgrounds, geography, and areas of expertise. The committee will be evaluating candidates over the next few weeks prior to inviting selected semifinalists for virtual interviews with the committee in mid-October.
With over 70 applicants in the candidate portal, it is apparent this is a highly sought-after position, illustrating the appreciation for all College of Western Idaho (CWI) has accomplished and awareness for the limitless opportunities ahead. I look forward to working alongside the highly-engaged search committee to review ratings, discuss candidates, and select semifinalists as we move through the search process.
Please watch for future communications inviting internal and external stakeholders to participate in open forums in November to meet final candidates – ahead of the committee finalizing their recommendation to the Board of Trustees.
The presidential search page continues to be a great source to find information and updates related to the search for CWI's next president.
Thank you for all you do for our students and community and for your continued support as we move into the next chapter of #MightyCWI!
Respectfully,
Molly Lenty
Chair, CWI Board of Trustees
Bold Appreciation
It’s time for another President’s Office ticket giveaway!
Enter for your chance to win tickets to the Oct. 2 Boise State Football game against University of Nevada Reno by entering a number between 1 and 500 via the link below. The two employees closest to a number, chosen at random, will each receive two tickets to the game. Entries must be received by 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 27. Winners will be announced Tuesday, Sept. 28.
Members of President’s Cabinet, the Executive Operations Team, and past winners are not eligible. Limit one entry per CWI employee. Contact Janice McGehee, Executive Assistant in the President’s Office, at janicemcgehee@cwi.edu with questions.
If you are reading this, we want to thank you for being a faithful CWI News reader. If you want to be in-the-know, CWI News is where it’s at! The last giveaway, which was only communicated via this newsletter, had less than 50 entries. What does this mean? The chance of winning yourself some tickets are REALLY good! May the odds be ever in your favor!
News Highlights
2021 Opening Doors Benefit Event
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Foundation will host its eighth-annual Opening Doors Benefit Event. Plan to join the CWI community as we raise money for student scholarships.
This year’s event will kick off with an online auction. Bidding for the auction opens Wednesday, Sept. 29. In addition to the auction, the CWI Foundation will host a livestream event Wednesday, Oct. 6, from 7 – 8 p.m., which will recognize donors and scholarship recipients, highlight programs at the College, and feature a message from special guest, Tommy Ahlquist.
Registration is now open! Register early to be entered into prize giveaways, view and bid on auction items, and receive updates. This year's auction includes skiing in Sun Valley, a cruise to Alaska, a trip to Ireland, and more!
Contact the Foundation at 208.562.3159 or foundation@cwi.edu for more information and ways to get involved!
CWI to Host COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics
Free, mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be available at College of Western Idaho (CWI), in partnership with Saint Alphonsus and Micron, during the month of October. The clinics will be open to students, employees, and members of the community ages 12 and over.
Monday, Oct. 4
Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NMEC), Main Lobby
7 – 10 a.m.
Register for the Monday, Oct. 4 Clinic
Wednesday, Oct. 6
Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB), Room 122
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Register for the Wednesday, Oct. 6 Clinic
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 and the vaccine, visit the CDC site.
Contact CWI Dean of Students, Chad Trisler, at chadtrisler@cwi.edu with questions or to learn more.
Mindfulness and Yoga Wellness Challenge
Sign up to participate in October’s Employee Wellness Challenge, Mindfulness and Yoga, by Friday, Oct. 1! As a participant of this challenge, your goal will be to focus a minimum of 10 minutes per day doing either yoga or a mindfulness practice for 21 days, Oct. 1 – 21.
Visit the Culture and Employee Engagement Committee (CEEC) site on myCWI for all the details including how to sign up, participation requirements, tracking resources, submission instructions, valuable tips, information, and resources to get you started.
As an added bonus, CWI has partnered with 2C Yoga in Nampa for October’s challenge to provide virtual meditation and yoga sessions. Additional information about this offer can be found on the CEEC site.
Participation for this challenge must be submitted by Sunday, Oct. 31, for your chance to win some awesome prizes! Remember, for each 21-day challenge you participate in you get one entry for the grand prize drawings at the end of April.