CWI News – Sept. 30, 2022

MICHAEL HERTEL

Hometown: Kuna, Idaho

Degree: Advanced Mechatronics Engineering Technology

Scholarships: Nagel Foundation

On a typical afternoon during the week, chances are you can find College of Western Idaho (CWI) student, Michael Hertel, working away on projects inside a classroom at the Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NMEC).

This week’s project? A panel that can hold input and output devices he’s designing for his Advanced Mechatronics Engineering Technology’s Fundamentals of Microcontrollers (AMET 196) class.

“I am a lab assistant with the College’s Work-Study Program, which means while I attend school, I work for the school as well,” Hertel said. “In my off time, I am able to work in the lab and get paid for that work, whether that’s for collecting inventory in the labs or building stuff for instructors’ classes and labs.” 

This is Hertel’s third semester taking Mechatronics classes with the College which he said has been a “challenging but fun journey.” But how he got to CWI’s mechatronics program is a bit of a journey in itself.

Prior to CWI, he was an aircraft mechanic for the U.S. Air Force, where he was learning to work with his hands to help build and fix equipment.

“When I was separated from the military, I wasn’t really trained to do something else, so I needed to go back to school. The closest thing to what I was doing before was being a vehicle mechanic, so that’s how I started out with the College in its Heavy Equipment Technician program.”

After graduating with Magna Cum Laude from CWI, Hertel got a job with a mining group out in Soda Springs, Idaho, as a heavy equipment mechanic. He attributes his instructors as huge help for landing him this role and getting him out into the workforce so quickly upon graduation.

“CWI has a reputation for putting out great technicians and workers.”

During his time with the College, Hertel learned he had an affinity for electrical and hydraulic work and enjoyed designing systems within it — which he became curious to learn more about. However, because he was already offered a job, he continued on in the Heavy Equipment industry.

Hertel still made a promise to himself.

“I swore that someday I would go back to school for electrical engineering.”

Then came 2020, when Hertel was, unfortunately, let go from his job with the mining group. 

But where one journey ended, another began for Hertel as this gave him the push to move back to the Treasure Valley, reapply to CWI, and make his dream of becoming an engineer a reality.

“CWI is a great school, very professional. The caliber of students and instructors here is pretty high. While it may be challenging at times, the programs and classes teach you a lot of what you need to know in these fields. The instructors know what they’re talking about and have a lot of experience with what you would see outside of a classroom setting.”

Hertel is the recipient of a $3,500 Nagel Foundation scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year, which he said will help him now and into the future.

“The support from this scholarship will help me pay off the loans I took out to enroll in the Advanced Mechatronics Program. I would also like to put some of the money towards specialized test equipment that I do not yet own, such as an oscilloscope. The scholarship also makes a big impact on my quality of living as well, since I'm currently unemployed, to better focus on my studies and take part in the work-study program.”

Once Hertel’s time with CWI comes to an end, he hopes to enter an engineering career where he can do systems design, whether that’s hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, or mix of it all. Whatever road his journey in life takes him on next he welcomes it.

Congratulations to several of our mighty College of Western Idaho (CWI) instructors who were nominated in several categories at the fourth-annual Idaho GEM Awards put on by the Idaho State Board of Education and CapEd Credit Union.

Each year, nomination forms are sent to CWI faculty and students in General Education courses in the previous fall and spring semester to nominate an instructor. The General Education Subcommittee (GESC) then selects six nominees from the forms received to represent the College in six different General Education categories at the statewide awards.

Criteria for this award include:

• Exemplary teaching
• Creativity in course design or implementation
• Excellence in translating disciplinary methods of inquiry to non-majors
• Delivery of instruction that improves access and affordability
• Service to our General Education program at CWI and the state

This year to celebrate and honor the College’s nominees, GESC and CWI leadership held an awards ceremony on campus where each nominated faculty was recognized and given a certificate of excellence.

CWI’S 2022 Idaho GEM Award Nominees

Written Communication — Amanda Fehrer, English Instructor

Fehrer’s Writing and Rhetoric (ENGL 101) class shows students how the writing skills they are learning translate directly into success in other classes and careers. She has transitioned her course to Open Educational Resources (OER) for textbooks, and the assignment chosen for the award is a persuasive letter to a specific audience on a topic or situation that is meaningful to them.

Oral Communication — Anna Daly, Communication Instructor

Daly uses her Fundamental of Oral Communication (COMM 101) course to teach her students about media literacy, which leverages her experience as a part-time, local reporter. Comparing different news outlets stories on the same topic, students discover ideas about bias and presentation and communication.

Mathematical Ways of Knowing — Emiko Quintana, Department Chair of Math

Along with other math instructors, Quintana was instrumental in rethinking how basic math skills are taught at CWI. While all students can take Technical Math and Technical Math Lab (MATH 118), this class is particularly helpful for Career Technical Education (CTE) students in allowing them an opportunity to put the math skills they learn to work in their CTE classes. Math instructors, like Quintana, team with subject matter experts to give students an in-class and lab experience where math is applied and appreciated as a necessary part of students learning.

Scientific Ways of Knowing — Hollie Leavitt, Associate Professor of Biology

Leavitt helps students succeed in arguably one of the most difficult science courses, Anatomy and Physiology. To help students understand sometimes complicated chemical and biological interactions that take place in the body, she developed a series of interactive experiments where these ideas are hinted at in a lecture and then theorized on and figured out by students working together to come to a clearer understanding of these processes. Using these discovery Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) methods, she has seen increased student satisfaction and exam scores, as well as lots of excitement in her classroom!

Artistic and Humanistic Ways of Knowing — Joel Gladd, Assistant Professor of English

In his American Literature class, Gladd has students write an ‘un-essay’ and has them think about how others have interpreted works of literature in new ways and using different mediums. These new mediums could include a TikTok video or a work of art based on a poem. Students then need to understand and practice the techniques and language of literary analysis to finish the job.

Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing — Nikki Gorrell, Associate Professor of Anthropology

Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 102) is where Gorrell uses the immersive experiences of field trips, both virtual and in-person, to help students understand the science of anthropology better. Her assignment, Where is One Place You’ve Always Wanted to Go, and What Society Would You Research There?, helps students make the connection of interest and curiosity with scholarship and research.

Congratulations to each of these recipients who have been recognized for their excellence. The Statewide winners will be announced Wednesday, Oct. 5.

After a couple of years without an in-person experience, College of Western Idaho's (CWI) annual Farm to Fork dinner made a triumphant return to campus this year! Seventy people from across the College and around the Treasure Valley devoured a savory, five-course meal at the Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB) Friday, Sept. 23, to support CWI's Campus Garden.

The 2022 Farm to Fork dinner raised more than $4,000 for the garden, which provides CWI students access to fresh produce and supports agriculture coursework.

Hosted by Agricultural Sciences faculty and students, this year was the first year back in person after the COVID-19 pandemic forced CWI to think of other ways to host the dinner. In 2020, guests were given a box full of ingredients and prepared their meals at home through the help of how-to videos. In 2021, the College did not hold the event.

For Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Agricultural Sciences, Andrea Schumaker, seeing the return in-person meant so much because she believes one of the best ways to connect with one another is at the dinner table and sharing a meal.

"Food is about connection and the pleasures of the table," Schumaker said. "It was wonderful to watch people experience a completely local, five-course meal served to them by the many wonderful student, staff, and faculty volunteers who helped to make the evening such a success."

The night began with Schumaker leading guests, and volunteers on a tour of the Campus Garden located east of the NCAB parking lot. People were able to see where much of the night’s meal came from.

The meal kicked-off with grilled zucchini and salsa verde, all from the Campus Garden, prepared by Schumaker and folks from The Tower Grill. This course was paired with Rhubarb Honey Smash whiskey from Centerfire Distillery created by Craft Lounge. Following was a plate of stuffed peppers from the Garden made with pork belly and cheese from the garden, McIntyre Pastures, and Eden Creamery. This was paired with Chicken Dinner Red Wine from Huston Vineyards.

A warm and tasty soup followed made from a variety of squashes from the Garden, prepared by The Tower Grill and sourdough bread from Hudson Bakery Co. paired with Mother Earth Brewing Company's Tierra Madre beer. The main course was delicious pork tacos from McIntyre Pastures with fermented salsa from the Garden, cheese from Eden Creamery, and tortillas from Rodriguez Bakery paired with the Tierra Madre beer from Mother Earth.

Guests then wrapped up their meal with a sweet treat — blackberry mint ice cream from Stella’s Ice Cream, made with blackberries from the Garden. Several also enjoyed pairing their dessert with blackberry fig Idaho Kombucha.

"It was so fun to watch our industry partners connect with our guests and learn more about their connection to the Treasure Valley and now to further support them. In some cases, folks show up as strangers but leave feeling connected and as friends."

Thank you to all who made this year's event a success!

Are you a College of Western Idaho student interested in learning more about transfer options? Connect with different colleges and universities, and discover various transfer opportunities available to you during the College’s Fall 2022 Transfer Fair!

Representatives will be on-campus to discuss programs, majors, and transfer requirements. This one-day event will be held at two campus locations Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the morning and afternoon.

Tuesday, Oct. 11

• 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
• 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Locations:

• Ada County Campus Pintail Building (APIN), Student Commons
• Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB), 1st Floor Lobby

Contact Brittney Hernandez in Student Advising and Success at brittneyhernandez@cwi.edu with questions or for more information.