College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Retention Task Force is excited to introduce, Invite Forward, an initiative that supports student retention through everyday interaction with CWI faculty and staff. Invite Forward calls employees to encourage students and help give them a sense of belonging at CWI.
The goal of the initiative is to instill confidence in students and show they have a place at CWI that goes beyond a seat in the classroom. The Retention Task Force is asking employees to identify a talent or an interest in a student and invite that student forward. The task force is kicking-off the initiative by challenging all employees who work with students to invite someone forward before Thanksgiving.
Invite Forward cards are available to write supportive notes to students. Cards are located in mail rooms at each CWI campus location. Faculty are asked to contact the nearest Administrative Assistant in their building for assistance.
Other examples of ways to invite students forward include:
- Write a personal message cheering a student to continue on
- Encourage participation in extracurricular activities
To learn more about the effect of inviting a student forward watch the Invite Forward video. The video was created by CWI alumni and current employee, Jessica Argyle, and shares how faculty and staff from around the College have been impacted by teachers and mentors inviting them forward.
For more information on the Invite Forward initiative, please contact Brett Reid at brettreid2@cwi.edu or 208.562.3153.