CWI Compass Connect - February 7, 2017
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) was on display for the state’s elected leaders, Monday (Feb. 6), as the College participated in the first ever CWI Day at the Capitol. The event allowed CWI to showcase its program offerings, with faculty and students on-hand to share about the College’s impact as Idaho’s largest public higher education institution. The highlight of the day was a proclamation by Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, declaring Feb. 6, 2017 College of Western Idaho Day.
News Highlights
CWI Partners with Excelsior College
College of Western Idaho (CWI) has announced a partnership with Excelsior College. Under the articulation agreement, CWI graduates can maximize their credits toward a bachelor’s degree program at the private, nonprofit, online college based in Albany, New York. Additionally, Excelsior will offer a significant tuition reduction for CWI employees and their immediate family members.
“This articulation agreement with Excelsior College offers an abundance of highly relevant learning and career opportunities for CWI graduates and employees,” said David Shellberg, CWI’s Executive Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. “We share many core values with Excelsior College, specifically access, affordability, flexibility, and transferability. They truly understand and embrace CWI’s mission and vision.”
“Excelsior was founded for an essential public purpose – to help adults earn degrees,” said Dr. James Baldwin, President of Excelsior College. “This agreement will provide CWI graduates with a seamless transfer experience into our degree programs and positions them closer to their educational goals.”
Excelsior College is an accredited, nonprofit online college founded in 1971 and home to five schools: Business and Technology, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Public Service. The College provides degree completion, continuing education, and career readiness solutions. It specializes in serving the needs of working adults via expansive student-centric resources, coaching and advising services, and flexible options to degree completion, including online courses, credit-by-exam program, transfer credit, and the acceptance of corporate and military training programs evaluated as college-level equivalent.
CWI currently offers six associate degrees fully online, along with hundreds of courses available online. The College is seeking to further expand transfer opportunities to online bachelor’s degree programs at four-year institutions.
Scholarships Application Open for 2017-18 School Year
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) online scholarships application opened Feb. 1 for the 2017-18 academic year. There are currently over 30 scholarship opportunities available to students in CWI’s academic and career-technical programs. Current CWI students and future students who have finished the admission process are eligible to apply.
CWI’s online scholarships application is now easier than ever. Once applicants submit the General Application, the Associate Degree or Career and Technical Degree/Certificate application consists of only three questions that are used to match a student to all scholarships they are eligible for. Most scholarships have a component of demonstrated need that determines scholarship recipients. Students should also make sure the FAFSA is completed so they do not miss out on being considered for all awards.
The application closes April 30. Visit cwi.edu/scholarships for more information.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival Returns to CWI
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is pleased to welcome Idaho Shakespeare Festival to campus, Feb. 16, for a free performance and workshop as part of CWI’s Visiting Artist Series. Actors with the Festival will visit the College to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an acting workshop to follow. Both events, which are open to the public, will take place at CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building. The performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the workshop starting at 8 p.m.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular plays in the world. The comedy is suitable for all ages.
This performance is made possible thanks to a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Please contact Brenda Fisher at brendafisher@cwi.edu for questions and more information.
CWI Partners with Capital High for Spanish Speaking Event
A partnership between College of Western Idaho (CWI) and Capital High School is promoting higher education opportunities to Hispanic students from Boise School District. The collaboration has led to creation of a college information event, Navegando Adelante, which will be presented completely in Spanish. The event is scheduled for Feb. 15 from 5:15-7:30 p.m. at Capital High.
Attendees will learn about CWI's admissions process, financial aid information (FAFSA), and scholarship opportunities. Enrollment Advisors from CWI will be there to help future students get started. High school seniors will also be able to complete the FAFSA, with their 2015 tax information. Dinner and childcare will be provided. Attendees can RSVP online.
The evening will conclude with a college fair, including representatives from other Idaho universities.
Submissions Open for CWI Connections Project
College of Western Idaho (CWI) will celebrate culture, collaboration, and inspiring and educational work this spring with its second annual CWI Connections Project event. CWI students and faculty, as well as community members, are invited to showcase their work and accomplishments at the event. Submissions may include (but are not limited to) class projects, music, art, research, and service learning.
Submissions are currently being accepted for a variety of categories. All accepted proposals will be showcased at the Connections Project event in April. Student submissions are eligible for awards, including a $200 grand prize.
Submission deadlines vary by category:
CWI Faculty – Feb. 10
Community – Feb. 10
CWI Students – March 24
High School Students – March 24
Details on requirements and how to submit work can be found at cwi.edu/connections-project.
This year’s CWI Connections Project event is open to the public and will be held Thursday, April 27, from 3 to 8 p.m. at the College’s Nampa Campus Academic Building. Please email connections@cwi.edu with questions.
Staff Honor Goes to Garcia
Domingo Garcia has been named College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff of the Month for January.
Garcia has been part of the CWI family since staff were transitioned from Boise State University. At the time he was working as a maintenance craftsman at Boise State’s West Campus, which is now CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building. Garcia started working for Boise State in April 2000 as a custodian at the Canyon County Center.
Today Garcia works in all CWI buildings in Nampa and Boise. He says he really enjoys working at CWI, particularly teaming up with Aureliano Cervantes to keep CWI and the buildings running smoothly. They also work really hard to keep the campus looking good for students, staff, and community to enjoy. Garcia humbly recognizes Cervantes for always working hard to keep CWI looking good year round.
Garcia was nominated for displaying the core values, Serving all in an Atmosphere of Caring and Acting with Integrity. His nomination states, “Domingo always has a smile on his face and a welcome hello. He can fix anything that is broken and will explain what he did to fix it. If he has to order something he will let you know exactly when he will be back. If you ask him while he is here to look at something else he will say yes. Mingo is someone who makes our campus great with little acknowledgement, but he has a lot of pride in his work.”
He and his wife Connie Solis-Garcia have been married over 20 years and have two beautiful daughters; Soli who is 17 years old and Brissa who is 13. Connie recently began working as a Manager in the Financial Aid Office at CWI after working over 23 years at Boise State.
Garcia says he really likes working outdoors. He plants a big garden every summer and shares produce with family, friends, and neighbors. Last year he built an outdoor oven and learned how to make pizza for his family, which has been a favorite of his girls.
Please join us in congratulating Domingo!
Ascuena Awarded Faculty Honor
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Faculty Recognition Committee has selected Andrea Ascuena as CWI’s January Faculty of Distinction.
Ascuena is an associate professor of English and was one of the original faculty at CWI’s opening in January 2009. She currently teaches English composition and humanities courses. Ascuena is an Idaho native and received her Bachelor of Arts in English—Creative Writing, and Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Composition from Boise State University.
She was nominated by a colleague who appreciates the incredible amount of work that Ascuena has done in leading development of policy that positively impacts faculty and her commitment to service within the college. Her nomination said, in part:
“As just one example of Andrea’s amazing level of commitment to serving her colleagues, she scheduled a two hour meeting during the Fall 2016 finals week to help coworkers that were up for promotion in completing their FPARs. I’m sure she had many other pressing things that she needed to attend to, considering the timing of the meeting, but she stepped forward to help others. When the FPAR meeting had to be cancelled due to weather, she offered to individually help each faculty member through email or phone during the winter break.”
Please join in congratulating Andrea. Thank you for your long-standing commitment to CWI and its students.
