RUSTLERS

Happy Thanksgiving!   In Rustler Central they have a display that has reminded me to take the time to be grateful for the things we have. The first thing that occurred to me is that I’m grateful for people who go out of their way to think about our college culture and create such displays!

Thank you! As they say, “It takes a village.”

Personally, I’m grateful that I have such a meaningful job. Our college’s mission and vision truly resonate with my values. How lucky that we get to dedicate ourselves to “Transforming Lives & Strengthening Communities through Learning, Leadership and Connection.” To me, this has a sacred purpose.

I’m thankful to you all for working so thoughtfully in serving not only our students and communities but each other.

In Cabinet’s efforts to serve each other better, we continue to meet with campus groups in what we are calling Rustler Round Tables to better understand what you do, your projects and your pain points. This month we met with members of Rustler Central, the Business Office and Financial Aid. Not only did we learn a lot, but we came away with several action items to make systems better for ourselves and our students. For example:

1. Jennifer Marshall will investigate if we can index our website so that the new bot can access programmatic and athletic information.
2. IT will move a student-card swiper to Rusty’s Corner so students can see how much money they and employees have left on their Rusty Bucks card before they check-out. (This is already completed!)
3. IT is seeking information from Blackboard Transact on their public portal that allows online access to an individual’s balance as well as self-service funding additional dollars should an individual be running short of food dollars. 

I’m lucky and grateful to be the president and your colleague for our great, highly-ranked community college. I’m grateful to you all for your hard work, dedication and heart. You make us outstanding. I see so many examples of hard work and care in our monthly Board Packet (See pages 5-32 for the area reports; see pages 52-59 for Cabinet reports).  I’ll just point out just a few things here. 

From the Student Senate Report (President Ben Nelson):

We held a “Cup Pong” event in the Food Court and had 16 teams compete against each other! We’ve held a couple of “Night at the Movies” events at the local theater in town in addition to our weekly Monday Movie nights in the Little Theater. 

In late October, several of our Senators were able to attend the Student Senate Leadership Conference at Casper College. The conference was a great opportunity to connect and network with peers from our sister colleges, as well as to grow individually. We hope that this conference is the first of many to come in future years. For the week of Halloween, we held a carnival in the Student Center and the following night had a Halloween dance and costume party in the Food Court. Both went smoothly and had great attendance. On Halloween night, some of the Resident Assistants in Housing had candy so we could go Trick-or-Treating in CWC Housing buildings.

From the Professional Staff Report:

Career Services:

We have 13 students in internships this semester bringing our total internships to 157. We are anticipating adding a few more interns off campus for this semester. The internships for this semester include Rustler Radio, CWC Student Life, CWC Welding, CWC Theater, CWC Computer Tech Lab Assistant, CWC Admin Services, CWC Booster Club, WPBS, Fremont Local Market, White Buffalo Recovery, Anew Signature, Fremont Therapy, and Rocky Mountain.

Angel Jahnke, Career Services Coordinator, was married on September 21st, and is now Angel Kerr!

TRIO Student Support Services–Turtle Power!

For Halloween, TRIO invited students to take a break, decorate a cookie, color some Halloween sheets, and check in on how classes were going and if they needed anything. We had a great turnout and got to laugh and spend time with students.

Our APR (Annual Performance Report) just opened so we will be working on submitting our information on last year's data. We met all of our goals!

Financial Aid:

We are finally able to catch our breath just a bit after the FAFSA debacle, just in time to begin pulling in next year’s FAFSAs (2025-26). Students are supposed to be able to begin filling them out in December.

Recertification of our Program Participation was approved, and we are now good for another five years!! This allows us to continue to provide federal financial aid to our students. Many thanks to all who helped in providing the information needed to complete this process!!! It was truly a joint effort across offices on campus.

The Financial Aid Team dressed up as the Gringotts from Gringotts Bank for Halloween as a department effort and collaboration. It was a great time!!

Dubois Outreach (Katrina Dingman):

Greetings! I am excited to join the CWC family in the position of Dubois Outreach coordinator. Prior to her departure, Jen Wright ensured that several programs were put into place so that the Dubois community continues to have offerings while her replacement had the opportunity to learn the ropes of the outreach position.

September offerings included Taekwondo, Speedy Rams Running Club, Youth Baking Workshop, and a Substitute teacher workshop. Sixty-five tickets were sold, for a total of $7,490.00 in net sales. October offerings included Dubois Dancers: Littles Movement, Jazz, & Hip-Hop; Paint with a Twist: Peek-a-boo Pumpkin Cat; Paint with a Twist: The Nightmare Before Christmas; and Wild West Pickleball: Yee-Haw Session.

Jackson Campus Building Update:

After the August groundbreaking celebration, the CWC Jackson building and planning team has been focused on the next phase of the project, working with the Town of Jackson staff and project planners (e.g., engineering, architects, etc.) to get final approval of the building plans. Willie Noseep, Vice President of Administrative Services, has been engaging with interested contractors and bids are open until November 20th at which time, CWC will review and select a contractor based on the lowest responsible bid process. CWC has also put out an open call for an owner’s representative to lead the construction phase of the building project. We’re excited about this process and appreciate Willie’s leadership in moving this project forward.

CWC Foundation Director of Development for Jackson, Mike Walker, said, “We are so pleased to have so many wonderful donors giving to Central Wyoming College Foundation, both during Old Bill’s giving season as well as for a variety of causes throughout the year.” The college is currently fundraising for FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment) in our new Jackson building that broke ground last month. We are also actively seeking donors for naming rights within the new building. Please reach out to Mike Walker for any questions or requests.

From the Classified Staff Report:

Paint and Create

Andrea Rodriguez and Kathryn Dewitt (Rustler Central Specialist) hosted two successful Professional Development/Fun Day events focused on mental health and relaxation. Kathryn explained “Crafting is one way to just unwind and do something that doesn't require a lot of thinking, just relaxing. Many people will say, ‘they don't craft’ but taking time for yourself can be anything that helps you unwind, playing solitaire, doing a puzzle, reading a book, etc.”

The first of these events was a Halloween-centered frame decorating project. Staff that attended were given a picture frame to create a spooky piece of art while bonding with their coworkers and focusing on having a mental break.

CWC Testing Center

Diana Goheen (Test Center Coordinator & Library Assistant) reported that the test center is ramping up during this time of year. This season will be filled with midterms, finals, TEAS testing, certification testing, and more. The TEAS testing will just be getting started at the end of November and will continue to gain momentum going into the Spring semester. She noted that the number of candidates that come in to test is increasing with each year. This is accompanied by a continued increasing diversity of tests available that Dianna’s office facilitates.

Grind Goodness

Audrey King (Barista) rolled out a number of spooky drink specials for Halloween at the Grind. Frankenstein Matcha, Purple People Eater Slushie, Cookies, and Scream Smoothie. She also coordinated some bonding with her team through pumpkin painting.

From the Faculty Association Report:

Nita Kehoe won Best of Show in the international clay exhibit “Soar”, on July 15th, 2024, at 321 Gallery in Casper, Wyoming. Nita also hosted the 4th annual Fremont County Fine Arts Exhibition on Saturday, November 9 where several artists participated in the Quick Draw competition. All artwork was for sale.

A New Podcast: The Scoop - College Life, Mental Health and All The Things In Between

The Scoop was created by Danny Harmon (Psychology Instructor), Eric Bennett (Indigenous Studies Instructor), and Dr. Lael Noonan (Leadership Professor). Danny has an extensive background in psychology and working with mental health issues. Eric has a significant concern for his students and their success as Indigenous students and has a unique perspective on the challenges specific to his culture while navigating education.

Lael has an educational background in psychology and first-person experience dealing with suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, and being on the spectrum for autism. We will be talking about all kinds of topics pertaining to CWC students and college students in Wyoming. Catch new episodes every Tuesday on Spotify.  https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lael-noonan6

Ag Program

Jessie Whitlock, Instructor Equine Studies and Aften Fegler, Instructor Equine Studies/Event Coordinator

Jessie Whitlock and Afton Fegler attended the 2025 International CHA Conference at Texas A&M, where they networked with and learned from equine education professionals. “We are excited to bring back what we learned at the conference and implement new ideas in the classrooms and arena,” said Fegler.

The Ag team also started hosting monthly jackpots at the Rustler Ag and Equine Complex, which are open to the public and have been a huge success! The team has four events (barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and breakaway roping) for three divisions (Open—anyone can enter, Youth ages 9-15, and Peewee 8 and under). At our last event, we had over 70 participants and raised over $3,000 for the program.

CEO of Wyoming PBS (Joanna Kail):

SKIP EWING

Murray Ritland, Steven McKnight, and Noah Smith assisted in lighting the Wyoming PBS studio for country music artist Skip Ewing. The Nashville and Dubois resident was filmed by his wife Linda Gordon performing a soon-to-be released song and video celebrating the holidays. 

Pictured from left to right: Murray Ritland, Addy Wagner, Skip Ewing, Kyle

Nicholoff, Noah Smith, and Steven McKnight.

Take a peek at some of these productions:

Steve Peck

From WYOMING CHRONICLE RAPTOR REFUGE, PART 1

The magnificent birds classified as raptors are among Wyoming's most thrilling creatures. But they aren't impervious to illness or injury. Combining treatment and training, the Teton Raptor Center in Wilson performs one-of-a-kind work to help eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, and even turkey vultures. Part 1 of 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-ZLjRicS10

RESILIENCY AND EDUCATION

Dr. Aldora White Eagle has built a career on analyzing at-risk youth. She sees the ability to learn and practice resiliency as key to launching young people into successful adulthood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTtLThkvt1s

WIND RIVER WILD HORSE SANCTUARY

The Wind River Wild Horse Sanctuary in Wyoming provides a home for non-adoptable wild horses, balancing conservation with cattle ranching. Working with the Bureau of Land Management, the Oldham family manages this unique sanctuary, offering permanent care for wild horses while educating visitors about horse management issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBj9184wHtk

SHERIDAN SCREENING EVENT

Looking ahead, we are excited to present a special preview screening of Ken Burns’ latest film, Leonardo da Vinci, on November 13 at the WYO Theater in Sheridan. This event, brought to the community in partnership with several local organizations and Wyoming PBS, offers a unique opportunity to engage with the Sheridan audience.

From the Foundation Report:

Alumni Spotlight

Kathy Wells

Vice President of Academic Affairs, AAS Nursing 1991

Kathy grew up in Lander, WY, as a member of one of the original pioneer families in the Lander Valley, and she always felt a strong connection to her community. Her childhood was filled with dreams of becoming a nurse, following in her mother's footsteps, or perhaps a teacher. Little did she know that she would have the immense fortune of living out both of those dreams! After graduating high school, she was accepted into Central Wyoming College's (CWC) nursing program and earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in 1991. 

From there, she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Weber State University and later earned a Master’s in Nursing Education from the

University of Wyoming in 2004. Eventually, Kathy completed her Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership from American Sentinel University in 2016. Through it all, she remained passionate about learning and nursing, two things that would define her professional path. Read more in the board packet (page 31).

President’s and Cabinet’s Updates:

Professional Development and Presentations: I (Brad) participated in a lot of training this last month. I went to a regional conference of the American Technical Education Association (ATEA) in Pasadena, Texas, and I have been active in its board meetings. I also attended the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP) Summit, where I was able to hear a short presentation on each of the state’s WIP projects. I also presented on a panel at the Governor’s Business Forum (with UW President Seidel, WIP’s Lauren Schoenfeld, and Liz Gagen of Workforce Services): Continuing Momentum: WIP. Also, I co-presented at two ACCT breakout sessions in Seattle:

1. Principles & Strategies for Serving Native American Students and Communities (With Trustees Over and Underwood and Dr. Daly)

2. Wyoming Innovation Partnership (with Ben Moritz, Lauren Schoenfeld, Erin Taylor, and Don Erickson)

Major Educational Partnership Project: In pursuit of a major educational partnership, I and other cabinet members continue to work with the ASG-Denton’s group. They have helped us make contact or have meaningful communication with the following organizations:

Strada Education Foundation

Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL)

Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE)

Senator Lummis and Representative Hageman

The Urban Institute

They are also working to connect us to national leaders with The Nature Conservancy, Native American chamber members, and others. The most exciting prospect might be with EPCE. We are discussing the possible roll-out of various online programs to members nationally.

Beyond exploring partnerships with ASG-Dentons, we continue our explorations for large to semi-large partnerships with NOLS, Silicon Couloir, Fremont County schools, the Wonder Institute, Wyoming Catholic College, the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (C2A3), and others.

Student Affairs (VP for Student Affairs Cory Daly)

Dr. Cory Daly, Vice President for Student Affairs, presented at the Association of Community College Trustees conference with President Tyndall and board members about supporting American Indian students. Other sessions attended included topics around campus wellbeing, marketing and awareness building, post-graduate success, scholarship mentoring programs, DEI under attack, co-admission systems, and enrollment turnaround.

Institutional Effectiveness (Exec. Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research Catherine Trouth)

Catherine Trouth recently presented to the Riverton Rotary Club on the CWC Strategic Plan and how it helps CWC accomplish its mission, vision and values. The Rotary Club members appreciated this view of the college.

The IE department submits mandatory data to the federal and state governments on behalf of the college. Recently, we finished verifying our data for the Wyoming Community College Commission Annual Enrollment Report for 2023-24. The report can be found here, and shows how enrollment is faring at CWC compared to the other Wyoming Community Colleges.

IE also recently submitted CWC data on degrees and certificates awarded in 2023-24 for IPEDS, our federal reporting system. In 2023-24, CWC awarded 19 BAS degrees, 221 Associate Degrees, and 95 Certificates (74 were a Certificate I, and 21 were a Certificate II), for a total of 335 degrees and certificates awarded. There were 295 graduates; 124, or 42% of graduates were men, and 171, or 58% of the graduates were women.

Marketing & Public Relations (Jennifer Marshall Weydeveld)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

For all media coverage, please visit our website: https://www.cwc.edu/about/news/

The Marketing & Public Relations Department maximizes the Central Wyoming College brand with well-crafted press releases with intriguing angles; newspaper, magazine, radio and online article placement; and video The Marketing Department is in the process of developing a collegewide comprehensive Central Wyoming College Marketing Plan to dovetail with the 2024-2029 Strategic Enrollment Management plan. We continue to build off the massive marketing improvements over the past year which include moving our website to a more accessible Content Management System (CMS), new video libraries, improved digital marketing, and better attribution. As part of this work, we have been conducting listening sessions and brand workshops which will continue through the end of 2024. We have also been out and about capturing photography, video and conducting interviews for CWC’s Spring Enrollment and Branding Campaign. We are happy to share a link to our YouTube channel with our new Rustler Ag & Equine Complex video co-produced by Rocky Mt. Power.

Sustainability Monitoring Report Part II – Mr. Willie Noseep, Vice President for Administrative Services

As part of Willie’s annual monitoring report, our auditors reviewed CWC’s and WPBS’ books and both organizations received unmodified (clean) audits. Congratulations to Willie Noseep and Joanna Kail and their teams. A special shout-out to Michaela Meyer and everyone in the Business Office.

Sincerely,