NAMPA, Idaho — Tuesday marked the expansion of the College of Western Idaho's flagship campus in Nampa, a first since opening in 2007.
- 31,000 students will be taking classes from CWI in 2024.
- The construction of new department buildings is a landmark opportunity for students to collaborate under one roof, within the community of CWI, instead of spread across the valley in leased spaces.
- Idaho legislation approved approximately $32 million for the Nampa Campus Projects.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Canyon County community leaders celebrating the expansion of the College of Western Idaho's flagship campus on Tuesday. The Nampa campus is expanding for the first time since CWI started serving students in 2007.
The construction of new department buildings is a landmark opportunity for students to collaborate under one roof, within the community of CWI, instead of spread across the valley in leased space.
"I feel so much energy that 15 years into this school's history we're able to realize the expansion, to meet the students we already have, 31,000 students this year alone," enthused CWI President Gordon Jones.
The leased space was a necessity of a time of rapid growth and demand of the community college.
Bridges were built, not only to meet the current and future students' needs but to reach these new expansion projects. One student and faculty member was entrusted to paint a mural on the bridge, soon to be paved over to be a part of the campus forever.
"[I did] everything on the outskirts of it. so basically just accompanied my friend Marcos. It was a bonding piece, we actually just met, too," explained CWI student Caleb Chereji.
Three new buildings along Idaho Center Boulevard will add to what is already Idaho's largest community college. Welcoming students in 2025 will be a new Health & Science building and Horticulture & Agriculture Science Building
The Health & Science building will consolidate the college's growing programs including state-of-the-art facilities to increase student collaboration.
The new Horticulture and agriculture wing will offer 40 acres of usable farm space, two greenhouses, and two academic buildings.
The expansion project also features a new student learning hub with a library, bookstore, and tutoring services and is set to open to students in 2026.
