For graduating College of Idaho senior Lisanda Masilela, the morning of May 19, 2018 felt like a normal morning. The psychology major and international student from Swaziland was set to receive her diploma in a matter of hours, and yet it wasn’t until she found herself in her cap and gown that she began to take in what she was about to accomplish.
“It didn’t feel like anything this morning,” Masilela said. “But when I started walking in with everyone else, I just thought ‘Here we go.’ That’s when I knew. I saw [President] Jim [Everett] standing up there with my diploma and I got so focused.”
Masilela was one of over 200 C of I students in the Class of 2018 to earn their degrees on Saturday, the 127th class to be honored since the College’s founding in 1891. As “Pomp and Circumstance” rang across the Morrison Quadrangle, the students marched alongside their peers, waving to friends and family as they passed through the center of the Quad and lined up in front of the steps of Boone Hall.
In the News is part of C of I's biweekly newsletter, released every other Friday with at least two each month. Subscribe to our newsletter by following the link at the bottom of this page!
Since 2006, The College of Idaho’s Student Philanthropy Council has done its part to improve the Treasure Valley community via grant funding and investment earnings from the Seagraves Family Foundation. This year’s council has continued the 12-year tradition of giving, distributing $13,000 in funding to 13 local charitable organizations this month.
Following one of the council’s highest giving years to date in 2017, this year’s council supplied an even greater amount of funding this year, choosing 13 organizations to receive $1,000 each from a record 27 grant applications overall — double the number of applications the council usually receives each year.
According to statistics gathered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 75 percent of those affected by lifelong mental illnesses develop their conditions by the age of 24. It’s an especially resonant statistic on high school and college campuses, where the stress and pressure of studying and success can contribute to the development of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues among students.
A group of six business students in The College of Idaho’s Enactus club — Hannah Dalsoglio, Ryan Elsberry, Kennedy Alvaro, Matt McLaughlin, Shawn Zhang and Monique Lopez — wanted to help bring greater attention to these issues and improve them, to demystify the stigmas and the struggles associated with discussions on mental illness. They wanted to provide more than just a new product — they wanted to start a social movement.
Since The College of Idaho began offering classes through its Community Learning program, over 1,000 individuals have enjoyed the variety of exciting activities the classes have hosted, from new skills like beer brewing and ukulele playing to educational opportunities in gender identity and religious icons.
This summer, C of I Community Learning is back for another season of classes geared toward fun, applying all the enjoyment of picking up new skills and hobbies without the added stress of grades, tests and homework. And between over 30 classes and summer camps offered in person and over 100 online courses to choose from, there’s a class available for every interest.
The College of Idaho will honor the graduating Class of 2018 during its annual Commencement ceremony, which will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 19 in the Morrison Quadrangle on the C of I’s campus.
In the News is part of C of I's biweekly newsletter, released every other Friday with at least two each month. Subscribe to our newsletter by following the link at the bottom of this page!
The Cundill History Prize is one of the most prestigious international awards a historian can receive for a publication — and College of Idaho history professor Dr. Mark Smith has received a nomination for the award following the publication of his book examining the death of Jesus Christ.
The College of Idaho’s alumni magazine, Quest, has officially published its Spring 2018 issue, which is now being sent to the College’s mailing list and is available to read for free online on the College’s Quest Magazine page.
As the spring semester draws nearer to its end at the College of Idaho, the talented performers in the C of I music department are ready to present their spring concerts to close out the school year, including both vocal and instrumental sounds in a variety of genres and styles.
