Boise State’s College of Innovation and Design (CI+D) lives up to its name as it provides students with resources to pave the way for a more innovative and successful future. CI+D focuses on nurturing new ideas and increasing the value of Boise State’s education for students across all disciplines.
CI+D offers a wide range of opportunities for students seeking a degree within the college, but also allows students to earn a variety of certificates promoting skills that increase their employability and success in their future careers.
Veronica Roper, the outreach coordinator for CI+D, describes the college as a place for fostering new ideas and creating the Boise State of the future.
“I look at us as this kind of incubator space where we prototype new ideas, we launch them, then they grow and graduate to other parts of the university,” Roper said.
CI+D expands across many disciplines and programs and is much more than just its academic offerings.
Dawn Shepherd, a new addition to CI+D and the program launch director of the Digital Innovation and Design BA, cites the college’s versatility and extensive offerings as being what stands out to her about CI+D.
“[CI+D] includes academic programs, like certificates that live in the College of Innovation and Design and some degrees, but there are also research units that live there,” Shepherd said.
The college consists of two bachelor programs, five certificates, research units like Human-Environment systems and other programs such as the Venture College and the Society for Ideas.
The Venture College is a program within CI+D that presents students and faculty a space to learn how to start a business. From budgeting courses to competitive business skills, courses within the Venture College promote entrepreneurial growth for anyone on Boise State’s campus.
“If you have a business idea, they’ll help you go through and launch it,” Roper said of Venture College staff members. “Or if you already have a business, they’ll help you find seed money and connect you with different community resources, and that’s open to any student on campus.”
Photo by Claire Keener | The Arbiter
However a student chooses to utilize the services and courses within CI+D, they will be exposed to new and innovative ideas and skills. Whether it is business and entrepreneurship-oriented or specific to design and technology, these classes provide students with the knowledge and experience they need in a technology-driven world.
Erin Colburn, a CI+D student and Boise State staff member, has taken an abundance of these classes and says she has been given opportunities she never thought she’d have.
“I would’ve never thought in my wildest dreams that I could be a drone pilot,” Colburn said. “I took emerging technologies as well and that allowed me to do VR (virtual reality).”
Colburn also mentioned the impact of these classes on her personal life. She credits Brad Weigle and Jenny Myers, two of the CI+D directors, for giving her access to books and resources that have taught her just how many programs and tools are freely available.
“Brad and Jenny, because of their background and expertise, bring to the table a lot of tools you don’t even know are at your disposal,” Colburn said.
Students from any discipline across Boise State can find something to learn through the courses and programs within the College of Innovation and Design. Focusing on a brighter future for Boise State and its community, CI+D continues to grow and provide more opportunities for everyone across campus.
To learn more about CI+D and its offerings, you can visit the College of Innovation and Design web page.
