At our March 18, 2026 meeting, representatives from North Idaho College (NIC) joined us to share an encouraging update on the College’s progress and future direction. The presentation was led by NIC President Dr. Nick Swayne, along with Rayelle Anderson, Executive Director, and Melanie Droesch, Development Operations Manager.
The presentation provided an upbeat and forward-looking overview of NIC’s current position and its near- to mid-term plans.
The Trustee Board governance challenges of recent years have now been resolved, and NIC’s accreditation is once again in “good standing” as of February 9, 2026. President Swayne highlighted the work of the newly seated Board of Trustees, which has been recognized nationally for implementing best-in-class governance practices through updated policies and procedures. These improvements are expected to provide lasting benefits for the College and the broader community it serves.
The College has experienced strong student enrollment growth over the past couple of years. Dr. Swayne shared NIC is serving nearly 4,600 students in credit programs. Of that 4,600, over 1,700 students are high school dual credit students attending high school and taking NIC courses at the same time. NIC serves an additional 7,000 students through NIC’s Workforce Training Center which offers short-term, focused career and apprenticeship offerings.
Looking forward, NIC has many exciting plans for the future. President Swayne shared the following list and then stood for questions:
- Expanded partnerships with the University of Idaho and Lewis Clark State College
- Expanded workforce development partnerships
- Cardinal Classical pathway launching Fall 2026
- NIC X-Labs
- Continuous improvement in assessment metrics
- Enhanced student support and streamlined pathways
- Preparing campus facilities for the future
- Commitment to governance excellence and transparency
- Accreditors lack the tools to manage rogue boards – ELECTIONS MATTER
Photograph: (left to right) Melanie Droesch (NIC), Jim DeShazer, Rayelle Anderson (NIC), Dr. Nick Swayne (NIC), Kim Cummings (President Elect), Dick Jurvelin
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Last Updated: April 9, 2026 by Matt Palmer
North Idaho College
At our March 18, 2026 meeting, representatives from North Idaho College (NIC) joined us to share an encouraging update on the College’s progress and future direction. The presentation was led by NIC President Dr. Nick Swayne, along with Rayelle Anderson, Executive Director, and Melanie Droesch, Development Operations Manager.
The presentation provided an upbeat and forward-looking overview of NIC’s current position and its near- to mid-term plans.
The Trustee Board governance challenges of recent years have now been resolved, and NIC’s accreditation is once again in “good standing” as of February 9, 2026. President Swayne highlighted the work of the newly seated Board of Trustees, which has been recognized nationally for implementing best-in-class governance practices through updated policies and procedures. These improvements are expected to provide lasting benefits for the College and the broader community it serves.
The College has experienced strong student enrollment growth over the past couple of years. Dr. Swayne shared NIC is serving nearly 4,600 students in credit programs. Of that 4,600, over 1,700 students are high school dual credit students attending high school and taking NIC courses at the same time. NIC serves an additional 7,000 students through NIC’s Workforce Training Center which offers short-term, focused career and apprenticeship offerings.
Looking forward, NIC has many exciting plans for the future. President Swayne shared the following list and then stood for questions:
Photograph: (left to right) Melanie Droesch (NIC), Jim DeShazer, Rayelle Anderson (NIC), Dr. Nick Swayne (NIC), Kim Cummings (President Elect), Dick Jurvelin
Category: Guest Speakers Tags: Community College, Guest speaker, North Idaho Education, Workforce Training
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Kiwanis Club of Coeur d'Alene
The Kiwanis Club of Coeur d' Alene meets every Wednesday except the last of the month from noon to 1pm at MacKenzie River Pizza , 405 W. Canfield Ave.
Anyone welcome to join us for a meeting to see what we're all about!
Building Stronger Communities Through Giving!
At the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d'Alene's meeting on October 21, we welcomed Emma Hoagland, Community Engagement Associate for North Idaho with the Idaho Community Foundation.
Emma shared how the Foundation connects generous donors with nonprofit organizations throughout Idaho, investing charitable contributions and distributing grants that help strengthen our communities.
We were particularly impressed by the Foundation's impact right here in North Idaho!
During the 2026 Forever Idaho grant cycle:
đź’™ $315,000 was distributed to local nonprofits.
đź’™ 40 organizations received financial support.
đź’™ Approximately $1.2 million has been distributed in our region over the past four years!
We were also pleased to learn more about the Foundation's support for Specialized Needs Recreation (SNR), an organization with close ties to our Kiwanis Club.
Emma also highlighted Idaho Gives, an annual four-day fundraising event that brings Idahoans together to support nonprofit organizations. In 2026, North Idaho donors contributed more than $776,000 to 112 local nonprofits!
📅 Mark your calendars for the next Idaho Gives: May 3–6, 2027.
The Foundation's commitment to strengthening communities aligns closely with our own Kiwanis mission of serving children and improving lives. We look forward to exploring opportunities to collaborate in the future.
Thank you, Emma, for an informative and inspiring presentation!
👉 Read more about Emma's presentation, the Idaho Community Foundation, and its impact on North Idaho on our website:
k00801.site.kiwanis.org/idaho-community-foundation-investing-in-the-future-of-north-idaho/ ... See MoreSee Less
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🥫🚗 320 FAMILIES SERVED — ANOTHER GREAT DAY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE! 💙
On October 8, the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene once again teamed up with Second Harvest Inland Northwest to distribute food to local families at Community United Methodist Church.
The need was clear! Cars began lining up a couple of hours before the scheduled start, so volunteers got to work early. Over the next 4½ hours, 320 families received much-needed food assistance!
đź‘Ź We were grateful to be joined by volunteers from the United Women in Faith, Wells Fargo Bank, our Aktion Club, and other community members who generously gave their time.
🌟 A special shout-out to our amazing Aktion Club members! Several joined us for the distribution, enthusiastically pitching in and enjoying the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to their community. Seeing their pride, energy, and joy in serving others was one of the highlights of the day!
Events like this remind us what can be accomplished when neighbors and community organizations work together.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this another successful food distribution!
📸 Read the full story and see photos on our Kiwanis website:
k00801.site.kiwanis.org/kiwanis-and-community-partners-serve-320-families-at-second-harvest-food-... ... See MoreSee Less
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Celebrating a Great Year of Kiwanis Service! 🎉
Our annual Installation Banquet on September 30 was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate an incredibly busy and successful year for the Kiwanis Club of Coeur d’Alene—and, most importantly, to recognize the members who made it all happen.
Throughout the past year, our members gave generously of their time, talents, and resources, participating in a remarkable variety of service projects, supporting local organizations and young people, strengthening our community partnerships, and enjoying plenty of fellowship along the way. Thank you to every one of our members who helped make the year such a success!
And, of course, the banquet marked the beginning of a new Kiwanis year. Kim Cummings was installed as President, Jeanie Nugent as President-Elect, with Kathy Bush continuing as Secretary and Matt Palmer as Treasurer. Mike Lane moves into the role of Immediate Past President, and we welcomed our new and returning Board members.
The evening also included a special recognition as Matt Palmer was named our 2025–26 Kiwanian of the Year, honoring his service and contributions to the club during the past year.
We’re grateful to everyone who served in a leadership role this past year and to those who have stepped forward to lead us in 2026–27. But most of all, thank you to all of our members. Everything our club accomplishes is possible because of your willingness to serve.
It was a great year—and we’re excited to see what we can accomplish together in the next one!
👉 Read more about the past year's accomplishments, our new leadership team, and the Installation Banquet on our website:
k00801.site.kiwanis.org/celebrating-a-great-year-and-welcoming-our-new-kiwanis-leadership/ ... See MoreSee Less
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