Idaho State Names Elizabeth Bowers CPI Supervisor of the Semester

Bowers is a Bowers is a Management Assistant for the College of Arts and Letters at Idaho State University. 

“The best part about being a CPI supervisor is seeing the students find their creative space and gain the skills they need to be successful upon graduation,” she said. “I truly believe that the CPI program is successful in providing students with the opportunity to gain direct experience in their field prior to graduation.”   

Bowers was nominated by ISU student Kaylee McKay, a Communication, Media and Persuasion major. During McKay’s internship, she has supported the College of Arts and Letters marketing team by writing press releases, newsletter stories, attending University brand committee, designing various graphics and much more. 

“Elizabeth (Liz) Bowers has been an absolutely phenomenal mentor to me,” McKay said.  “I feel exponentially more prepared for the workplace after having known and worked with Liz as she always made sure that I knew she would be available to help and support me in all things.” 

Bowers also supervises English and Philosophy major Beth Curtis. Curtis has spent her internship researching and writing articles on the various departments and faculty within the College of Arts and Letters. These articles have been published in the Idaho State Journal, Idaho State Today, Roar Weekly and social media outlets. 

“The CPIs that I supervise have been able to take their learning in the classroom and transfer it in their positions,” Bowers said. ”I greatly appreciate the opportunity to supervise CPI students as it is one of the best parts of my job.” 

Bowers is originally from American Falls, Idaho and was a CPI intern at Idaho State University while pursuing her degree. Her internship allowed her to gain experience directly in her field and apply classroom learning to the workplace. Upon graduating ISU in 2017, Bowers became a full-time staff member on campus, and now provides administrative and operational support to the College of Arts and Letters. Bowers was eager to once again work with the CPI program, this time in a supervisory role, when the opportunity arose to provide additional support to the College of Arts and Letters marketing and communications team. 

This semester, the CPI Office received over 40 nominations for the CPI Supervisor of the Semester award. In addition to the grand prizewinner, the CPI Office selected five runners up: Keith Weber - GIS Training & Research Center, Richard Banks - Hawthorne Middle School, Jessy Sears - Emergency Management, JongHun Sung - Human Performance & Sport Studies, and Dr. Marco Schoen - Mechanical Engineering. 

“The CPI program wouldn’t be able to provide these transformational experiences to our students without the excellent supervisors that take part in the program,” said Emily Jahsman, Associate Director of the ISU Career Center. “We are proud to work with these exceptional individuals and are grateful for their contributions.” 

Operating in its eleventh year, the CPI program provides approximately 1,000 paid internship opportunities annually to ISU students. CPI internships provide career-related experiences to help students confirm their academic pursuits, gain valuable work experience, and prepare them for life after graduation.