KDSN RADIO News
RELEASE: BVU, St. Rose of Lima Catholic School bond through Strategic Partnership
Storm Lake, Iowa (July 6, 2021) – Buena Vista University (BVU) and St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Denison have entered into a Strategic Partnership that will benefit both organizations as they work to strengthen the people and communities they serve.
Under the agreement, employees of St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, as well as their spouses and dependents, may receive grant funding to lower the overall cost of education while enrolled in classes at BVU’s Storm Lake campus. Partner grant funding also lowers the cost per credit hour for students enrolled in BVU’s convenient online/hybrid undergraduate programs or the organizational leadership graduate program courses.
BVU professors and staff are also available for training programs, workshops, and more should administrators and teachers with St. Rose of Lima Catholic School seek those services and expertise.
“Enhancing our benefits package with an educational leader in Buena Vista University is a wonderful bonus for our employees and their loved ones,” says St. Rose of Lima Catholic School Principal Angie Stangl. “BVU’s willingness to offer grant funding to lower the cost per credit hour is a benefit for our employees and their families who seek to advance in their educational journey, improving their careers while aiding our church, our school, and the children they serve on a daily basis.”
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School educates children PK through grade five in a Christ-centered environment featuring small class sizes and personal attention from teachers who are certified with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. More than half of the teaching staff at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School have an English Language Learner (ELL) endorsement, while more are currently working to achieve their ELL endorsement.
The school, which is located adjacent to St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, offers hot lunch, bussing, Title I programming, and participates in Iowa’s Early Childhood Literacy Initiative. The school operates within the Diocese of Sioux City Catholic schools.
BVU has long enjoyed strong educational ties in and around Denison, home to Western Iowa Tech Community College, a campus that has collaborated with BVU for decades. Students enrolled in a program through WITCC can seamlessly transfer their credits toward their bachelor’s degree at BVU. Students receive personal support including admissions and enrollment counseling, and academic advising right in Denison through BVU’s office on the WITCC campus.
“We’re thrilled to be a partner with a great school like St. Rose of Lima Catholic School,” says Katie Smith, BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships. “Through an expansion of grant funding and partner programming, we aim to help strengthen teachers and their families in this district, in Denison, and throughout Iowa and the Midwest.”
For more information about BVU’s Strategic Partnerships and partner opportunities, please visit the BVU website at bvu.edu/strategic-partnerships or contact Katie Smith at SmithK@bvu.edu.
About Buena Vista University
Where students dream, innovate, and build—taking concepts from state-of-the-art classrooms and labs to real-world applications throughout the U.S. and across the globe. Our commitment to Education for Service, Division III athletics, and experiential learning opportunities provide students with skills sought by employers and community leaders. Our campus on the shores of beautiful Storm Lake hosts students in a variety of in-demand majors, while 11 community college partners across Iowa—as well as graduate programs—expand student potential through a variety of convenient online and hybrid programs. Visit bvu.edu for more.
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