BVU, Arnold Motor Supply Join Forces Through Strategic Partnership
Through a Strategic Partnership with Buena Vista University, Arnold Motor Supply provides educational benefits to its employees and their eligible family members.
Buena Vista University (BVU) and Arnold Motor Supply have formed a Strategic Partnership, joining forces and strengthening the communities they serve.
This partnership allows for employees of Arnold Motor Supply, as well as eligible family members of full-time employees, to 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.
“This is a great opportunity for our employees or for their spouses or children to have the opportunity to advance their education,” says Arnold Motor Supply Human Resources Manager Tracy Boyd. “The Strategic Partnership will help make education more affordable for both traditional and nontraditional students.”
Arnold Motor Supply is among the nation’s top suppliers of replacement parts, accessories, and supplies for automobiles, light- to heavy-duty trucks, off-road equipment, and marine and agricultural equipment. The company also distributes tools, equipment, paint and body supplies, and collision parts in the auto care industry.
“This is a great opportunity for our employees or for their spouses or children to have the opportunity to advance their education.”
Arnold Motor Supply Human Resources Manager Tracy Boyd
Headquartered in Spencer, Arnold Motor Supply spans five Midwestern states—Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. The company, which employs 750 associates, is a member of the Automotive Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance—an international group of independent automotive parts stores and warehouses with locations throughout the world.
“Attending BVU on the Storm Lake campus allowed me to stay close to home but also explore all of the opportunities the college had to offer,” says Arnold Motor Supply Pricing Coordinator Shelley Schoning, ’02. “Although I attended right after high school, I was in classes, worked on projects, and socialized with students of all backgrounds and age ranges. BVU prepared me for the professional world by providing an assortment of activities and environments that were crucial to my development. I will always be thankful for the time I spent at BVU and all of the connections I made.”
“I chose BVU because of how easy they made it for me and how good of a reputation for a business school BVU had,” says Arnold Motor Supply Heavy Duty Support Manager Jason Madison, ’03. “I received my two-year degree from Marshalltown Community College while I was working full-time for Arnold Motor Supply. With the BVU satellite school at MCC, the choice was easy as all of my credits transferred right over. I received my bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in psychology while continuing to work full-time during the day for Arnold Motor Supply. It truly was the perfect fit for me.”
BVU has long enjoyed strong educational ties in and around Spencer, home to Iowa Lakes Community College, a campus that has collaborated with BVU for decades. Students enrolled in a program through Iowa Lakes can seamlessly transfer their credits toward their bachelor’s degree at BVU. Students receive personalized support including admissions and enrollment counseling and academic advising right in Spencer through BVU’s office on the Iowa Lakes campus.
“Buena Vista University is thrilled to welcome Arnold Motor Supply to our growing Strategic Partnerships initiative,” says BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships Laura Todd. “We are proud to be able to provide an educational benefit that will further strengthen Arnold Motor Supply employees and their families as we aim to strengthen the workforce not only in Iowa, but the greater region as well.”
For more information about BVU’s Strategic Partnerships and partner opportunities, please visit the BVU website at bvu.edu/strategic-partnerships or contact Strategic Partnerships at StrategicPartnerships@bvu.edu.