BVU, Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., Forge Strategic Partnership
Through a collaboration with Buena Vista University, Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., offers additional opportunities and educational benefits to its employees and their eligible family members.
Buena Vista University (BVU) and Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., have entered a Strategic Partnership that mutually benefits both organizations as they strive to strengthen the communities they serve.
This partnership allows for employees of Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., 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 undergraduate programs or the organizational leadership graduate program.
“In this industry, it is tough to hire employees right now. It’s difficult enough to hire high school educated people, but to find someone with a degree—because you have to have a college degree to work on our clinical side—is nearly impossible,” says Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., CEO Tim Bedford. “The thing that excites me the most is having the opportunity to motivate some of the employees that work in our other areas to go to school and get a degree. That’s a huge benefit, and it’s really exciting.”
“As a non-traditional student, Buena Vista University has allowed me the opportunity to pursue higher education through their Online Programs. Being a mother of three and a full-time employee, continuing my education while remaining employed would not be possible for me without the flexibility of BVU’s online undergraduate education program.”
Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., Director of Adult Mental Health Wellness Centers Kara Seiser
Based in Webster City, Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., offers intensive psychiatric rehabilitation services, peer support services, and community support services, aiming to assist individuals with mental illness take steps toward recovery. Since its inception in 2012, Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., has grown to serve more than 30 Iowa counties and maintain three adult mental health drop-in wellness centers, including The Rose Center in Boone, The Phoenix Center in Indianola, and The Roundhouse in Webster City.
“As a non-traditional student, Buena Vista University has allowed me the opportunity to pursue higher education through their Online Programs,” says Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., Director of Adult Mental Health Wellness Centers Kara Seiser, a former BVU student who plans to soon re-enroll in classes due to the discounted tuition rates provided by the Strategic Partnership between BVU and her employer. “Being a mother of three and a full-time employee, continuing my education while remaining employed would not be possible for me without the flexibility of BVU’s online undergraduate education program. As I have navigated through the coursework, I have grasped skills that have already been helpful in my occupation as the Director of Adult Mental Health Wellness Centers at Central Iowa Recovery, Inc. If you are looking for an immersive educational experience from the comfort of your own computer, I highly recommend Buena Vista University.”
BVU has long enjoyed strong educational ties in and around Webster City through Iowa Central Community College, which has collaborated with BVU for decades. Students enrolled in a program through ICCC can seamlessly transfer their credits toward their bachelor’s degree at BVU. Students receive personalized support including admissions and enrollment counseling and academic advising in nearby Fort Dodge through BVU’s office on the ICCC campus.
“Buena Vista University is eager to partner with Central Iowa Recovery, Inc., an organization focused on inspiring better lives for individuals affected by mental illness,” says BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships Laura Todd. “BVU believes an accessible and affordable education remains at the heart of building individuals and communities, and we look forward to the opportunities this Strategic Partnership creates.”
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.