BVU, Foundation Analytical Laboratory Establish Strategic Partnership
Through a Strategic Partnership with Buena Vista University, Foundation Analytical Laboratory seeks to broaden educational opportunities for employees and their eligible family members.
Buena Vista University (BVU) and Foundation Analytical Laboratory (FAL) have established a Strategic Partnership, strengthening communities and the workforce.
This partnership allows FAL employees, 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.
Additionally, BVU professors and staff are available for training programs, workshops, and more should officials with FAL seek those services and expertise.
"BVU is excited to partner with Foundation Analytical Laboratory, extending educational benefits to its employees and eligible family members. Together, we are able to strengthen communities and the workforce."
Laura Todd, BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships
“At Foundation Analytical, we value the opportunity to enrich the education of our current and future employees,” says FAL Marketing Project Manager JJ Nitz. “This partnership also represents a benefit to our community, helping to promote educational activities.”
Located in Cherokee, FAL provides analytical services for food, fuel, feed, and the environment. As one of the leading mycotoxin laboratories in the U.S., FAL has nearly 30 employees, almost a fifth of whom are BVU graduates. The business stays connected to the community by working closely with the Cherokee school system, providing tours and collaborating with teachers to help enrich their STEM programs.
“Buena Vista University was pivotal in my choice to pursue a degree in human toxicology with an emphasis on pesticide toxicity,” says Derek Simonsen, Laboratory Analyst at FAL and a 2017 BVU graduate. “The broad range of scientific knowledge I gained at BVU also helped me in my career. The individualized attention I received played a large role in my ability to work with a wide array of analytical instruments and critically think through problems.”
Continuing his family’s strong connection to BVU, Simonsen was one of now seven family members to graduate from BVU. The long list of BVU graduates in his immediate family includes his great-grandmother, grandmother, parents, brother, and wife.
“BVU is excited to partner with Foundation Analytical Laboratory, extending educational benefits to its employees and eligible family members,” says BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships Laura Todd. “Together, we are able to strengthen communities and the workforce.”
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.