BVU, Mason City Schools Align Through Strategic Partnership
Collaboration with Buena Vista University offers educational benefits to Mason City Community School District employees and their eligible family members.
Buena Vista University (BVU) and the Mason City Community School District have joined forces as Strategic Partners to strengthen their communities and the people they serve.
This partnership allows for employees of the Mason City schools, 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.
“BVU is the only four-year school located in Mason City, so there’s definitely a lot of convenience for our staff,” says Mason City Community School District Human Resources Director Tom Drzycimski. “We see more and more graduates of BVU joining the school district for employment with us, so it seems like a natural partnership.”
“I chose BVU to complete my teaching degree because of their partnership with the NIACC campus. I worked full time and had children, so BVU was a great option for me because I was able to do a lot of online and hybrid course work.”
Hoover Elementary School First-Grade Teacher Alaura Waid, ’18 M.Ed. ’23.
The Mason City School District provides educational programs for 3,350 students in grades PK-12. The school district, which employs about 600, features diverse academic programming and varied opportunities for students at its bevy of education locations, including four elementary schools, an intermediate school, middle school, high school, alternative high school, virtual learning academy, and Pinecrest Center for students with severe social, emotional, and behavioral needs.
“I chose BVU to complete my teaching degree because of their partnership with the NIACC campus. I worked full time and had children, so BVU was a great option for me because I was able to do a lot of online and hybrid course work,” says Hoover Elementary School First-Grade Teacher Alaura Waid, ’18 M.Ed. ’23. “When I student taught, BVU made sure I was placed in my local community. I enjoyed my undergrad program so much that when I decided to pursue my Master of Education degree, BVU was the obvious choice for me. It was financially the best choice, and my career benefitted by innovative teaching practices learned in my coursework. Someday, I will pursue a teacher leadership position knowing BVU has prepared me to empower other educators.”
BVU has long enjoyed strong educational ties in and around Mason City, home to North Iowa Area Community College, a campus that has collaborated with BVU for decades. Students enrolled in a program through NIACC 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 Mason City through BVU’s office on the NIACC campus.
“Buena Vista University is excited to partner with the Mason City Community School District as we both strive to empower students and bolster student success,” says BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships Laura Todd. “We look forward to the opportunities this Strategic Partnership will create for Mason City educators and their family members, which will strengthen the communities we serve.”
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.