BVU, St. Francis Manor Connect Through Strategic Partnership
Through a collaboration with Buena Vista University, St. Francis Manor offers educational benefits to its employees and their eligible family members.
Buena Vista University (BVU) and St. Francis Manor have aligned as Strategic Partners, providing new opportunities to transform the communities both entities serve.
This partnership allows for employees of St. Francis Manor, as well as eligible family members of full-time employees, to receive grant funding to lower the overall cost per credit hour while enrolled in BVU’s convenient online undergraduate programs or the organizational leadership graduate program. Partner grant funding also lowers the cost of education for students enrolled in classes at BVU’s Storm Lake campus.
“We are excited to partner with BVU to offer education benefits to our employees. We’ve already seen strong interest in BVU’s programs from our employees, and we expect that interest to continue growing. This partnership expands access to affordable higher education for employees and their family members while supporting long-term professional and personal growth,” says Dion Schrack, Executive Administrator.
Located in Grinnell, Iowa, St. Francis Manor employs more than 150 people and is a 31-acre Life Plan Community offering independent and assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, long-term and restorative care, therapy services, and private home healthcare. Residents enjoy a variety of campus amenities, including a walking track, exercise equipment, fitness classes, and activities designed to support physical, mental, and social well-being.
In addition to its new strategic partnership with Buena Vista University, St. Francis Manor supports employee development by covering nurse aide and medication aide courses, aiding LPN and RN degree advancement, and funding professional growth across departments.
“While working full-time and eager to further my education with a bachelor’s degree, I found BVU’s fully online program to be a true blessing. I appreciated the flexibility and convenience of the online classes, as well as the supportive interactions with both classmates and professors,” says Morgan Fraker, Human Resources Specialist at St. Francis Manor and 2015 BVU graduate. “The education I received from BVU has been a vital part of my professional career, and I am grateful to be a BVU alum.”
“Buena Vista University is proud to partner with St. Francis Manor through our Strategic Partnerships initiative and is excited about the opportunities this collaboration has already created for their employees,” says BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships, Laura Todd. “Together, we are fostering meaningful opportunities for professional development and academic success, benefiting both individuals and the communities they 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.