BVU, West Central Community Action Form Strategic Partnership
Through a Strategic Partnership with Buena Vista University, West Central Community Action provides educational benefits to employees and their eligible family members.
Buena Vista University (BVU) and West Central Community Action have entered a Strategic Partnership that will benefit both organizations as they work to uplift the people and communities they serve.
This partnership allows for employees of West Central Community Action, 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.
“Partnering with BVU provides a win-win situation, creating educational and personal development opportunities for our employees and their family members,” says West Central Community Action Human Resources Director Angela Bladt. “We are excited about this partnership and look forward to the continued growth it will provide not only to our employees and their families, but also to the communities and clients we serve.”
“Partnering with BVU provides a win-win situation, creating educational and personal development opportunities for our employees and their family members.”
West Central Community Action Human Resources Director Angela Bladt
West Central Community Action is a private, nonprofit organization which strives to empower families and individuals to achieve their highest potential. Based in Harlan, the organization partners with the state and federal government to serve 13,000-14,000 individuals each year in 10 Southwest Iowa counties: Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby.
The organization—which belongs to a collective of community action agencies established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964—has about 120 employees focused on serving children and families affected by the conditions of poverty through various programs, including early childhood, health, family development, housing, weatherization, and community enrichment services.
BVU has long enjoyed strong educational ties in and around Council Bluffs and Creston, home to Iowa Western Community College and Southwestern Community College, respectively, campuses that have collaborated with BVU for decades. Students enrolled in a program through Iowa Western or SWCC 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 Council Bluffs and Creston through BVU’s office on the Iowa Western and SWCC campuses.
“We are excited to partner with West Central Community Action and offer educational benefits to their employees and eligible family members,” says BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships Laura Todd. “Through this Strategic Partnership, we can better work to uplift and support our communities.”
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.