Engaged Students

Hands-on Learning

At BVU, intentional hands-on learning best provides students the experience they need to prepare them for what they may want to do in life. The possibilities are many for students to be the master of their own experience and see the world around them.

Students find amazing opportunities for international travel through our study-abroad program, study-travel courses during our January interim and student exchange programs with universities in Taiwan and Japan. Students have traveled to countries such as Japan, South Africa, China, Kenya, Spain, Wales, England, Austria, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Mexico, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Brazil and Russia.

However, many opportunities occur much closer to home through internships or extra-curricular activities.  For instance:

• Approximately 75% of BVU students volunteered nearly 15,000 hours in community service work last year.

• BVU hosts more than 70 student organizations with 3 out of 4 students involved in co-curricular activities

• One-quarter of BVU students participated in internships, experiential and active learning programs last year.

• Approximately one-third of BVU students participate in intercollegiate athletics on 19 NCAA Division III teams.

Great Teaching

Alongside. That’s the best way to describe BVU faculty.  Faculty connect with students every step of the way as students learn in the classroom or need help establishing connections outside of the classroom. BVU's 10:1 student/faculty ensures students that BVU faculty know and understand their needs and how they can help each student maximize potential.  Do faculty really get to know students?  Yes!  Why?  Because they ask!

Majors:
Accounting, Art, Arts Management, Athletic Training, Bachelor of Applied Studies, Biochemistry, Biology, Business Economics, Business Education, Chemistry, Communication and Performance Studies (Theatre, Communications Studies, Corporate Communication), Computer Science, Computer Science/Mathematics, Criminology/Criminal Justice, Design Your Own Major, Education, English, Environmental Science, Exercise Science (Human Performance, Physical Education and Coaching, Sport Management), Finance & Banking, General Science, Graphic Design & Visual Communication, History, International Business, Management, Management Information Systems (MIS), Marketing, Mathematics, Mathematics – Corporate, Media Studies, Music, Music Production and Technology, Philosophy and Religion, Physics, Political Science, Political Science/Public Administration, Psychology, Social Science (Teaching Licensure), Social Work, Spanish.

Vibrant Community

So you’re taking a close look at Buena Vista University, but want to know more about the community of Storm Lake and what it has to offer you as a student.

Whether it’s finding recreation, entertainment, dining out, shopping, churches or off-campus job opportunities, there’s a lot more than one might expect in a town of 10,000 people.

Of course, with a name like Storm Lake, one might first envision a lake and plenty of related outside recreational activities.  The community does not disappoint.

• The 3,200 acre natural lake is the centerpiece of the community, and provides a scenic setting for the BVU campus located on the north shore.  Students find the lake and surrounding area a gigantic playground.

• There’s the paved five-mile lake trail for walkers, joggers and bikers that winds around the northern shore of the lake and passes through the BVU campus. There are 200 acres of city parks, most along the lake shore, and a city campground that is only a few hundred feet from waters edge.

• For those that like to fish, the lake offers some of the best walleye angling in the state, with catfish not far behind.

• The newest attraction is King’s Pointe (www.kingspointeresort.com), a $39 million city-owned destination water park and resort on the northeast shore of the lake.  It is considered one of the finest water recreation facilities of its type in this region.  It features a seasonal outdoor water park with five giant water slides, a 17,000-square-foot indoor water park, and a large outdoor family pool with traditional lap lanes, separate diving area, and a water playground area.
  
  
• Golf courses include an 18-hole country club, that is open for BVU students to use, and a newly renovated 9-hole city course located on the northeast corner of the lake adjacent to King’s Pointe.  There are also plenty of tennis courts, in addition to those at the university.

• Other entertainment attractions include a three-screen movie theater, bowling alley, and more than 25 restaurants. With a good cross-section of businesses in the community, students can find most anything they need in the way of retail shopping, health care and financial services.

Successful Outcomes

Over the past several years, more than 90% of BVU graduates have found employment within six months or been admitted to graduate school.

BVU prepares students as they prepare for life after college. Our Career Services Department is partnered with Going Global, an 80,000 page database packed with career information for 48 cities in the U.S. and Canada, and 80 countries around the world. Students find job and internship resources, company profiles, employment outlook, cultural advice, and H1B visa employers -- everything they need to assist them in living and working almost anywhere around the world

Students looking for connections to help start their career path can solicit the help from alumni though our A.S.K program.  A.S.K. stands for "Alumni Sharing Knowledge," and BVU alumni are one of the best career resources.