Beyond the Arch: February 2021 by Buena Vista University

BEYOND THE ARCH

February 2021

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N F O R B U E N A V I S T A U N I V E R S I T Y

ESPORTS IN FORUM Newest club on campus makes news

PRESIDENT LENZMEIER Longtime BVU professor leads University

BEATING COVID-19 Freshmen share stories of resilience

BEYOND THE ARCH IS PRODUCED BY UNIVERSITY MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS: Kelsey Clausen M.A. ’19, Senior Director of Communications Tim Gallagher ’90, Assistant Director of Communications Ryan Harder ’99, Assistant Director of Marketing Ashley Hunter, Communications Coordinator Amy Kinney ’09, Graphic Designer Megan McKeever, Senior Director of Marketing Morgan Walker, Graphic Designer Josh Weitzel ’05, Web and Social Media Manager

IN THIS ISSUE:

Graduate student defies the odds - page -

22 Seeds sprout at BVU Institute for Agriculture - page -

26 Athletic Training duties shift in pandemic - page -

FROM THE

PRESIDENT Greetings to the entire Buena Vista University community! It is an honor to serve as BVU’s 19th President, being able to help direct the future (and the present) in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, our dedicated faculty and staff, as well as a wonderful group of faithful BVU alumni and friends. I hope you enjoy this edition of Beyond The Arch, as several stories and photos focus on how the BVU community united while forging ahead during the COVID-19 global pandemic—as illustrated on the cover. I’ll never forget 2020, not necessarily because of the pandemic, but for the inspiring ways in which I saw people sacrifice, alter their schedules and behaviors, and band together while caring for themselves and for one another. As President, I attend a weekly discussion of local leaders, professionals from our hospital, our local school districts, our city and county governmental bodies, law enforcement, and more. The task represented an epiphany of sorts for me as I reflected in awe, witnessing how dedicated leaders (many of them BVU alumni) dug in and worked tirelessly to protect our community. It was both challenging and exciting to join leaders as we created and collaborated on a variety of public health strategies. Ultimately, our efforts at BVU, in Storm Lake, and throughout the world have taken persistence, fortitude, and faith. I am proud of the ways in which we’ve demonstrated these qualities in recent months at BVU and beyond. I continue to pray for our essential workers, and for my colleagues in the world of science who have developed testing measures and vaccines. I pray, too, and continue to work with all my might, joining BVU faculty and fellow staff members as we challenge, nurture, and celebrate our most treasured resource—our students—as they, one day, become the next generation of problem-solvers and caregivers, whose important work will center on you and me.

Go Beavers!

Brian A. Lenzmeier, Ph.D. President

ACHIEVEMENTS 4

HOMECOMING KING & QUEEN CROWNED Tania Toj, business, accounting, and Spanish triple major of Postville, and Tanner Frost, digital media major of Boone, both seniors, were named BVU’s 2020 Homecoming Queen and King, respectively.

STUDENT FROM ALTA HONORED AS NEWMAN CIVIC FELLOW

LEADERSHIP RECOGNIZED BY CAMPUS COMPACT

Jacob Hull, a junior from Alta, was named a 2020 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact. The computer science major is a member of AmeriCorps, AWOL, Student MOVE, and even served at The Bridge of Storm Lake and nearby animal shelters. Hull is one of 290 students internationally recognized for their service.

Wava Jarr, a senior special education major from Fairfield, earned the President’s Student Leadership Award from Iowa Campus Compact for her commitment to service and civic responsibility. Jarr is active in AWOL, Student MOVE, and Buenafication Day planning. She also recently spoke at the American Council on Rural Education National Conference in San Antonio.

PROFESSOR TO SERVE ON ACA BOARD

EDUCATION PROFESSOR EARNS DOCTORATE

Dr. Katie Ruscitto, Assistant Professor of BVU’s Mental Health Counseling Program, was appointed president-elect of the American Counseling Association (ACA) of Iowa. ACA is the world’s largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various counseling settings. Ruscitto will begin her threeyear term in the summer of 2021.

Jessy Bibler ’13 M.Ed. ’17, Instructor of Education – Physical Education, received her Doctor of Philosophy in Education from Drake University after successfully defending her dissertation, “Examining Specials and Non-Special Teachers’ Sense of School Belonging and the Professional Development They Receive: A Study of Midwest K12 Teachers.”

EDUCATION STUDENTS PUBLISH JOURNAL ARTICLE Students from the School of Education Karlie Mandernach, a senior from Odebolt; Brittany Boeset ’20 from Dows; and Jaime Katzenstein, a junior from Council Bluffs (not pictured) published the article, “Creating Language Experiences Through Traditions” with Assistant Professors of Education Dr. Jill Tussey ’04 M.Ed. ’08 and Dr. Leslie Haas. The article appeared in the Language Experience Forum Journal.

SOPHOMORE INTERNS AT GOLF COURSE Sophomore sport business major Shane Hess from Columbus, Neb., joined clubhouse manager Joe Powell at BVU Golf Course at Lake Creek last summer for an internship. Hess gained realworld experience in event planning and management, inventory management, customer service, and marketing and promotions.

HISTORY MAJOR SPENDS FALL IN D.C. SCIENCE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH Junior Wren Klump from Willcox, Ariz. and senior Richelle Brown from Schaller sampled snakes from Northwest Iowa from the spring of 2019 through the fall of 2020. The pair assisted Dr. Bob Brodman in swabbing the skin of 128 snakes from six different species showing symptoms of fungal diseases. Brown and Klump sent the samples to the Iowa DNR for testing and will present their findings on Scholars Day.

Emma Bloom, a senior history major from Middleton, Md., spent the fall semester interning at the DACOR Bacon House in Washington, D.C. This internship is part of BVU’s longstanding partnership with the Washington Center for Internships & Academic Seminars.

COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJOR EARNS FELLOWSHIP AT FAU Greg Tystahl, a junior from Iowa Falls, received the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Fellowship at Florida Atlantic University. The research program focuses on developing “smart” computing environments that monitor and control renewable energy installations.

GAMEBREAKERS HIGHLIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BVU digital media majors Daniel Meissner, a junior from Manchester; Clayton Van Horn, a junior from Crete, Neb.; Nick Henrichs, a senior from Omaha, Neb.; and Cody Holtgrewe, a junior from Newell; known as Gamebreakers, contributed high school football highlights from Storm Lake and the surrounding communities to KTIV’s weekly “SportsFource Extra.”

FRESHMAN CLAIMS BVU SUPER SMASH BROS. ESPORTS TITLE Marching band member who plays tennis adds esports to his co-curricular slate Michael Schreck came to Buena Vista University intent on playing in the marching band and tennis for the Beavers. He made history as BVU’s first esports champion. Schreck, a freshman from Willey, topped 12 fellow BVU students in the University’s fall Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament, an esports offering directed by Trevor Berneking, who coaches BVU esports as well as linebackers for the Beaver football team. BVU esports partnered with the University’s Anime Gaming Society in organizing the event.

FACES OF BVU

CONNER BROWN BVU Junior

Conner Brown, a junior computer science major from Bellevue, Neb., is President of the BVU Esports Club. “I’ve been involved as an esports player, and this was an opportunity for me to meet students of similar interests and connect with them. The BVU Esports Arena is mind-blowing! It is so cool how well BVU did in building our new Esports Arena.” TO SEE MORE #FACESOFBVU, FOLLOW BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY

“Michael went 18-1 on the weekend and came through the loser’s bracket to win the title,” Berneking says. “He had played competitively before, and it showed.” A portion of the tournament, including the final match, was broadcast by Tanner Frost and Omar Alcorta, digital media majors, who are also gamers. There were more than 200 viewings of the finals, a match between Schreck and Kalani Wagner, the only Beaver who defeated Schreck during the tournament. “We livestreamed the match on Twitch with Omar providing analysis,” says Frost, the senior Homecoming king who has now called the following BVU sports: men’s basketball, women’s basketball, softball, baseball, wrestling, soccer, volleyball, intramural flag football, and intramural volleyball. For Schreck, the title helped highlight his first semester on campus, one that began with daily practices in marching band, a co-curricular activity that attracted him to BVU. “I really liked the atmosphere here on campus, which is a big reason I chose BVU,” Schreck says. “Plus, being here gave me the opportunity to keep playing percussion in band while also playing tennis.” Being a part of esports history on campus represents a bonus for the Kuemper Catholic High School graduate, who seeks to join his BVU peers in international service opportunities in the future. “Lots of attention has been paid to esports, especially during the pandemic as other sports couldn’t be held. ESPN began broadcasting tournaments. It’s cool that attention is being brought to it, and that people see ‘gaming’ as something pretty positive.” BVU has nearly 20 students who’ve shown interest in competing for the Beavers in esports, including Cory Nichols who also represented BVU in a Street Fighter V tournament hosted by the Collegiate Star League over the same weekend. During the fall, BVU esports had three teams competing in a Rocket League and

Buena Vista University freshman gamer Michael Schreck is shown with Trevor Berneking, who coaches esports, the newest co-curricular activity at BVU. The team competes in BVU’s Esports Arena, a new site within Siebens Forum on the campus in Storm Lake.

League of Legends charity tournament hosted by Hawkeye Community College. Schreck indicates he’ll start a Super Smash Bros. team for competition next fall, if not sooner. Frost, a senior gamer who also plays linebacker for the football team, is excited about the possibilities to broadcast another sport, one that takes place in the Esports Arena, a Siebens Forum site quickly emerging as his go-to spot on campus. “It’s great we have the Esports Arena,” Frost says. “I come here to play, to watch others play, and to get some homework done.” Esports has allowed Schreck to widen his circle of friends on campus. He met more and more people as the activity grew in popularity this fall. “I knew a couple of esports players before the tournament, and then I met eight to 10 others. They’re all super nice,” he says. “It’s cool to play a sport in a state-of-the-art space where we get to know other students with similar interests.”

Abby Kraft, a freshman from Newell who studies history education, is a member of the Beavers esports teams. She’s shown here gaming in BVU’s new Esports Arena, where Kraft plays on the Rainbow Six Siege team.

BVU EVENTS We look forward to welcoming alumni and friends back to campus for events, competitions, camps, and more in the future! Keep an eye on the Beyond the Arch e-newsletter and the BVU events calendar at bvu.edu/events.

AXEL HERNANDEZ & RAMON GARCIA

ROBOTICS CLUB HOSTS SUMO-BOT COMPETITION Club is a byproduct of new computer science program track, AI/robotics

Jason Konz and Axel Hernandez leaned toward a black mat emblazoned with “BVU” lettering on a November evening in the Estelle Siebens Science Center. They joined four peers and Dr. Shawn Stone, BVU Professor of Physics and Computer Science, in making history for the University.

“It’s a great activity that’s giving us experience in this area,” says Jacob Hull, a junior computer science major from Alta and the winner of the inaugural competition. “I’m hoping to get into a career that focuses on autonomous vehicles and the use of artificial intelligence.”

The Robotics Club’s first sumo-bot competition was underway.

The new academic track was approved by BVU’s President’s Council and President Brian Lenzmeier when he served as BVU Provost.

“It’s cool to be a part of this,” says Hernandez, a sophomore physics major who participates as a wrestler for the Beavers. This represented wrestling of a different stripe. Members of the Robotics Club, one of the newest organizations on campus, made robots that followed computer commands to “sumo wrestle” a robot foe, attempting to push one another off the mat. “I joined the Robotics Club last year because I figured participating with the club would help me become an engineer,” says Hernandez, a native of Dumas, Tex. “I want to learn what I can about robotics and computer programming.” Konz, a sophomore computer science major from Granville, echoed his classmate’s remarks. He learned of the start-up club at BVU’s Plunge event in the fall of 2019. He signed up immediately. “We sought out a grant last year and obtained the robot kits through the grant,” says Konz, whose mother and sister earned accounting degrees at BVU. “We used our time in the club to go over the manuals provided with the kits. We learned ‘Robot-C’ code, which is also called VEXcode, and wrote it to instruct our robots.” Robotics Club members also used BVU’s 3-D printer, purchased with funding from the Stine Family Foundation, to print plastic parts of each robot. The units must weigh less than two kilograms and can be no larger than one foot by one foot. The Robotics Club is an outgrowth of a new program track within the computer science major, artificial intelligence/ robotics. Stone, the 2020 George Wythe Award winner for teaching excellence at BVU, directs the academic track. He also serves as Robotics Club advisor. Additionally, he built a robot for the competition. “We were supposed to compete in a sumo-bot competition in Milwaukee, Wisc., but it was cancelled due to COVID-19,” Stone says. “So, instead, we had members of the club build their units and compete against one another here at BVU. After seeing the competition play out, I’m confident our sumo-bots would have competed very well against those from other colleges.”

“Artificial intelligence and robotics will have connections to our new agriculture programs as well as to medicine and the future of manufacturing,” Lenzmeier says. Hernandez, who partnered in the competition with Ramon Garcia, a sophomore physics major from Denison, was pleased their robot defeated Stone’s robot, even though it took three attempts to get the victory. “It took three tries, but we finally got Dr. Stone,” Hernandez says. “You can tell how much he (Dr. Stone) enjoys the activity. It was a lot of fun for all of us.” After watching his autonomous robot search and find its foe, following pre-set commands, Konz cheered for a quick victory. “This is teaching us creative problem solving,” he says. “It’s helping me to think abstractly. We’re thinking about a situation and trying to find the best solution.”

FACES OF BVU

DR. SHAWN STONE

Professor of Physics & Computer Science

Let’s hear it for our own Dr. Shawn Stone, who has teamed up with fellow Iowans to make medical shields for healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic by using BVU’s 3-D printer. TO SEE MORE #FACESOFBVU, FOLLOW BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY

BVU’S 19TH PRESIDENT TAPS RESEARCH, INNOVATION IN LEADING UNIVERSITY Throughout the spring and summer, Buena Vista University Interim President Dr. Brian Lenzmeier checked a pair of daily emails first thing each morning.

“Despite the tragedy, President Fisher showed BVU’s tenacity and spirit, promising at that moment that classes would continue at 8 o’clock the next morning,” Lenzmeier said.

The first, which came from higher education, detailed the trends and effects of COVID-19. The second came from the scientific community. It, too, detailed trends and effects of COVID-19.

Classes would continue in the fall of 2020 as well, a period that began with Lenzmeier chatting briefly with each student as they made their way beneath the Victory Arch, in what became a Convocation photo opportunity to be shared with parents.

Lenzmeier would then walk to work, leading the only place he’s served since arriving at BVU as a Professor of Biology in 2003. Ultimately, his leadership as Interim President, coupled with the results and innovation displayed throughout his near two-decade tenure in multiple roles, were recognized by the BVU Board of Trustees which, in October, named him the University’s 19th President. “Dr. Lenzmeier is clearly an incredible choice for BVU,” said BVU Board of Trustees Chair Michael Pierce. “A sincere and gifted leader, Brian has played a key role in so many University successes and has seen those outcomes from a variety of perspectives, ranging from Professor to Chair of the Faculty Senate to Dean of the Faculty to Provost and, most recently, as Interim President at one of the most critical points in time for our University.” Pierce cited Lenzmeier’s leadership during the pandemic, as well as his extensive knowledge of departments across the University, his command of an ever-changing educational landscape, and his history of enthusiastically working with students, and fellow faculty and staff members in preparing students for their roles as successful members of their communities. Lenzmeier helped direct BVU during the height of the pandemic last spring, a period in which Buena Vista County reached the New York Times’ national “hotspot” list for the number of cases per capita. Relying on his education and background as a virologist, Lenzmeier joined BVU faculty and staff in adjusting the fall and spring academic schedules while instituting a host of mitigation efforts to guard against spread of the virus. Incredibly, Lenzmeier noted, enrollment grew by 2.5 percent, despite those headwinds. When the academic year began, he joined his wife, Betsy Lenzmeier, at the base of the Victory Arch, donning masks and observing physical distancing while personally greeting every member of a large class of freshmen and transfer students who helped reopen campus for Convocation. Lenzmeier drew inspiration from certain points in BVU’s history, notably, the night in September 1956 when then-President John Fisher gathered students in prayer moments after a fire destroyed the figurative brick-and-mortar heart of campus, Old Main.

“We have missed having students here. It is great to have you back,” he said as some 231 students stopped to have their picture taken. “We’re so excited to get the year started.” On the day of the press conference announcing Lenzmeier as the new BVU President, there were zero active COVID-19 cases among students, he reported. He lauded the BVU student body throughout the semester, emailing students consistently through the fall to praise their resiliency while reminding them to remain vigilant, ever-mindful of their health and, by extension, the health of their peers and the extended community. “Our goal was to have in-person instruction on campus until the Thanksgiving break, and our students, faculty, and staff made it happen,” he said as students broke for the holiday. Classes resumed online through the end of the first semester—again, as planned. During the holiday break, the Iowa Department of Public Health listed BVU as one of two sites in rural Iowa approved to store the Pfizer vaccine, which requires a storage temperature of a negative 70 degrees, a mark well within reach of the freezer at the Estelle Siebens Science Center, which has a coldtemperature capacity of minus 86 degrees. The occurrence, according to Lenzmeier, highlighted the vast array of resources friends and benefactors have made available for BVU students and faculty, while also illustrating the University’s willingness to step forward during a crisis to serve the greater community.

MINNESOTAN FINDS STORM LAKE A native of Willmar, Minn., Lenzmeier earned all-conference laurels in cross country while serving as a resident assistant at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., where he studied biology. After earning his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Colorado State University, he completed post-doctoral research in molecular biology at Princeton University. He was hired at BVU in 2003 and served as Professor of Biology with distinction, having been named by the BVU Student Senate as Faculty Member of the Year on two occasions. In 2009, Lenzmeier earned the George Wythe Award, the University’s highest honor for excellence in teaching, then used the award stipend to support a sabbatical as a research fellow in molecular

Dr. Brian Lenzmeier is shown in the Estelle Siebens Science Center overseeing research work conducted by BVU student Jake Staudt ‘18. Lenzmeier came to BVU in 2003 as a Professor of Biology.

OWEN, MATT, BETSY, & BRIAN LENZMEIER

“President Lenzmeier has touched and helped shape the lives of dozens of doctors, health-care providers, researchers, teachers, and more. His steady approach and unparalleled dedication have prepared him for this seminal point in BVU’s history.” —Michael Pierce, BVU Board of Trustees Chair

medicine at the Mayo Clinic in 2011. His work at that time helped establish an educational bond connecting the Mayo Clinic and BVU—a link that endures one decade later. Three years earlier, Lenzmeier worked closely with longtime BVU Professor of Biology Dr. Richard Lampe ’69 and leaders at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center as Lampe, who has since retired, established the University’s landmark Undergraduate Rural Medicine Education and Development (URMED) program. Similar experiences for BVU students in a whole range of disciplines have him motivated to lead a team primed to devise and execute even more winning strategies to benefit students and their communities.

“Our No. 1 priority centers on providing an authentic, quality experience for every student,” Lenzmeier said. “Thanks to the leaders and benefactors who came before me, BVU continues to position itself as a destination for quality faculty members who deliver an educational experience unmatched by our peers. Our commitment to co-curriculars, as well as online learning options for undergraduates, graduate students, and site students across Iowa and the U.S., continue to set BVU apart.” “President Lenzmeier has touched and helped shape the lives of dozens of doctors, health-care providers, researchers, teachers, and more,” Pierce concluded. “His steady approach and unparalleled dedication have prepared him for this seminal point in BVU’s history.”

Dr. Thom Bonagura, left, and Dr. Brian Lenzmeier help place the lab coat on Kalab Kibret ‘20, a participant in BVU’s landmark URMED program.

“I sincerely want to thank members of the Board of Trustees for their faith and confidence in my abilities,” Lenzmeier said. “I came to BVU as a Professor of Biology nearly two decades ago, intent on making a difference in the lives of my students. That goal hasn’t changed since my first day here. What I didn’t realize was the profound impact those students, and this incredible community, would have on me, my wife, Betsy, and our sons, Owen and Matt.” Owen, a senior at Storm Lake High School and a prospective BVU student, joined Betsy as they toured campus on Oct. 26, meeting with members of BVU Admissions, select faculty, and staff. Brian, however, had to miss the tour as it coincided with a work commitment. Just two hours after the tour, which had been set weeks in advance, he was introduced as BVU’s President. The scientist smiled as he considered the infinitesimal chances of such a confluence of events at the place he’s served while growing, both professionally and personally. “I am honored to be able to serve as the next President for a place I cherish and love, a University that will continue to lead our region, transforming lives and communities in the process,” he said.

DR. KYLE GLIENKE & DR. ELIZABETH DUPIC

STORM LAKE PHYSICIANS, BVU ALUMNI, RETURN TO CAMPUS TO TEACH ANATOMY As President Brian Lenzmeier began his time as the 19th leader of Buena Vista University, two of his students returned to campus to teach. Drs. Elizabeth (Ahrendsen) Dupic ‘11 and Kyle Glienke ‘09, family practice physicians serving UnityPoint Clinics in Storm Lake, visited BVU once per week this fall to teach anatomy, joining colleague Dr. John Pymm. Dupic and Glienke studied under Lenzmeier when he served as Professor of Biology. “It was a fun experience to teach, much different than what I’ve been doing the past six years,” says Dupic. “It was very good for me to review and refresh my memory on the concepts I had to teach.” “It was fun to be on other side of the equation, as a teacher,” Glienke says. “It was interesting taking students through things we don’t talk about much in our practice, like everything it takes to move your hand. It’s fun to help students bring all that together.” Glienke and Dupic are part of a strong network of physicians building practices in Storm Lake and at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center, including, but not limited to: Dr. Joan Nilles ‘78, Dr. Lisa (Rinkel) Shepherd ‘98, and Dr. Sabrina Martinez, who completed BVU’s Undergraduate Rural Medicine Education and Development (URMED) program.

BVU ONLINE/HYBRID

GRADUATE BEGINS CAREER SERVING CHILDREN AFFECTED BY COVID-19

Jamie Doescher ’20 never imagined her first year as full-time social worker would play out amid a pandemic. “I work from the office half the time and from home half the time,” says Doescher, a social worker serving the Children’s Department of Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services in Cottonwood and Jackson counties in Minnesota. “We’re seeing how family dynamics can be challenging for some children with everyone at home all the time. We’re working to assess and assist families and their children in areas involving mental health.” Doescher was four classes short of earning her bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent psychology in March 2019 when the college she attended, Argosy University Twin Cities, closed. “We had the option of trying to transfer credits, or we could possibly opt out of our degree completely,” says Doescher, of Lakefield, Minn. “With me only having four classes left, there’s no way I could quit and give up on everything.” Doescher, the mother of two, spent the summer of 2019 working for a behavior specialist at Autumn’s Center in Spencer, where a coworker suggested she examine online instruction at BVU. Doescher connected with Peggy Bates, BVU Assistant Director of Student Success, who reached out to BVU President Brian Lenzmeier, then-Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

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“I knew I’d have a good career and be able to provide for my family. They were also my motivation.”

“Because of BVU’s online degree options and robust listing of programs offered, we felt uniquely prepared to assist Argosy students in completing their degrees in a timely and cost-effective manner,” Lenzmeier says. Doescher enrolled in BVU’s online classes. She found professors accessible and easy to follow. She worked as a paraprofessional at Pleasantview Elementary School in Lakefield, which augmented her instruction. In December 2019, Doescher landed a temporary position in the children’s mental health and childcare licensing programs with Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services. Her employers pledged the position would become her full-time career once she earned her bachelor’s degree in May. “I now have a career in social work that I’m really enjoying,” she says, noting how her work provides a meaningful example for their son, Carson, 12, and daughter, Kendalyn, eight. Being at home for half of each work week puts “Mom” in the same house as her two children, as both have been learning remotely for portions of the pandemic. “It can be challenging as the three of us attempt to use the Internet simultaneously,” Doescher says. “It also gives me more of an understanding of what many families are going through.” There are also families who struggle without Internet service. Other children cope in food-insecure households

where a parent or guardian has lost a job or seen their hours reduced during the pandemic. All of these factors can adversely affect a child’s mental health, a reality illustrated by statistics showing an increase in demand for the assistance Doescher offers during the pandemic. “COVID-19 has also made my job more difficult as I can’t see clients in person,” Doescher says. “I feel there’s great value in seeing a child in their home, as that’s where you can better build the rapport you need. It’s tougher to establish that connection while speaking to them over video.” News of a vaccine has been welcomed by Doescher, who, seeks a return to normalcy. Until then, she’ll keep working with her clients while spending time to work with her own children when they’re not in school. It’s why she enrolled in BVU programming: to be better equipped to serve children through an in-demand career. “Even with the present COVD-19 challenges, this has been a rewarding role for me,” she says. “I really enjoy helping others. I’ve learned how valuable I can be in a very important field.”

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Do you know someone looking to finish their bachelor’s degree online? How about a professional looking to complete their master’s and move forward in their career? They may be a perfect fit for Buena Vista University—a place that values personal attention and empowers the future of Iowa and beyond. Encourage them to apply at bvu.edu/apply. It’s free!

Dr. Geoffrey Ecker, BVU Assistant Professor of Agronomy, leads students through a class held outdoors on campus during the fall.

ALUMNI & FRIENDS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

THROUGH OUR STUDENT EMERGENCY FUND When the COVID-19 pandemic struck last March, many students across the country faced uncertainty. However, the Beaver family stepped up to support BVU students in ways they could have never expected. By May, BVU alumni and friends raised more than $25,000 for the newly-created Student Emergency Fund. Through this fund, BVU students are continuously provided the financial support they need to keep building their dreams through the University.

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TAMI LAURSEN & LORIE STANTON

HEALTH SERVICES PLAYS KEY ROLE IN COVID-19 FIGHT Tami Laursen M.A. ’18 and Lorie Stanton donned full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) multiple times each day this fall. The two managed Zoom calls at 10 a.m. some Saturday mornings in their attempt to conduct contact tracing efforts. They swabbed noses, offered counsel, compassion, and tips on staying healthy. When it comes to BVU, these key pros served in the eye of the COVID-19 pandemic. “When the State of Iowa sought hosts for TestIowa COVID-19 testing, we jumped on board immediately,” says Laursen, Director of Health Services & Wellness. “Hosting the testing site here allowed us to keep track of who had tested, when they tested, and if they’d need to do contact tracing, which was huge for students and the community.” Throughout the Fall Semester, Laursen and Stanton, Campus Nurse/Assistant to Wellness & Health Services, conducted nearly 450 COVID-19 tests on campus. They helped manage quarantine/isolation requirements and constantly worked with administrators, faculty, staff, and students. “The COVID-19 hotline on campus really helped, as did the symptoms checker,” Laursen says. “And when we put some rules into effect concerning physical distancing on campus, it really helped.” For much of the Fall Semester, the number of active cases among students was in single digits. After the holiday break, Laursen and Stanton helped oversee rapid testing of all residential students upon their return to campus, as well as surveillance testing of student-athletes and a random sample of the general student population. “We had zero students hospitalized because of COVID-19,” Laursen says, citing the University’s quick contact tracing efforts as well as the frequent reminders for students, faculty, and staff to adhere to mitigation strategies.

LINDSEY ANHALT

FRESHMEN EMERGE FROM COVID-19 BATTLE

WITH STRENGTH, APPRECIATION FOR BVU COMMUNITY home to Lincoln fearing he had COVID-19, a reality borne out with a positive test result that week. The freshman pitcher quarantined in his parents’ basement the following two weeks, attending online classes throughout his recuperation. If there is a silver lining to Kirchgatter’s bout, it’s this: An examination during his recovery enabled doctors to learn he was born with bicuspid aortic valve disease, a condition whereupon his heart has only two valves pumping blood, rather than three.

JAXON KIRCHGATTER

Lindsey Anhalt will always remember her birthday in 2020. The Buena Vista University freshman was in college, away from home for the first time, meeting new classmates, new teammates, learning to live on her own for the first time, a period of long-awaited independence. And she contracted COVID-19. “I tested for the virus on my 19th birthday,” says Anhalt, an elementary education major from Littleton, Colo. Anhalt isolated after her test, taking up residence in a room on the third floor of Liberty Hall, the area reserved for students who tested positive. Personnel from Health Services & Wellness dropped off meals and spoke with her daily. Members of Campus Security delivered supper each day. Her basketball coaches, professors, and teammates kept in constant contact through texts, calls, and messages. “Looking back, it wasn’t that bad. I made it,” Anhalt says. “It served as a milestone moment for me, showing me how strong I could be.” “I felt like I had a cold,” says fellow BVU freshman Jaxon Kirchgatter, recalling his experience in early September. “I took the daily BVU COVID-19 Self-Assessment on my phone and reported some symptoms, which led to me getting a red X.” The red X prompted Head Athletic Trainer Nick Long to text Kirchgatter, directing him to get tested. Kirchgatter drove

“Doctors saw something in my EKG that led to an ultrasound, which led to the discovery of my heart issue,” he says. “It has led me to taking more breaks during workouts. I lift less. I drink a lot more water.” Kirchgatter also began seeing a counselor with BVU’s Counseling Services. As one who has also battled some anxiety issues, Kirchgatter found strength in the additional assistance. “Going to see a counselor at BVU is the best thing I’ve done,” he says. “I recommend it for everyone. It makes you feel stronger, like you’re not alone in going through COVID-19. Not once have I been judged by anyone for going to the counselor.” Kirchgatter returned to class in late September. He joined his baseball teammates at practice upon gaining clearance from his cardiologist. He’s learning more about baseball, more about marketing (his major), and more about himself. The same can be said for Lindsey Anhalt, the power forward on the Beaver women’s basketball team. She became a 19-year-old while battling a mysterious, deadly virus 688 miles from home. She remained strong, attended classes virtually, and kept telling her teammates, professors, and friends she would emerge even stronger. “When I went into quarantine, I worried I might be forgotten,” she says. “I wasn’t. Everyone was there for me: my professors, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, and our nurses.” Anhalt made a direct line across campus the day she emerged from quarantine and headed for the offices of David Wells and Alison Shearer, the women’s basketball coaches. “I joined my team, and we went to Dairy Queen for Blizzards,” she says with a wide smile. “It tasted sooooo good!”

PLAY BALL Softball was played on Buena Vista University’s lakeside campus for the first time in years as the Beavers hosted a double-header on Peterson Field in March 2019. This photo shows a baseball game taking place on campus in 1899. The diamond occupies space near Old Main, which stands prominently in the background. BVU fielded a baseball team throughout its history, according to author Dr. William Cumberland in his “History of Buena Vista University,” but no official compilation of statistics were kept until 1947.

Krista Tedrow, above left, is three-fourths of the way through her educational journey. Above, Krista with husband, Aaron Tedrow, and their daughter, Amelia.

BUILD YOUR CAREER IN BVU’S RECORDSETTING GRADUATE PROGRAMS

MASTER’S PROGRAMS

8 WEEK TERMS

1,044 GRADUATE PROGRAM ALUMNI

MASTER’S DEGREE QUALIFIES

BVU GRADUATE AS A ‘ONE-PERCENTER’ Krista (Miller) Tedrow ’19 M.A. ’20, who resided in the foster care system until she was nine, carries statistics from those formative years, motivators all.

working full-time,” Tedrow says of her Ottumwa friend, now a school counselor. “She directed me to BVU and encouraged me to go back to school.”

Fifty percent of children who interacted with the foster care system graduate from high school. • Of that 50 percent, 20 percent start college. • Of that 20 percent, five percent graduate with a four-year degree. • Of that five percent, one percent pursue an advanced degree.

BVU professors, including Dr. Mary Gill, BVU Professor of Communications Studies and Program Director for Organizational Leadership, helped Tedrow overcome fears of taking classes while working full-time.

Krista Tedrow is a one-percenter. The Ottumwa native earned her bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista University in June 2019. Her BVU master’s degree came 14 months later, in August. Along the way, Tedrow opened a consulting company. She co-founded a tech startup. She worked a full-time job and, with husband Aaron Tedrow, raised their daughter, Amelia, a 3-year-old. “I graduated from BVU and took my consulting work with No Opportunity Wasted and launched into Pathway Possibilities, the tech startup that creates software to address disparities in the field of human services,” she says. She laughs: “Once I graduated, I didn’t have BVU homework. The startup business gave me something to help occupy my time.” Education remains central to all Tedrow touches. Education, she says, represents a tool to chisel one’s way from a cycle of poverty. That’s how it worked for Tedrow, after all, who shuttled from foster home to foster home the first decade of her life as her biological parents served prison sentences, a byproduct of their addictions. Tedrow graduated from Ottumwa’s Calvary Baptist High School early, at age 16. She left her hometown, made some questionable decisions of her own, then returned to enroll at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. BVU was presented as an option after she earned her associate degree. “Brianna (Arterburn) Porter ’09 M.A. ’16 was in the high school counselor’s program at BVU at the time, raising two children and

“I got a C in one of my first master’s classes,” Tedrow remembers. “Mary Gill reached out and helped walk me through the next course. She was always there for me.” Tedrow, who celebrated her 30th birthday in July, has served in various roles at the Ottumwa Job Corps Center and is currently on a team consulting the National Office of Job Corps on Distance Learning. She’s executive director of the South Central Iowa Workforce Area local workforce development board. Her mission involves getting people connected to the resources (education, skills, training) they need to enter the workforce and matching job seekers with available positions, working with agency partners who seek to keep individuals advancing as companies grow stronger in regions across Iowa. “We are still impacted by cycles of poverty, but our key stakeholders keep working to address it,” she says. “I will do everything I can to make a difference in our communities by directing resources, energy, and attention to the systems that work for young people in our disadvantaged populations.” It’s where Krista found herself many years ago. “The key is to have someone fighting for you,” she concludes while gearing up for a keynote speech she’ll deliver for a conference serving foster care providers in Chicago. “You need an advocate. And at BVU, that’s what I had in everyone from Financial Aid personnel to the Registrar to my professors: advocates looking out for me, fighting for my future.”

REFER A FUTURE BEAVER

YEARS OR LESS TO COMPLETE YOUR PROGRAM

407

CURRENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ENROLLMENT

BVU student Brandon Foster, right, worked with his friend, Darrenisha Long, picking up trash along a road in Waycross, Ga., on Buenafication Day in April 2020.

BUENAFICATION DAY SPREADS With campus closed, BVU students and alumni volunteered where they resided One outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic involved Buenafication Day spreading across the country as students and alumni put in the time to better their communities through volunteer efforts, bringing to life BVU’s motto, “Education for Service.” Katelyn Brinkerhoff ’17 worked to prepare the Marilyn Engle Teaching/ Donation Garden for planting in Woodbury County. Junior Jacob Hull cut down trees and did yard work near his home in Alta. His classmate, Molly Barten, worked to clean Dakins Lake near Zearing. “I think in some ways it was a stronger Buenafication Day,” says Hull, who was honored in the spring as a Newman Civic Fellow. “People put in the effort no matter where they were at,” says Tatum Hoadley, a senior who joined a small group of students on campus writing letters and cards to service providers before assembling 1,200 dental kits for distribution through Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. ALUMNI & FRIENDS: SAVE THE DATE BUENAFICATION DAY, THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021

FACES OF BVU

KATIE (MARTIN) SMITH ’15 Director of Strategic Partnerships

“Partnering with BVU can take any organization to the next level in their employee benefit offerings. This is an opportunity to build up the communities we serve and give back to partners and their families.” TO SEE MORE #FACESOFBVU, FOLLOW BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY

IOWA STRONG!

A total of 19,799 Buena Vista University alumni call Iowa home. BVU’s commitment to strengthening rural communities arises from a strong attachment Beavers have to Iowa, where the following percentages of graduates live and work:

90%

OF THOSE FROM ONLINE, HYBRID, AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS

76%

OF THOSE FROM THE STORM LAKE CAMPUS

86% OF ALL

GRADUATES LIVE AND WORK IN IOWA

INVESTING IN RURAL IOWA

BVU keeps the spirit for rural Iowa alive in many ways, and, this year, has added the Invest in Rural Iowa Scholarship program, thanks to a generous benefactor who contributed $1 million to support an effort that will directly impact the educational journey of 60 students. Fifteen students per year throughout the next four years will earn a renewable scholarship of $5,000 through the Invest in Rural Iowa Scholarship initiative. Students from a 19-county area of Northwest Iowa are selected based on academic standing, financial aid qualifications, and a commitment to serve their local communities. “These gifts truly show how BVU benefactors and the students we’re recruiting live out our motto, ‘Education for Service,’” says BVU Director of Admissions Conner Ellinghuysen. “I coached a fifth-grade basketball team during the winter,” says scholarship recipient, Fletcher Kucera, a prolific volunteer in his hometown, Storm Lake. “When I told my team I was going to BVU and could keep coaching them as sixth-graders, they were pretty fired up!”

BEAVERS RAISE A RURAL FOCUS Buena Vista University’s commitment in making rural communities thrive again can be seen in a variety of initiatives, ranging from BVU’s Institute for Agriculture to the Donald F. and Charlene K. Lamberti Center for Rural Entrepreneurship to the new Invest in Rural Iowa Scholarship to the latest, BVU’s Strategic Partnerships. Partnerships forged with businesses across Iowa aim to grow organizations and their employees and families through education grants and programs that increase educational opportunities and, ultimately, improve business results.

“We are proud to offer this additional benefit to our employees and appreciate the partnership with BVU. We’re excited to assist our employees and their families in achieving their goal of furthering their education.” – ROXANNE KANNE-ROUSH, FAREWAY VICE PRESIDENT OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

“We encourage our team to be life-long learners. This Strategic Partnership allows employees without a bachelor’s degree another avenue to reach their career goals.” – ROB COLERICK, BUENA VISTA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER CEO

Strategic Partnerships offer the employees, spouses, and dependents of partner organizations grant funding for tuition costs for students attending BVU’s Storm Lake campus. Other discounts per credit hour are offered to those persons who wish to take BVU’s convenient online/hybrid undergraduate courses or organizational leadership courses in BVU’s graduate program. Additionally, BVU professors and staff will be available for training programs, workshops, and more should Strategic Partner organizations request. For information about BVU partner opportunities, visit bvu.edu/strategic-partnerships.

“The cooperative agreement presented by BVU can only serve to strengthen our workforce and our community through expanded educational opportunities that will allow our team members to grow and advance in their career. We certainly see this as a win-win situation.”

“We want to do all we can to keep BVU instruction readily available and top-of-mind for employees and the families of companies that serve as the backbone for our Iowa communities.” – KATIE SMITH, BVU DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

– JENNY ROBINSON, WELLMAN OF CRESTON DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

CURRENT ENTITIES WORKING WITH BVU AS STRATEGIC PARTNERS • Pro Cooperative • Buena Vista Regional Medical Center • Wellman Dynamics • Fareway Stores • Ottumwa Community School District • UnityPoint Health • Iowa Central Community College • Iowa Western Community College • Iowa Lakes Community College

• Marshalltown Community College • North Iowa Area Community College • Indian Hills Community College • Western Iowa Tech Community College • Southwestern Community College • Des Moines Area Community College • Southeastern Community College • Kirkwood Community College

BUILDING A FUTURE IN AGRICULTURE BVU PROGRAMS GROW, STUDENTS EXCEL

APRIL 2018

JANUARY 2019

MAY 2020

BVU introduces Institute for Agriculture.

The first three ag majors are approved: B.A. in agricultural business, B.S. in agricultural science, and B.A.Sc. in agricultural studies.

Rich Crow begins role as Director of the Institute for Agriculture.

APRIL 2019 Partnering with Corteva Agriscience and Farm Credit Services of America, BVU hosts its first Agriculture Student Expo, welcoming students from across Iowa.

JULY 2020 Iowa High School Rodeo Association Hall of Famer Marty Barnes joins BVU as its first Rodeo coach.

AUGUST 2019 The BVU Ag Club is founded.

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION KEY IN BVU EDUCATION EFFORTS Located just minutes from the Storm Lake campus, BVU’s Agricultural Experiment Station, a diversified grain and livestock operation, extends the student experience from the classroom to the real world. Students participate in hands-on learning focused on areas such as livestock, agronomy, commodities, breeding, artificial insemination, marketing, and more. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station, students experience what it’s like to be at a fully functional family-based farm. And with access to 85 cow-calf pairs, a swine herd, 13 horses, chickens, ducks, and hundreds of crop acres, there’s no limit to what agriculture students at BVU can do.

BVU partners with Mike and Dana Christen to establish the Agricultural Experiment Station at Circle C Cattle Company.

AUGUST 2020 BVU’s Institute for Agriculture and the Buena Vista County Fair host the first Open Livestock Show at the fair in 14 years.

Through the Lamberti Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, the student-run Beavers Drone business is founded.

SEPTEMBER 2020

NOVEMBER 2020

Students attend the World Beef Expo in West Allis, Wisc.

The Institute for Agriculture hosts a Horseback Riding Clinic for BVU students at the Agricultural Experiment Station.

AUGUST 2021 BVU will welcome its first class of B.A. agricultural education majors.

Virtual Reality kits are provided to local high school ag classrooms to allow students the opportunity to virtually visit farms and agriculture businesses.

The first harvest for BVU students takes place at the Agricultural Experiment Station.

OCTOBER 2020 “15 Minutes with a Leader” series connects alumni in the ag industry with current students.

Eighty Northwest Iowa students compete in the Northwest Iowa District FFA Soils Judging Contest hosted at the Agricultural Experiment Station.

FACES OF BVU

MISTER MCNAUGHTON BVU Sophomore

As a BVU ag scholar and BVU’s Ag Club President, Mister was selected by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board to be a member of the Iowa Corn Collegiate Advisory Team, a post that has taken him to meetings and conferences in Johnston and Des Moines on several occasions. TO SEE MORE #FACESOFBVU, FOLLOW BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY

RODEO’S A BONUS FOR BEAVER WRESTLER Caleb Eggleston knew he’d tackle subjects like biology and art as a Buena Vista University freshman. He also anticipated taking down opponents as a 141-pound wrestler for the Beavers. But, a colt? Training a colt? That’s something Eggleston didn’t expect. He welcomes the bonus, a result of his place on the BVU’s new rodeo team. “Mike Christen (BVU Land Unit Manager for the new Agricultural Experiment Station) has me training a two-year-old colt, so I go out to the farm and get to ride,” Eggleston says. “It gives me a taste of home.” Home for Eggleston is Cook, Neb., a town of 308 people 180 miles from the BVU campus in Storm Lake. BVU’s science curriculum and emerging Institute for Agriculture served as attractions for Eggleston, as did coaches Mark Rial and Sean White of the BVU wrestling team. “I’ve watched Coach Rial wrestle, and I believe in what he and Coach White are doing in building our program,” says Eggleston, a three-time state tournament qualifier as a Johnson County prep in Nebraska. Rodeo, on the other hand, was something in its infancy as Eggleston toured campus. BVU Instructor of Animal Science Landon Sullivan mentioned the emerging team to Eggleston. “I’ve been out to the Barnes Ranch and have worked with Coach Marty Barnes,” Eggleston says. “It’s a cool place. I get to help Marty with things on the ranch, or work with Mike on the farm. It’s been a great experience.” Eggleston, an ag business major, says the activities helped him acclimate himself to life on a campus as a freshman, a busy Beaver at that. “I’m a part of two teams and have some great teammates, coaches, and professors who are helping me learn all about the college experience,” he says.

Head Athletic Trainer Nick Long (back) works with BVU freshman wrestler Justin Stock, of Kanas City, Mo., in the Fritcher Fitness Center in Siebens Fieldhouse. Stock studies rehabilitation science at BVU.

BEAVER ATHLETICS ONLINE STORE You can now shop for BVU Athletics gear online at bvustore.com. With hundreds of navy and gold items available, you’ll be sure to find the perfect fit for you and your fellow Beavers!

ATHLETIC TRAINING DUTIES SHIFT A BIT AS BEAVERS BATTLE COVID-19 Staff aims to keep student-athletes safe and healthy when representing BVU in athletic competition When golf, cross country, and tennis teams departed for competitions during the fall, Nick Long helped send them off. But not after taking temperatures and other checks. Long, Buena Vista University’s Head Athletic Trainer, set his alarm for 5 a.m., or whatever it took, in order to see teams before they left campus for meets and matches. “We did testing for the teams when our student-athletes arrived on campus,” says Long. “We used TestIowa at Sunrise Pointe Golf Course (in Storm Lake) at that time and were excited to open a TestIowa site on campus. We also worked closely with Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake, specifically their UnityPoint Clinic.” The aim: Keep student-athletes and their opponents healthy as they represent their schools in the throes of a pandemic. Long joined a trio of full-time athletic trainers and nurses on campus in monitoring the well-being of the Beavers. Student-athletes joined coaches, faculty, and staff members in a self-assessment each day through the BVU mobile app. When a student-athlete received a red checkmark for running a temperature, for example, Long and his staff, as well as BVU’s nursing staff, received an email alert and quickly worked with the student to set up a telehealth appointment. “After the telehealth appointment, we determined the next appropriate step for care,” Long says. “Often, it might just be that the student hit the wrong button while going through the health assessment on their phone.”

positive or negative for COVID-19. A student who tested positive self-isolated on campus or at home. Contact tracing then identified students who needed to quarantine because they were in contact with the infected person—within a distance of six feet for 15 minutes or more. Coaches, such as Mark Rial, BVU Head Wrestling Coach, met with students quarantined on campus on a daily basis, to accompany them on walks, always mindful to wear a mask while observing physical-distancing requirements to prevent additional spread. “It was imperative to get students in quarantine out of their room for their mental and physical health,” Rial says. “The student-athletes I worked with did an amazing job handling the situation that they had no control over, especially considering it happened to some of them during their first two weeks of college.” And while Long and his crew didn’t tape as many ankles or wrap as many shoulders during fall with games and matches in football, volleyball, and soccer sidelined until spring, the athletic trainers continued to staff practices multiple times per week, doing all they could to ensure the health and safety of 400-plus student-athletes, their BVU peers, and more. “We saw some normal orthopedic stuff this fall, but, luckily, nothing that required surgery,” Long says. “We changed some of our routines to do taping outside to help with physical distancing. We also wore masks and did our best to keep advising students.”

A symptomatic student-athlete was directed to complete a test through TestIowa, which showed whether they were

bvuathletics.com 29

CLAUSEN FAMILY

EDUCATION FOR SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP

CHANGES LIVES, STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES Deanna Schaffer gets goosebumps describing the road she’s taken to and through BVU. She’s not alone on this journey. “I am working hard at BVU because it is not only changing my life, it’s changing the lives of my family members,” says Schaffer, a sophomore from Alta. “I know there will be many tears when I graduate. There were when I received this scholarship, which made it all possible.” The Clausen Family Education for Service Scholarship, which Schaffer receives, is a full-tuition award based on Schaffer’s academic accomplishments, her service-oriented work, and the fact she’s in the first generation of her family to attend college. The program, which, in its entirety, currently impacts more than two dozen BVU students from Buena Vista County, is strengthened in part through a previous gift of $1 million from Doug and Joanie Clausen, Storm Lake residents who have directed the expansion of their family-owned VT Industries, headquartered in nearby Holstein. Doug serves as Chairman and CEO of VT, which was founded by his father, the late Roger Clausen, in 1956. The company, a world leader in the manufacturing of architectural wood doors, laminate and wood countertops, and more, for residential and commercial buildings, employs 2,000 people in 15 facilities across North America. “We’re very grateful to be in a position to help students through the Education for Service Scholarship,” Doug says. “Education was very important to my parents as they were the first members of their families to earn a college diploma. This scholarship represents one way in which our family can help others within our extended community.” Roger Clausen graduated from the University of Denver, while his wife, Rosemary, graduated from Briar Cliff University. The family has provided scholarships for students attending Briar Cliff and Creighton University, Doug’s alma mater. The Education for Service Scholars Program, which began two years ago, held incredible appeal for Joanie and Doug, a BVU Trustee since 2006.

DEANNA SCHAFFER

“It is wonderful to be able to impact the lives of students and BVU in this way,” Doug says. “We see it as an investment in rural Iowa, specifically Northwest Iowa, where BVU continues to shape lives.” Schaffer was about to graduate from Alta-Aurelia in 2019 when she learned she could serve her community in 300 hours of work annually through the AmeriCorps program in exchange for tuition, an effort now supported in part by the Clausen family. “As a fifth-grader I began dreaming about college,” Schaffer says. “Without the Education for Service Scholarship, I don’t know where I would be.” Schaffer wouldn’t be sitting idle. The psychology major milks cows near Aurelia, and makes sandwiches at Subway in Storm Lake. Her AmeriCorps service sees the social innovation minor reading to kindergarten students at Storm Lake Elementary School. “The Education for Service Scholars Program is a support system as I meet other first-generation college students who

Doug and Joanie Clausen, of VT Industries, have established the Clausen Family Education for Service Scholarship.

are going through some of the same things as me and my family,” she says. “We have advisors that meet with us oneon-one every other week. Not only did the program give me the opportunity to attend BVU, it is shaping me to become an influential and progressive member of the community.” For years, the Clausen Family Foundation has helped demonstrate the role of the family, and the value of education, throughout the community; whether it be in the form of college scholarships for the children of VT employees, or the Rosemary Clausen Performing Arts Center, a signature community facility at Ridge View High School in Holstein—an effort that began with a $500,000 lead gift from the Foundation. “The Education for Service Scholarship at BVU aligns so well with our family,” Joanie Clausen says. “And the important work these young people are doing through the AmeriCorps program will only strengthen the communities that have helped our family-run business thrive.” “College is hard, but I’m pushing my way through it,” Schaffer says. “In the long run, the work will pay off. I motivate myself by imagining my parents and grandparents on my graduation day at BVU. They’re all going to cry.” With a smile, and goosebumps, she says, “And so will I.”

WILLIAM W. SIEBENS REMEMBERED FOR LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION William W. Siebens, 86, namesake for the American Heritage Lecture Series at Buena Vista University, died on June 29 at his home in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “Bill” Siebens, son of Dr. Harold Walter and Velma Wolf Siebens, served as host for dozens of national and international leaders who visited campus to address current topics related to freedom. The William W. Siebens American Heritage Lecture Series, a landmark forum for the University transformed by the Siebens family, addresses freedom as a single, great, living idea comprised of many working parts. A fighter pilot with the U.S. Air Force, Siebens succeeded in free enterprise, one of the foundations of our American heritage. Since 1979, he served as president of Candor Investments, Ltd., a private investment corporation. Philanthropy was always an important part of Bill’s life, and his gifts extended beyond his enormous impact at BVU, which lives on through state-of-the-art brickand-mortar efforts as well as through generations of students and alumni whose educational journeys were impacted by thousands of scholarships funded in part via gifts from the Siebens Foundations.

CENTER FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE SHINES IN FORUM PHASE II RENOVATION

Buena Vista University’s Forum Phase II, a $4.3-million renovation of the BVU Library, the Center for Academic Excellence, the University’s Information Technology Department (2Fix), Common Grounds coffee shop, and office areas within University Development and Alumni Engagement was completed during the Fall Semester, much to the delight of students, faculty, and staff.

The centerpiece of the effort, which followed the highly successful $15.1-million renovation of the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business/Siebens Forum in 2019, involved moving and expanding the Center for Academic Excellence, an entity utilized by dozens of BVU students each day. The CAE now has a much larger dedicated space with state-of-the-art technology across the library’s first floor.

“Creating a modern space and experience for our students was our No. 1 priority and this has been accomplished,” says Suzette Radke, Vice President for Finance and Administration.

“The CAE is such a key entity on campus for our students,” Radke says. “The addition of space and a centralized, accessible location within the library is only going to make it stronger.”

“I REALLY LIKE THE NEW CAE SPACE IN THE LIBRARY.” That statement from Christina Jackson, a BVU junior rehabilitation health sciences major from Johnston, is echoed by students across campus, dozens of whom use the state-of-the-art Center for Academic Excellence each day. Jackson, a member of the women’s track and field team, uses bright and spacious CAE rooms and open areas while studying for her classes, or while tutoring peers in chemistry and psychology, one of 35 student tutors who provide the academic service free for students. “I enjoy being a tutor,” Jackson says from the renovated first floor of the BVU Library. “I didn’t know if I would get students in need of assistance. I also didn’t know how helpful I might be. But Donna (Salton) Musel ’88 M.A. ’01 (Director of Academic Excellence) sets us all up for success. My students got the most out of their time with me. Their feedback tells me they did well on the tests we prepared for in the CAE.” The new CAE, 2Fix, a renovated Library, a new Mack, Mack, and Mack Board Room, and more are components of a $4.3-million Forum Phase II project that began in the spring of 2020 and was completed during the Fall Semester.

ALUMNI EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

DIGI DAY GOES VIRTUAL

15 MINUTES WITH A LEADER

BVU alumni Grant Gerlock ’04, Courtney Kemp Anders ’05, Emily Kenny ’19, Zach Schmidt ’16, and Kiley Wellendorf ’17 joined current digital media students for the first virtual Digi Day. The alumni shared unique insights into their careers with current and future Beavers.

Travis Munn ’16, Mike Naig ’00, Dr. Scott Radke ’12 (pictured above), and Andrew Traeger ’94 shared their experience in the ag industry, as well as answered student questions through the “15 Minutes with a Leader” series hosted by the Institute for Agriculture.

HERSHBERGER GOLF OUTING

VIRTUAL HOMECOMING 2020

More than 85 alumni and friends traveled to Storm Lake for the annual Hershberger Golf Outing at the BVU Golf Course at Lake Creek. The tournament raised in excess of $10,000 for the BVU Football Fund and Hershberger Endowment. The event is named for the late Jim Hershberger, who coached BVU from 1970 to 1989. From left: former BVU football players Mike Pertzborn ’74, John Fay ’73, Dan Phillips ’77, and Brad Jones ’77.

Beavers show off their spirit during BVU’s virtual Homecoming. From left: Devon Van Houten, senior baseball player; Jasmine Demers ’18 M.A. ’19; Michael Demers, senior baseball and men’s basketball player; Patti (Kuhl) Demers ’90, former BVU softball and women’s basketball player; Jim Demers ’91, BVU Hall of Famer and former BVU football and men’s basketball player; and Danika Demers, junior at St. Mary’s High School.

DREY GOLF OUTING Forty-two teams made up of 168 golfers reported to BVU Golf Course at Lake Creek for the Third Annual Kyle Drey Memorial Golf Outing. The tournament is held in memory of Drey, a BVU booster and Storm Lake St. Mary’s basketball coach. The event hosted by Adam Friedrichsen ’09, Kennedy Drey ’17, and Jacquie (Bauer) Drey ’97 raised in excess of $14,000 earmarked for the college funds for the daughters of Kyle and Jacquie. From left: Thomas Wisecup ‘18, Grant Wright ‘18, Adam Juhl ‘18, Nick Clark ‘17, Sam Lipps ‘16, and Jarod Juhl ‘16. WE LOVE KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH OUR ALUMNI! Share your good news, stay connected, and even get featured in an upcoming issue of Beyond the Arch by submitting an update to bvu.edu/updateinfo.

RING THE BELL 36

TRIO REPRESENTS BVU AT FILM FESTIVAL IN VACAVILLE Chelsey (Goetz) Schmidt ’16, Zach Schmidt ’16, and Cooper Maahs ’19 represented BVU at the 2020 Ag & Art Film Festival in the Napa Valley region of California for their work on “Growing Magic: The Mickey Mouse Cornfield Story.” These three, along with several other digital media students, spent four years collecting news stories, doing background work, and recording/editing interviews for the documentary which premiered in 2019.

CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER PROMOTED

TERRACE HILL COMMISSION REAPPOINTMENT

Vince Remmark ’95 was promoted to Assistant District Director by the Eighth Judicial District Dept. of Correctional Services, which consists of 14 counties in southeast Iowa. He formerly served in a variety of positions including residential officer, HRU supervisor, probation parole supervisor, and most recently, Division Manager over Special Services.

Jerry Mathiasen ’76 was reappointed by Governor Kim Reynolds to the Terrace Hill Commission. The Terrace Hill Commission provides preservation, maintenance, renovation, landscaping, and administration for Terrace Hill, the Iowa Governor’s Residence. This is Mathiasen’s fourth three-year term on the commission, serving his first two terms under former Governor Terry Branstad.

HOOPS HITS THE RINK

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE FOREFRONT FOR ALUM

Tanner Hoops ’18 joined the front office staff of the Sioux City Musketeers as the Game Night Operations/Social Media Coordinator ahead of their 2020-21 season. Hoops comes full circle with the Musketeers as he first served as an intern for the team in 2017.

Stefani Millie Grant ’00, Senior Manager, External Affairs and Sustainability for Unilever North America aided in launching a program that helps hundreds of Iowa soy farmers by focusing on cover crops and soil health, enhancing the sustainability of one of the key ingredients in Hellmann’s brand, soy oil.

ALUMNI ACCOLADES

Pacers Sports & Entertainment

HEAD COACH RECEIVES HALL OF FAME RECOGNITION Leslie Huntington ’92 was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame. As Head Coach at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, she has a career record of 499-261-2 and directed the Blugolds to the 2008 NCAA Division III National Championship.

PACERS NAME HEAD COACH Nate Bjorkgren ’98 joined the NBA Indiana Pacers as Head Coach. Most recently Bjorkgren served as assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors where he helped lead the team to an NBA title in 2019. He is the second BVU alum to serve as a head coach or manager for a major professional sports team.

SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR RECOGNIZED BY COSIDA Paul Misner ’90, who started his career in sports information at BVU in 1993, was recognized with the 25-Year Award from CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). The award is reserved for those who have been in the sports information profession full-time for 25 years. Misner currently serves as Director of Sports Information/Assistant Director of University Relations for the University of Dubuque, where he has worked for the past 15 years.

GRAD BEGINS IOWA STATE PATROL CAREER Beth Sibenaller ’19 graduated from the Iowa Department of Public Safety Basic Academy and now serves as a Trooper with the Iowa State Patrol, working out of the Spencer district.

AWARD WINNER STARTS NEW BUSINESS Alexis Williams ’15 was honored as one of “32 Under 32” honorees for 2020 by the Ad Federation of Minnesota while serving as a Marketing Communications Specialist for 3M. She recently founded and launched a new business, Ohrye, which focuses on creating memorable moments within the comfort of home. The business was inspired by at-home activity, which became a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KTIV ANCHOR HONORED Al Joens ’85 was inducted into the Upper Midwest Emmy Silver Circle for his significant contributions to KTIV, the NBC affiliate in Sioux City. He will mark his 36th anniversary with the station this summer.

PETERSON NAMED SIR JOHN MARKS TEMPLETON LIFE TRUSTEE The BVU Board of Trustees recognized Cordell Peterson ’63 with the Sir John Marks Templeton Life Trustee honor, an award reserved for those who, like Peterson, have had a far-reaching impact on the life of the University. “We are indebted to Cordell Peterson in so many ways. He’s a very successful alum, one who, through his work and leadership, has strengthened the reputation BVU enjoys across the Midwest and beyond,” says President Brian Lenzmeier. Peterson, President and CEO of Peterson Contractors, Inc., of Reinbeck, joined his wife, Sandra, in helping fund remarkable renovation efforts at BVU, including, but not limited to, Peterson Field at J. Leslie Rollins Stadium, and the Cordell ’63 and Sandra Peterson Fireside Lounge, one of the signature elements of the $15.1-million Forum Phase I Renovation. “What makes the Trustee experience so rewarding is to see how young men and women come up through BVU and go on to become success stories,” says Peterson, a 21-year member of the Board of Trustees who has hosted several BVU paid interns at Lincoln Savings Bank, which he has served in a variety of capacities the past 27 years. Peterson’s honor came during a semi-annual meeting of the BVU Board of Trustees, an occasion that also saw Trustees approve a change in leadership as Michael Pierce was selected to succeed Dr. Norman Nielsen ’61, who stepped down after serving as Board Chair for a notable nine-year period. Pierce, whose BVU family ties reach back three generations, lauded Nielsen for his tireless dedication and continued service to BVU.

While various items change from year to year in the budgeting process for Wendy (Lehman) ’07 and Jeremy ’09 Peichel, one allocation remains top-of-mind. “BVU is No. 1 on our giving list every year,” Jeremy says. “Our commitment to BVU is a part of us, something we do every year.” The Peichels, who provide financial support to the BVU Library, Annual Fund, and the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business, gratefully acknowledge the gifts they received—and earned— during their time as students. They join in the support of a wide network of BVU alumni and friends ensuring quality instruction, state-of-the-art facilities, experiential learning, and co-curricular opportunities continue for current and future Beavers. Any number of experiences they enjoyed as Beavers helped shape the couple: • They traveled internationally. • They served as tutors and academic advisors. • Wendy played in the band and sang in the choir. • Jeremy served as Student Senate President. The liberal arts experience coupled with the ways in which professors challenged and grew close to them continue to impact both as successful professionals. “As someone who didn’t have the means to pay for college, what BVU did for me in the way of instruction, experience, and travel, it all meant so much to me,” says Jeremy, the first in his family to attend college. Jeremy, whose time as a BVU student was interrupted with a deployment to Iraq, serves as the founder/owner of Civic Intelligence, LLC, which offers public policy consulting for

GIVING REMAINS

AT THE HEART OF BVU EXPERIENCE FOR MINNESOTA COUPLE state and local governments. Wendy, who began her career in the BVU Library, now serves as a ParaPlanner for Strong Tower Wealth Management. The Peichels, who earned Trustee Scholarships as BVU students, began giving back to BVU when they wed, realizing benefactors who preceded them helped position the University, a “hidden gem” for a pair of native Minnesotans. Impressive scholarship offerings, the student-to-faculty ratio, a gorgeous lakeside campus, and BVU’s first-in the-nation 1-to-1 laptop initiative played roles in Wendy’s enrollment. Jeremy found BVU through an Iowa Private College Week endeavor in 2001. He joined the Minnesota National Guard prior to his graduation from Burnsville High School in 2002. BVU administrators held his scholarship for one year as he completed Advanced Individual Training for the Army. He majored in public administration, political science, and environmental science. He also participated in Mock Trial and worked for 2Fix when he wasn’t studying or drilling with his military unit, a unit he joined during a two-year deployment, 18 months of which was spent in Iraq. Jeremy earned the Army Commendation Medal, among other citations, during his tour of duty. He returned home three weeks before the couple’s wedding in August 2007. Jeremy then resumed his BVU undergraduate career and time at 2Fix as Wendy worked in the BVU Library. “The liberal arts experience is the piece that probably meant the most to me,” Jeremy says. “BVU professors like Timothy McDaniel (Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Quantitative Business), Dr. Stan Ullerich ’82 (Professor Emeritus of Economics), Dr. Bradley

Best (Professor of Political Science), and Lisa Best (Professor of Business Law & Political Science, and Dean, Harold Walter Siebens School of Business) showed me, in their unique ways, how there are different methods to solve a problem. BVU was a great lab for me, one that helped me satisfy all kinds of interests.” Instruction in finance and economics drove Wendy, who worked at Central Bank as a teller and attended the prestigious Mises Institute, a weeklong economic seminar in Alabama. She also attended one of the annual meetings for Berkshire Hathaway. McDaniel and Ullerich, she says, served as mentors, as did Henry Hardt (Professor Emeritus of Business Law & Finance), who guided her through the practical steps of tax preparation and more. Jeremy would earn a pair of master’s degrees through the University of Maryland as Wendy worked in finance and accounting, eventually earning the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Now busy employees, they’re also active parents, helping direct the education of their two children, Liam, 9, and Nora, 6, joining millions of others who work to supplement what teachers cover online as the COVID-19 pandemic moves daily classes to remote learning. COVID-19 has also caused them to miss the place that brought them together: BVU. They vow to return once the country emerges from the pandemic, seeking to explore the renovated Harold Walter Siebens Forum, an expanded 2Fix, the renovated BVU Library, and more. “We often return for the American Heritage Lecture Series,” Wendy says. “It’s always great to be back on campus and reconnect with professors and staff we worked with during our time there. We’re just so grateful for the whole experience we had at BVU.”

610 West 4th St. Storm Lake, IA 50588

VIRTUAL TOUR See where students are forging paths of their own with our new, interactive virtual tour! Journey inside our academic buildings, residence halls, and athletic facilities at bvu.edu/tour.

Located in the renovated Forum, the new Game Room is home to shuffleboard, Pac-Man, gaming systems, foosball, and group meeting spaces.